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 Smithfield (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 Smithfield. 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 northeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors and hospitals were in the next county to the east. 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 east 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.
Smithfield is located in Russell 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 Russell County: Buchanan, Dickenson, Scott, Smyth, Tazewell, Washington & Wise.
Below are the counties that are near Smithfield. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Smithfield:
- Russell County (The home county of Smithfield)
- The following are listed by their distance from Smithfield, with the one closest to Smithfield listed first.
- Elk Garden
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Elk Garden is located in Russell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elk Garden
- Barnett
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Barnett is located in Russell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barnett
- Honaker
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Lebanon
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Spring City
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Spring City is located in Russell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spring City
- Artrip
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Artrip is located in Russell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Artrip
- Dye
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Dye is located in Russell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dye
- Russell
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Russell is located in Russell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Russell
- Cleveland
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Cleveland is located in Russell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cleveland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 170 people
- Jessees Mill
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Jessees Mill is located in Russell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jessees Mill
- Kiser ‑ Historic
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Kiser is located in Russell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kiser
- Carterton
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Carterton is located in Russell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carterton
- Creswell
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Creswell is located in Russell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Creswell
- Bristol City
- The following are listed by their distance from Smithfield, with the one closest to Smithfield listed first.
- Virginia Heights
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Virginia Heights is located in Bristol City
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Virginia Heights
- Bristol
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Buchanan County
- The following are listed by their distance from Smithfield, with the one closest to Smithfield listed first.
- Council
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Council is located in Buchanan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Council
- Rowe
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Rowe is located in Buchanan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rowe
- Mavisdale
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Mavisdale is located in Buchanan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mavisdale
- Leemaster
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Leemaster is located in Buchanan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leemaster
- Janey
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Janey is located in Buchanan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Janey
- Vansant
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Royal City
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Royal City is located in Buchanan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Royal City
- Grundy
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Bearwallow
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Bearwallow is located in Buchanan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bearwallow
- Height
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Height is located in Buchanan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Height
- Peapatch
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Peapatch is located in Buchanan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peapatch
- Matney
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Matney is located in Buchanan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Matney
- Jackson Flats
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Jackson Flats is located in Buchanan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jackson Flats
- Dickenson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Smithfield, with the one closest to Smithfield listed first.
- Carrie
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Carrie is located in Dickenson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carrie
- Bucu
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Bucu is located in Dickenson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bucu
- Aily
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Aily is located in Dickenson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aily
- Nora
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Nora is located in Dickenson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nora
- Herald
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Herald is located in Dickenson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Herald
- Haysi
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Clinchco
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Tarpon
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Tarpon is located in Dickenson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tarpon
- Omaha
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Omaha is located in Dickenson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Omaha
- Clintwood
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Grayson County
- Whitetop
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Scott County
- The following are listed by their distance from Smithfield, with the one closest to Smithfield listed first.
- Grigbys Store
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Grigbys Store is located in Scott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grigbys Store
- Nickelsville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Dungannon
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Dungannon is located in Scott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dungannon
- Population from the 2020 Census: 299 people
- Maces Spring
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Maces Spring is located in Scott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maces Spring
- Smyth County
- The following are listed by their distance from Smithfield, with the one closest to Smithfield listed first.
- Allison Gap
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Allison Gap is located in Smyth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Allison Gap
- Cardwell Town
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Cardwell Town is located in Smyth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cardwell Town
- Saltville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Broadford
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Broadford is located in Smyth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Broadford
- Chilhowie
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Seven Mile Ford
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Seven Mile Ford is located in Smyth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seven Mile Ford
- Ellendale
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Ellendale is located in Smyth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ellendale
- Adwolf
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Adwolf is located in Smyth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adwolf
- Marion
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Mount Carmel
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Mount Carmel is located in Smyth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Carmel
- Atkins
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Tazewell County
- The following are listed by their distance from Smithfield, with the one closest to Smithfield listed first.
- Paintlick
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Paintlick is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Paintlick
- Raven
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Raven is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Raven
- Red Ash
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Red Ash is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Ash
- Steeleburg
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Steeleburg is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Steeleburg
- Claypool Hill
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Claypool Hill is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Claypool Hill
- Richlands
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Cedar Bluff
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Pounding Mill
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Harman
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Harman is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harman
- Maxwell
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Maxwell is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maxwell
- Asberrys
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Asberrys is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Asberrys
- Dunford Village
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Dunford Village is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunford Village
- Pisgah
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Pisgah is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pisgah
- Washington County
- The following are listed by their distance from Smithfield, with the one closest to Smithfield listed first.
- Brumley Gap
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Brumley Gap is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brumley Gap
- Lindell
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Lindell is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lindell
- Glenford
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Glenford is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glenford
- Lowland
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Lowland is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lowland
- Clinchburg
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Clinchburg is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clinchburg
- Holston
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Holston is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holston
- Greendale
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Greendale is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greendale
- Glade Spring
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Abingdon
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Abingdon is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Abingdon
- Population from the 2020 Census: 7,856 people
- Fleet
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Craigs Mill
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Craigs Mill is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Craigs Mill
- Rust Hollow
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Rust Hollow is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rust Hollow
- Watauga
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Watauga is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Watauga
- Wise County
- The following are listed by their distance from Smithfield, with the one closest to Smithfield listed first.
- Saint Paul
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Virginia City
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Virginia City is located in Wise County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Virginia City
- Dwina
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Dwina is located in Wise County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dwina
- Coeburn
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Johnson County (TN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Smithfield, with the one closest to Smithfield listed first.
- Winchester
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Winchester is located in Johnson County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winchester
- Estimated population in 2014: 8,547 people
- Shingletown
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Shingletown is located in Johnson County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shingletown
- Fuller
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Fuller is located in Johnson County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fuller
- Sullivan County (TN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Smithfield, with the one closest to Smithfield listed first.
- Forest Hills
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Forest Hills is located in Sullivan County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest Hills
- Holston Valley
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Holston Valley is located in Sullivan County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holston Valley
- Hunter Hills
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Hunter Hills is located in Sullivan County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hunter Hills
- Population from the 2010 Census: 1,854 people
- Bristol
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Fishdam ‑ Historic
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Fishdam is located in Sullivan County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fishdam
- Ruthton
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Ruthton is located in Sullivan County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ruthton
- Collingwood
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Walnut Hill
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Walnut Hill is located in Sullivan County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walnut Hill
- McDowell County (WV)
- The following are listed by their distance from Smithfield, with the one closest to Smithfield listed first.
- Height
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Height is located in McDowell County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Height
- Peapatch
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Peapatch is located in McDowell County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peapatch
- Jackson Flats
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Jackson Flats is located in McDowell County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jackson Flats
- Paynesville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Paynesville is located in McDowell County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Paynesville
- Bishop
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Bishop is located in McDowell County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bishop
- Newhall
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Newhall is located in McDowell County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newhall
- War
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- War is located in McDowell County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for War
- Population from the 2020 Census: 659 people
- Bradshaw
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Yukon
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Yukon is located in McDowell County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yukon
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Smithfield, see our County-by-County Page for Smithfield.
Cemeteries Near Smithfield ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Smithfield.
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 Smithfield - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Smithfield covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Smithfield, with the one closest to Smithfield listed first.
- Browning Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Smith Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Fuller Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Taylor Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Burk Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Boyd Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Howard Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Lynch Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Powers Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Helton Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Elliott Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Browning Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Continue List (1142 more) ...
- Hendricks Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Kendrick Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Hess Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
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 Smithfield in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Smithfield.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Smithfield, with the one closest to Smithfield listed first.
- Barnett
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Barnett is located in Russell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barnett
- Elk Garden
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Elk Garden is located in Russell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elk Garden
- Rosedale
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Rosedale is located in Russell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rosedale
- Rockdell
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Rockdell is located in Russell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rockdell
- Honaker
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Lebanon
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Belfast
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Belfast is located in Russell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belfast
- Swords Creek
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Artrip
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Artrip is located in Russell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Artrip
- Brumley Gap
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Brumley Gap is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brumley Gap
- Lindell
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Lindell is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lindell
- Clifton
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Clifton is located in Russell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clifton
- Continue List (13 more) ...
- Glenford
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Glenford is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glenford
- Cleveland
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Cleveland is located in Russell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cleveland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 170 people
- Lowland
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Lowland is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lowland
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Smithfield. See our List of 1890's Communities around Smithfield.
Newspapers Published in Smithfield ...
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 31 newspapers that have been published in the area around Smithfield.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Smithfield, there are papers which were published within 15 miles [24.1 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Smithfield.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we begin with the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These professional and volunteer 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 Smithfield:
- Websites specific to Virginia
- Pages specific to Russell County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Bristol City
- Buchanan County
- Dickenson County
- Grayson County
- Scott County
- Smyth County
- Tazewell County
- Washington County
- Wise County
- Johnson County
- Sullivan County
- McDowell 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 Smithfield, 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' (or point-to-point) distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Smithfield) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |