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 Watkins (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 Watkins. 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 hospitals and doctors 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.
Watkins is located in Halifax 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 Halifax County: Caswell (NC), Granville (NC), Person (NC), Campbell, Charlotte, Mecklenburg & Pittsylvania.
Below are the counties that are near Watkins. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Watkins:
- Halifax County (The home county of Watkins)
- The following are listed by their distance from Watkins, with the one closest to Watkins listed first.
- Clover
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Midway
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Midway is located in Halifax County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Midway
- Clays Mill
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Clays Mill is located in Halifax County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clays Mill
- Crystal Hill
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Crystal Hill is located in Halifax County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crystal Hill
- Nathalie
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Rabat
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Rabat is located in Halifax County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rabat
- Loftis
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Loftis is located in Halifax County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Loftis
- Banister Town
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Banister Town is located in Halifax County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Banister Town
- Halifax
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Westside Village
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Westside Village is located in Halifax County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westside Village
- Cody
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Cody is located in Halifax County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cody
- Leda
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Leda is located in Halifax County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leda
- Omega
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Omega is located in Halifax County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Omega
- Appomattox County
- The following are listed by their distance from Watkins, with the one closest to Watkins listed first.
- Chap
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Chap is located in Appomattox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chap
- Pamplin City
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Spring Mills
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Spring Mills is located in Appomattox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spring Mills
- Evergreen
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Evergreen is located in Appomattox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Evergreen
- Appomattox
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Spout Spring
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Spout Spring is located in Appomattox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spout Spring
- Hurtsville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Hurtsville is located in Appomattox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hurtsville
- Campbell County
- The following are listed by their distance from Watkins, with the one closest to Watkins listed first.
- Brookneal
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Hat Creek
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Hat Creek is located in Campbell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hat Creek
- Melrose
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Melrose is located in Campbell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Melrose
- Gladys
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Mount Zion
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Mount Zion is located in Campbell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Zion
- Concord
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Rustburg
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Charlotte County
- The following are listed by their distance from Watkins, with the one closest to Watkins listed first.
- Aspenwall
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Aspenwall is located in Charlotte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aspenwall
- Phenix
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Phenix is located in Charlotte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Phenix
- Population from the 2020 Census: 211 people
- Drakes Branch
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Charlotte Court House
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Abell ‑ Historic
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Abell is located in Charlotte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Abell
- Rough Creek
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Rough Creek is located in Charlotte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rough Creek
- Wylliesburg
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Cullen
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Cullen is located in Charlotte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cullen
- Keysville
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Abilene
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Abilene is located in Charlotte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Abilene
- Fluvanna County
- Scottsburg
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Lunenburg County
- The following are listed by their distance from Watkins, with the one closest to Watkins listed first.
- Pleasant Grove
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Pleasant Grove is located in Lunenburg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Grove
- Meherrin
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Meherrin is located in Lunenburg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meherrin
- Lunenburg
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Lunenburg is located in Lunenburg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lunenburg
- Nutbush
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Nutbush is located in Lunenburg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nutbush
- Wattsboro
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Wattsboro is located in Lunenburg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wattsboro
- Victoria
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Mecklenburg County
- The following are listed by their distance from Watkins, with the one closest to Watkins listed first.
- Finneywood
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Finneywood is located in Mecklenburg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Finneywood
- Orgainville
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Orgainville is located in Mecklenburg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orgainville
- Chase City
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Skipwith
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Skipwith is located in Mecklenburg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Skipwith
- Jeffress
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Jeffress is located in Mecklenburg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jeffress
- Clarksville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Finchley
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Finchley is located in Mecklenburg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Finchley
- Averett
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Averett is located in Mecklenburg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Averett
- Henrico
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Henrico is located in Mecklenburg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Henrico
- Mill Village
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Mill Village is located in Mecklenburg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mill Village
- Nelson
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Nelson is located in Mecklenburg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nelson
- Wightman
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Wightman is located in Mecklenburg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wightman
- Boydton
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Pittsylvania County
- The following are listed by their distance from Watkins, with the one closest to Watkins listed first.
- Riceville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Riceville is located in Pittsylvania County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riceville
- Renan
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Renan is located in Pittsylvania County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Renan
- Henrys Mill
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Henrys Mill is located in Pittsylvania County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Henrys Mill
- Java
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Java is located in Pittsylvania County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Java
- Lucks
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Lucks is located in Pittsylvania County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lucks
- Markham
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Markham is located in Pittsylvania County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Markham
- Brutus
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Brutus is located in Pittsylvania County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brutus
- Chalk Level
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Chalk Level is located in Pittsylvania County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chalk Level
- Sonans
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Sonans is located in Pittsylvania County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sonans
- Prince Edward County
- The following are listed by their distance from Watkins, with the one closest to Watkins listed first.
- Darlington Heights
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Darlington Heights is located in Prince Edward County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Darlington Heights
- Five Forks
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Five Forks is located in Prince Edward County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Five Forks
- Blake Village
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Blake Village is located in Prince Edward County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blake Village
- Hampden - Sydney
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Hampden - Sydney is located in Prince Edward County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hampden - Sydney
- Green Bay
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Tuggle
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Tuggle is located in Prince Edward County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tuggle
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Watkins, see our County-by-County Page for Watkins.
Cemeteries Near Watkins ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Watkins.
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 Watkins - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Watkins covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Watkins, with the one closest to Watkins listed first.
- Providence Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Mt. Pleasant Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Ellis Creek Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Mt. Laurel Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Cub Creek Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Hunting Creek Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Rodgers Chapel Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Clover Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clover Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Clover Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the northwest of Clover.
- The Clover Cemetery has also been known as:
- Clovertown Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #49818 <2>
- St. Matthews Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Martin Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Evergreen Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- St. Thomas Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Continue List (168 more) ...
- Spring Hill Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Henry Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Catawba Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
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>
While we didn't find Watkins in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Watkins.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Watkins, with the one closest to Watkins listed first.
- Mount Laurel
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Mount Laurel is located in Halifax County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Laurel
- Randolph
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Saxe
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Aspenwall
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Aspenwall is located in Charlotte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aspenwall
- Mossingford
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Mossingford is located in Charlotte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mossingford
- Lennig
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Lennig is located in Halifax County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lennig
- Clover
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Terryville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Terryville is located in Charlotte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Terryville
- Clarkton
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Clarkton is located in Halifax County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clarkton
- Drakes Branch
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Abell ‑ Historic
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Abell is located in Charlotte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Abell
- Crystal Hill
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Crystal Hill is located in Halifax County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crystal Hill
- Continue List (13 more) ...
- Clays Mill
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Clays Mill is located in Halifax County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clays Mill
- Midway
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Midway is located in Halifax County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Midway
- Baileyville ‑ Historic
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Baileyville is located in Charlotte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Baileyville
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Watkins. See our List of 1890's Communities around Watkins.
Newspapers Published in Watkins ...
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 18 newspapers that have been published in the area around Watkins.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Watkins, there are papers which were published within 19 miles [30.6 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Watkins.
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 either 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 Watkins:
- Websites specific to Virginia
- Pages specific to Halifax County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Appomattox County
- Campbell County
- Charlotte County
- Fluvanna County
- Lunenburg County
- Mecklenburg County
- Pittsylvania County
- Prince Edward 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> | 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> | 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 Watkins, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <4> | 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 from Point A (ie- Watkins) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |