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 Swords Creek (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 Swords Creek. 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.
Name Variations for Swords Creek ...
When searching records, keep in mind that names and their spelling can change over time. Our sources include documents like maps, railroad schedules, Travel, Express and Shipping Guides. Many of these documents date from the 1800's and it's common to find spelling differences.
Although we can't give a definitive list, hopefully the following will give you a feel for the variations that might occur.
- A typical abbreviation for Swords Creek: Swords Crk. (or less commonly used: Swords Ck. or Swords Cr.)
- While the name of this community is Swords Creek, be aware that it's the common practice of mapmakers to remove the apostrophe from possessive names<1>. So Swords Creek may originally have been Sword's Creek.
Sometimes the trailing 's' might be dropped altogether, in which case Swords Creek might be written as Sword Creek.
If you have information about these names (such as the reason for the change, date of change, the origin of the name), please Contact Us.
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 southwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most hospitals were in the next county to the west. Almost all of the nearby churches and cemeteries were in the county to the south.
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 south 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.
Swords Creek 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 Swords Creek. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Swords Creek:
- Russell County (The home county of Swords Creek)
- The following are listed by their distance from Swords Creek, with the one closest to Swords Creek listed first.
- Dye
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Dye is located in Russell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dye
- Honaker
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Russell
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Russell is located in Russell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Russell
- Elk Garden
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Elk Garden is located in Russell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elk Garden
- Barnett
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Barnett is located in Russell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barnett
- Artrip
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Artrip is located in Russell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Artrip
- Lebanon
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Spring City
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Spring City is located in Russell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spring City
- Cleveland
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Cleveland is located in Russell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cleveland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 170 people
- Jessees Mill
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Jessees Mill is located in Russell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jessees Mill
- Kiser ‑ Historic
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Kiser is located in Russell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kiser
- Carterton
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Carterton is located in Russell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carterton
- Creswell
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Creswell is located in Russell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Creswell
- Buchanan County
- The following are listed by their distance from Swords Creek, with the one closest to Swords Creek listed first.
- Rowe
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Rowe is located in Buchanan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rowe
- Council
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Council is located in Buchanan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Council
- Mavisdale
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Mavisdale is located in Buchanan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mavisdale
- Janey
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Janey is located in Buchanan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Janey
- Leemaster
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Leemaster is located in Buchanan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leemaster
- Vansant
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Height
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Height is located in Buchanan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Height
- Bearwallow
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Bearwallow is located in Buchanan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bearwallow
- Peapatch
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Peapatch is located in Buchanan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peapatch
- Royal City
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Royal City is located in Buchanan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Royal City
- Matney
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Matney is located in Buchanan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Matney
- Grundy
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Jackson Flats
(20 miles [32.2 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 Swords Creek, with the one closest to Swords Creek listed first.
- Carrie
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Carrie is located in Dickenson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carrie
- Bucu
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Bucu is located in Dickenson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bucu
- Aily
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Aily is located in Dickenson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aily
- Haysi
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Nora
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Nora is located in Dickenson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nora
- Clinchco
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Tarpon
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Tarpon is located in Dickenson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tarpon
- Herald
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Herald is located in Dickenson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Herald
- Omaha
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Omaha is located in Dickenson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Omaha
- Clintwood
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Smyth County
- The following are listed by their distance from Swords Creek, with the one closest to Swords Creek listed first.
- Allison Gap
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Allison Gap is located in Smyth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Allison Gap
- Cardwell Town
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Cardwell Town is located in Smyth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cardwell Town
- Saltville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Broadford
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Broadford is located in Smyth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Broadford
- Chilhowie
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Ellendale
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Ellendale is located in Smyth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ellendale
- Seven Mile Ford
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Seven Mile Ford is located in Smyth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seven Mile Ford
- Adwolf
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Adwolf is located in Smyth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adwolf
- Marion
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Mount Carmel
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Mount Carmel is located in Smyth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Carmel
- Atkins
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Tazewell County
- The following are listed by their distance from Swords Creek, with the one closest to Swords Creek listed first.
- Raven
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Raven is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Raven
- Red Ash
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Red Ash is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Ash
- Paintlick
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Paintlick is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Paintlick
- Richlands
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Steeleburg
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Steeleburg is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Steeleburg
- Claypool Hill
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Claypool Hill is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Claypool Hill
- Cedar Bluff
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Pounding Mill
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Harman
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Harman is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harman
- Maxwell
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Maxwell is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maxwell
- Dunford Village
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Dunford Village is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunford Village
- Pisgah
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Pisgah is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pisgah
- Sayersville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Sayersville is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sayersville
- Washington County
- The following are listed by their distance from Swords Creek, with the one closest to Swords Creek listed first.
- Clinchburg
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Clinchburg is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clinchburg
- Glenford
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Glenford is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glenford
- Lindell
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Lindell is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lindell
- Brumley Gap
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Brumley Gap is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brumley Gap
- Lowland
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Lowland is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lowland
- Glade Spring
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Fleet
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Holston
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Holston is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holston
- Greendale
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Greendale is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greendale
- Abingdon
(22 miles [35.4 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
- Lodi
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Lodi is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lodi
- Friendship
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Friendship is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Friendship
- Loves Mill
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Loves Mill is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Loves Mill
- Wise County
- The following are listed by their distance from Swords Creek, with the one closest to Swords Creek listed first.
- Saint Paul
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Virginia City
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Virginia City is located in Wise County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Virginia City
- Dwina
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Dwina is located in Wise County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dwina
- Coeburn
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Pike County (KY)
- The following are listed by their distance from Swords Creek, with the one closest to Swords Creek listed first.
- Paw Paw
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Paw Paw is located in Pike County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Paw Paw
- Elkhorn City
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Cedarville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Cedarville is located in Pike County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedarville
- Mouthcard
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Mouthcard is located in Pike County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mouthcard
- McDowell County (WV)
- The following are listed by their distance from Swords Creek, with the one closest to Swords Creek listed first.
- Height
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Height is located in McDowell County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Height
- Peapatch
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Peapatch is located in McDowell County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peapatch
- Jackson Flats
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Jackson Flats is located in McDowell County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jackson Flats
- Paynesville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Paynesville is located in McDowell County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Paynesville
- Bradshaw
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Newhall
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Newhall is located in McDowell County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newhall
- War
(22 miles [35.4 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
- Bishop
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Bishop is located in McDowell County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bishop
- Yukon
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Yukon is located in McDowell County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yukon
- Avondale
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Avondale is located in McDowell County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avondale
- Union City
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Union City is located in McDowell County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union City
- Iaeger
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Iaeger is located in McDowell County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Iaeger
- Population from the 2020 Census: 232 people
- Gary
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Gary is located in McDowell County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gary
- Population from the 2020 Census: 759 people
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Swords Creek, see our County-by-County Page for Swords Creek.
Cemeteries Near Swords Creek ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Swords Creek.
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 Swords Creek - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Swords Creek covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Swords Creek, with the one closest to Swords Creek listed first.
- Richardson Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Stump Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Counts Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Robinson Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Miller Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Ball Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Honaker Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Howard Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Kendrick Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Ray Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Baylor Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Ratcliff Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Continue List (1034 more) ...
- Payne Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- White Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Settle Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
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.<3>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Swords Creek had a population of 126 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Swords Creek, with the one closest to Swords Creek listed first.
- Honaker
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Clifton
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Clifton is located in Russell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clifton
- Rosedale
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Rosedale is located in Russell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rosedale
- Belfast
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Belfast is located in Russell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belfast
- Doran
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Richlands
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Steeleburg
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Steeleburg is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Steeleburg
- Barnett
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Barnett is located in Russell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barnett
- Elk Garden
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Elk Garden is located in Russell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elk Garden
- Cedar Bluff
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Rockdell
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Rockdell is located in Russell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rockdell
- Shack Mills
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Shack Mills is located in Buchanan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shack Mills
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Pounding Mill
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Artrip
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Artrip is located in Russell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Artrip
- Lebanon
(12 miles [19.3 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 Swords Creek. See our List of 1890's Communities around Swords Creek.
Newspapers Published in Swords Creek ...
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 19 newspapers that have been published in the area around Swords Creek.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Swords Creek, there are papers which were published within 14 miles [22.5 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Swords Creek.
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 Swords Creek:
- Websites specific to Virginia
- Pages specific to Russell County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Buchanan County
- Dickenson County
- Smyth County
- Tazewell County
- Washington County
- Wise County
- Pike County
- McDowell County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Virginia
Footnotes ...
| <1> | It's generally believed that possessive apostrophes are removed to prevent confusion on maps where the apostrophe may be confused with a cartographic symbol. While this is generally true, it's not uncommon to find possessive apostrophes in administrative names (such as towns or counties). |
| <2> | While we're fans and frequent users of TripAdvisor, you should know that we're also members of the TripAdvisor affiliate program. |
| <3> | 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 Swords Creek, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <4> | 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 from Point A (ie- Swords Creek) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |