Our Genealogy Helper
Introduction ...
We have a couple of goals for our Gazetteer:
- That it be a tool which helps us with planning our trips.
- We're trying to shape our Gazetteer as a tool to help us understand the community in which our ancestors lived, the community that was part of their daily lives.
- On our trips, we try to visit those places where our ancestors left their footprints.
By learning about The Ridge (and the surrounding area) during the time that our ancestors lived, we hope to have a better understanding of both their community and its relationship to their lifes. We hope that this tool helps to give us an insight into their world.
As we add data and organize our Gazetteer to help with our family research, we will be adding to this our Genealogical Helper for The Ridge. While we don't have information that is specific to any given person or family, we intend to expand our understanding about where and how people lived.
Neighboring Counties ...
When searching for family records, we have frequently made the mistake of not checking the neighboring counties.
For example, we have great-grandparents who lived in the northwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors and hospitals were in the next county to the west. Almost all of the nearby churches and cemeteries were in the county to the north.
So when searching for records, we had our best success by looking in neighboring counties instead of the county in which they lived: their home county contained property and probate records; the county to the west contained birth and death records; the county to the north contained their burial records. If we hadn't included the neighboring counties, we would have missed many valuable sources of information.
If you're in a similar situation, we hope that the following information helps.
The Ridge is located in Mecklenburg County.
To see how the shape of Virginia's counties may have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.
The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Mecklenburg County: Granville (NC), Vance (NC), Warren (NC), Brunswick, Charlotte, Halifax & Lunenburg.
Below are the counties that are near The Ridge. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to The Ridge:
- Mecklenburg County (The home county of The Ridge)
- The following are listed by their distance from The Ridge, with the one closest to The Ridge listed first.
- Boydton
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Dunns Corner
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Dunns Corner is located in Mecklenburg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunns Corner
- Union Level
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Union Level is located in Mecklenburg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union Level
- Cusco Willa
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Cusco Willa is located in Mecklenburg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cusco Willa
- Wightman
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Wightman is located in Mecklenburg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wightman
- Finchley
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Finchley is located in Mecklenburg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Finchley
- Skipwith
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Skipwith is located in Mecklenburg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Skipwith
- Ogburn
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Ogburn is located in Mecklenburg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ogburn
- Opie
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Opie is located in Mecklenburg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Opie
- Chase City
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Palmer Springs
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Palmer Springs is located in Mecklenburg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Palmer Springs
- Jeffress
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Jeffress is located in Mecklenburg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jeffress
- Mill Village
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Mill Village is located in Mecklenburg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mill Village
- Brunswick County
- The following are listed by their distance from The Ridge, with the one closest to The Ridge listed first.
- Brodnax
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Netta ‑ Historic
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Netta is located in Brunswick County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Netta
- Gholsonville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Gholsonville is located in Brunswick County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gholsonville
- Ankum
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Ankum is located in Brunswick County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ankum
- Gasburg
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Ezell
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Ezell is located in Brunswick County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ezell
- Lawrenceville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Alberta
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Alberta is located in Brunswick County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alberta
- Population from the 2020 Census: 265 people
- Jonesboro ‑ Historic
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Jonesboro is located in Brunswick County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jonesboro
- Powellton
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Powellton is located in Brunswick County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Powellton
- Charlotte County
- The following are listed by their distance from The Ridge, with the one closest to The Ridge listed first.
- Wylliesburg
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Keysville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Drakes Branch
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Charlotte Court House
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Fluvanna County
- Scottsburg
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Halifax County
- The following are listed by their distance from The Ridge, with the one closest to The Ridge listed first.
- Aarons Creek
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Aarons Creek is located in Halifax County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aarons Creek
- Clover
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Midway
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Midway is located in Halifax County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Midway
- Omega
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Omega is located in Halifax County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Omega
- Virgilina
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Clays Mill
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Clays Mill is located in Halifax County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clays Mill
- Mayo
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Mayo is located in Halifax County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mayo
- South Boston
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Lunenburg County
- The following are listed by their distance from The Ridge, with the one closest to The Ridge listed first.
- Bagleys Mills
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Bagleys Mills is located in Lunenburg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bagleys Mills
- Wattsboro
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Wattsboro is located in Lunenburg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wattsboro
- Oral Oaks
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Oral Oaks is located in Lunenburg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oral Oaks
- Lunenburg
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Lunenburg is located in Lunenburg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lunenburg
- Lochleven
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Lochleven is located in Lunenburg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lochleven
- Pleasant Grove
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Pleasant Grove is located in Lunenburg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Grove
- Victoria
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Kenbridge
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Dundas
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Dundas is located in Lunenburg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dundas
- Nutbush
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Nutbush is located in Lunenburg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nutbush
- Meherrin
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Meherrin is located in Lunenburg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meherrin
- Nottoway County
- Winnie
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Winnie is located in Nottoway County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winnie
- Spotsylvania County
- Brokenburg
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Brokenburg is located in Spotsylvania County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brokenburg
- Granville County (NC)
- The following are listed by their distance from The Ridge, with the one closest to The Ridge listed first.
- Townsville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Bullock
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Stovall
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Stovall is located in Granville County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stovall
- Population from the 2020 Census: 420 people
- Gela
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Gela is located in Granville County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gela
- Wilbourns
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Wilbourns is located in Granville County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilbourns
- Oxford
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Oxford is located in Granville County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oxford
- Population from the 2020 Census: 8,905 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Oxford <1>
- Halifax County (NC)
- Littleton
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Northampton County (NC)
- Henrico
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Vance County (NC)
- The following are listed by their distance from The Ridge, with the one closest to The Ridge listed first.
- Drewry
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Drewry is located in Vance County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Drewry
- Middleburg
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Flat Rock
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Flat Rock is located in Vance County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flat Rock
- Adcock Crossroads
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Adcock Crossroads is located in Vance County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adcock Crossroads
- Dabney
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Dabney is located in Vance County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dabney
- Henderson
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- South Henderson
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- South Henderson is located in Vance County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Henderson
- Bear Pond
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Bear Pond is located in Vance County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bear Pond
- Gillburg
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Gillburg is located in Vance County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gillburg
- Gill
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Gill is located in Vance County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gill
- Warren County (NC)
- The following are listed by their distance from The Ridge, with the one closest to The Ridge listed first.
- Rose Hill
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Rose Hill is located in Warren County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rose Hill
- Wise
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Wise is located in Warren County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wise
- Manson
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Norlina
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Soul City
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Soul City is located in Warren County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Soul City
- Warren Plains
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Warren Plains is located in Warren County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Warren Plains
- Snow Hill
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Snow Hill is located in Warren County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Snow Hill
- Church Hill
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Church Hill is located in Warren County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Church Hill
- Macon
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Warrenton
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Afton
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Afton is located in Warren County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Afton
- Vaughan
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to The Ridge, see our County-by-County Page for The Ridge.
Cemeteries Near The Ridge ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of The Ridge.
This is a new section and is likely to have errors. If you find an error, such as a missing cemetery or we have the wrong name, please let us know. If you know of them, we would also appreciate learning about previous or alternate names.
Although we don't have the information ourselves, if you need information about a burial or interment, photos, transcripts, how to contact the cemetery or local authorities, please visit our list of websites on our Genealogy Helper Page for The Ridge - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for The Ridge covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from The Ridge, with the one closest to The Ridge listed first.
- Easters Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Rehoboth Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- St. Andrews Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Ebenezer Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- St. Pauls Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Shiloh Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Bethany Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Zion Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Union Level Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Fields Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- St. Pauls Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Johnson Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Continue List (191 more) ...
- Salem Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Ephesus Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Berea Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
Nearby Communities in 1895 ...
We've built the following list with information that came from an Atlas published by Rand McNally in 1895. The Atlas had details such as the population of the community (which appears to have come from the 1890 Census) and whether there was a post office and/or railroad service available. We also indicate if the community no longer exists and is now historic.<2>
While we didn't find The Ridge in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of The Ridge.
These communities are listed based on their distance from The Ridge, with the one closest to The Ridge listed first.
- Antlers
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Antlers is located in Mecklenburg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Antlers
- Boydton
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Muck Cross
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Muck Cross is located in Mecklenburg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Muck Cross
- Baskerville
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Baskerville is located in Mecklenburg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Baskerville
- Cusco Willa
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Cusco Willa is located in Mecklenburg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cusco Willa
- Union Level
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Union Level is located in Mecklenburg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union Level
- Wightman
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Wightman is located in Mecklenburg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wightman
- Drapersville
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Drapersville is located in Mecklenburg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Drapersville
- Finchley
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Finchley is located in Mecklenburg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Finchley
- North View
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- North View is located in Mecklenburg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North View
- Skipwith
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Skipwith is located in Mecklenburg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Skipwith
- Keats
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Keats is located in Mecklenburg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keats
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Smiths Crossroads
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Smiths Crossroads is located in Mecklenburg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smiths Crossroads
- Jeffress
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Jeffress is located in Mecklenburg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jeffress
- Woodworth
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Woodworth is located in Vance County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodworth
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around The Ridge. See our List of 1890's Communities around The Ridge.
Newspapers Published in The Ridge ...
An ongoing effort between the Library of Congress and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) has resulted in the National Digital Newspaper Program (NDNP).
To share their results, the partnership has created the Chronicling America website. The goal of this partnership is to assemble a database about the current and historic newspapers of the United States. This includes a growing collection of scanned images from selected papers. All of it available to the public on their website.
Using information that we've taken from the Chronicling America website, we've identified 28 newspapers that have been published in the area around The Ridge.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of The Ridge, there are papers which were published within 18 miles [29 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for The Ridge.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we first turn to the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These websites offer the information directly or else point to where you can find it. Their information is open to everyone.
To help you get started, the following links will take you to the pages that are relevant to The Ridge:
- Websites specific to Virginia
- Pages specific to Mecklenburg County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Brunswick County
- Charlotte County
- Fluvanna County
- Halifax County
- Lunenburg County
- Nottoway County
- Spotsylvania County
- Granville County
- Halifax County
- Northampton County
- Vance County
- Warren County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Virginia
Footnotes ...
| <1> | While we're fans and frequent users of TripAdvisor, you should know that we're also members of the TripAdvisor affiliate program. |
| <2> | We use the term 'Historic' broadly and it generally means that the community no longer exists. However, it can also mean that the community might still exist, but was significantly larger or had a more 'official' existence in the past than it does now. Unfortunately our sources of data have proven to be unreliable. If you can provide us with more specific information about The Ridge, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <3> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- The Ridge) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |