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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 Swoope (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 Swoope. 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.

Swoope is located in Augusta 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 Augusta County: Albemarle, Bath, Highland, Nelson, Rockbridge, Rockingham & Pendleton (WV).

Below are the counties that are near Swoope. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Swoope:

  • Augusta County     (The home county of Swoope)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Swoope, with the one closest to Swoope listed first.
    • Chapin
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
      • Chapin is located in Augusta County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chapin
    • Arbor Hill
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Arbor Hill is located in Augusta County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arbor Hill
    • Churchville
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
    • Middlebrook
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
    • Jolivue
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Jolivue is located in Augusta County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jolivue
    • Pond Gap ‑ Historic
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Pond Gap is located in Augusta County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pond Gap
    • West Augusta
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
      • West Augusta is located in Augusta County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Augusta
    • Parnassus
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Parnassus is located in Augusta County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parnassus
    • Craigsville
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Brand
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
      • Brand is located in Augusta County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brand
    • Greenville
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
    • Deerfield
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
      • Deerfield is located in Augusta County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deerfield
  • Albemarle County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Swoope, with the one closest to Swoope listed first.
    • Foothill Village
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
      • Foothill Village is located in Albemarle County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Foothill Village
    • Yancey Mills
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
      • Yancey Mills is located in Albemarle County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yancey Mills
    • Batesville
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
    • Crozet
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
    • Mountfair
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
      • Mountfair is located in Albemarle County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mountfair
    • White Hall
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
      • White Hall is located in Albemarle County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White Hall
  • Amherst County
    • Alto
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
      • Alto is located in Amherst County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alto
  • Bath County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Swoope, with the one closest to Swoope listed first.
    • Yost
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
      • Yost is located in Bath County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yost
    • Fort Lewis ‑ Historic
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
      • Fort Lewis is located in Bath County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fort Lewis
    • Burnsville
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
      • Burnsville is located in Bath County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burnsville
    • Millboro
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Bolar
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
      • Bolar is located in Bath County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bolar
    • Bath Alum
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
      • Bath Alum is located in Bath County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bath Alum
  • Buena Vista City
    • Buena Vista
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
  • Harrisonburg City
    • Harrisonburg
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
  • Highland County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Swoope, with the one closest to Swoope listed first.
    • McDowell
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
    • Palo Alto
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Palo Alto is located in Highland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Palo Alto
    • Clover Creek
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
      • Clover Creek is located in Highland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clover Creek
    • Monterey
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Possum Trot
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Possum Trot is located in Highland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Possum Trot
    • Hightown
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Hightown is located in Highland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hightown
    • Meadowdale
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Meadowdale is located in Highland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meadowdale
    • Buckeye ‑ Historic
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
      • Buckeye is located in Highland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buckeye
  • Lexington City
    • Lexington
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
  • Nelson County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Swoope, with the one closest to Swoope listed first.
    • Afton
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Onan
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
      • Onan is located in Nelson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Onan
    • Durrett Town
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Durrett Town is located in Nelson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Durrett Town
    • Greenfield
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Greenfield is located in Nelson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenfield
    • Lodebar
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Lodebar is located in Nelson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lodebar
    • Nellysford
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Tyro
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Adial
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Adial is located in Nelson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adial
    • Bryant
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Bryant is located in Nelson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bryant
    • Jonesboro
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Jonesboro is located in Nelson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jonesboro
    • Massies Mill
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Massies Mill is located in Nelson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Massies Mill
    • Old Myndus
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Old Myndus is located in Nelson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Old Myndus
  • Rockbridge County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Swoope, with the one closest to Swoope listed first.
    • Brownsburg
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
    • Davis
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
      • Davis is located in Rockbridge County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Davis
    • Fairfield
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
      • Fairfield is located in Rockbridge County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairfield
    • Goshen
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Marlbrook
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
      • Marlbrook is located in Rockbridge County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marlbrook
    • Riverside
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
      • Riverside is located in Rockbridge County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riverside
    • Kerrs Creek
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Kerrs Creek is located in Rockbridge County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kerrs Creek
    • East Lexington
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
      • East Lexington is located in Rockbridge County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Lexington
  • Rockingham County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Swoope, with the one closest to Swoope listed first.
    • Mount Crawford
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
    • Spring Creek
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Spring Creek is located in Rockingham County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spring Creek
    • Briery Branch
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
      • Briery Branch is located in Rockingham County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Briery Branch
    • Bridgewater
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
    • North River
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
      • North River is located in Rockingham County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North River
    • Ottobine
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Ottobine is located in Rockingham County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ottobine
    • Clover Hill
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Clover Hill is located in Rockingham County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clover Hill
    • Dayton
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Dayton is located in Rockingham County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dayton
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,642 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Dayton <1>
    • Rushville
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Rushville is located in Rockingham County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rushville
    • Lilly
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
      • Lilly is located in Rockingham County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lilly
    • Coakley Town
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Coakley Town is located in Rockingham County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coakley Town
    • Cross Keys
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
  • Staunton City
    • Staunton
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
  • Waynesboro City
    • Waynesboro
      (18 miles [29 km] to the east)
  • Pendleton County (WV)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Swoope, with the one closest to Swoope listed first.
    • Sugar Grove
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
      • Sugar Grove is located in Pendleton County (WV)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sugar Grove
    • Moyers
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
      • Moyers is located in Pendleton County (WV)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moyers
    • Harper
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Harper is located in Pendleton County (WV)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harper
    • Propstburg
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • Propstburg is located in Pendleton County (WV)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Propstburg

For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Swoope, see our County-by-County Page for Swoope.

Cemeteries Near Swoope ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Swoope.

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 Swoope - one of the links might be able to help.

If not found below, our Cemetery List for Swoope covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.

The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Swoope, with the one closest to Swoope listed first.

  • Mt. Chapel Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
  • Glebe Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
  • Hunters Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
  • Allen Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • Green Hill Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • Crosby Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Thornrose Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
  • Oak Lawn Memory Gardens
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
  • Schutterie Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Hospital Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
  • Fairview Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
  • Oak Hill Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
  • Continue List   (195 more) ...

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.<4>

The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Swoope had a population of 34 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service.

These communities are listed based on their distance from Swoope, with the one closest to Swoope listed first.

  • Buffalo Gap
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Buffalo Gap is located in Augusta County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buffalo Gap
  • Snyder
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
    • Snyder is located in Augusta County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Snyder
  • North Mountain
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
    • North Mountain is located in Augusta County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Mountain
  • Chapin
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
    • Chapin is located in Augusta County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chapin
  • Arbor Hill
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Arbor Hill is located in Augusta County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arbor Hill
  • Ferrol
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
    • Ferrol is located in Augusta County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ferrol
  • Churchville
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
  • Lone Fountain
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
    • Lone Fountain is located in Augusta County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lone Fountain
  • Augusta Springs
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Augusta Springs is located in Augusta County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Augusta Springs
  • Pond Gap ‑ Historic
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Pond Gap is located in Augusta County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pond Gap
  • Middlebrook
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
  • Folly Mills
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Folly Mills is located in Augusta County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Folly Mills
  • Continue List   (16 more) ...
    • Mint Spring
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Mint Spring is located in Augusta County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mint Spring
    • West Augusta
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
      • West Augusta is located in Augusta County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Augusta
    • Craigsville
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)

We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Swoope. See our List of 1890's Communities around Swoope.

Newspapers Published in Swoope ...

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 105 newspapers that have been published in the area around Swoope.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Swoope, there are papers which were published within 22 miles [35.4 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Swoope.

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 helpful 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 Swoope:

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>The Find-a-Grave website is an excellent research tool with information about a cemetery's location and interments. They also offer a forum for their members which can provide additional help. More information about Find-a-Grave can be found on their website: findagrave.com.
<3>Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'point-to-point' distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Swoope) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.
<4>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 Swoope, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.