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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 Wheeler (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 Wheeler. 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 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.

Wheeler is located in Lee 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 Lee County: Bell (KY), Harlan (KY), Claiborne (TN), Hancock (TN), Scott & Wise.

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

  • Lee County     (The home county of Wheeler)
  • Bell County (KY)
  • Clay County (KY)
  • Harlan County (KY)
  • Knox County (KY)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Wheeler, with the one closest to Wheeler listed first.
    • Wheeler
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Flat Lick
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
    • Trosper
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
      • Trosper is located in Knox County (KY)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trosper
    • Warren
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
    • Dewitt
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Dewitt is located in Knox County (KY)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dewitt
    • Walker
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Walker is located in Knox County (KY)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walker
    • Artemus
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Artemus is located in Knox County (KY)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Artemus
    • Scalf
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
      • Scalf is located in Knox County (KY)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Scalf
    • Bryants Store
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Bimble
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
    • Barbourville
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
    • Hinkle
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Hinkle is located in Knox County (KY)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hinkle
  • Leslie County (KY)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Wheeler, with the one closest to Wheeler listed first.
    • Warbranch
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
      • Warbranch is located in Leslie County (KY)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Warbranch
    • Helton
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
      • Helton is located in Leslie County (KY)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Helton
    • Mozelle
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
    • Roark
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
    • Chappell
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Asher
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
    • Essie
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • Essie is located in Leslie County (KY)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Essie
  • Whitley County (KY)
  • Campbell County (TN)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Wheeler, with the one closest to Wheeler listed first.
    • Flat Hollow
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Stockville ‑ Historic
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Stockville is located in Campbell County (TN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stockville
    • Morley
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
    • White Oak
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
    • Victory
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Habersham
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
    • Fincastle
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Fincastle is located in Campbell County (TN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fincastle
      • Population from the 2010 Census: 1,618 people
    • Girlton ‑ Historic
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Girlton is located in Campbell County (TN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Girlton
  • Claiborne County (TN)
  • Grainger County (TN)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Wheeler, with the one closest to Wheeler listed first.
    • Thorn Hill
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
    • Bowen
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
    • Washburn
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
    • Beans
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Beans is located in Grainger County (TN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beans
      • Estimated population in 2014: 3,084 people
    • Rutledge
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
    • Bean Station
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
    • Lulaville
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
      • Lulaville is located in Grainger County (TN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lulaville
    • Marshalls Ferry
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Marshalls Ferry is located in Grainger County (TN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marshalls Ferry
    • Wyatt Village
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Wyatt Village is located in Grainger County (TN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wyatt Village
    • Joppa
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
    • Massengill Mill
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
      • Massengill Mill is located in Grainger County (TN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Massengill Mill
      • Estimated population in 2014: 1,600 people
    • Wa-Ni Village
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
      • Wa-Ni Village is located in Grainger County (TN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wa-Ni Village
  • Hamblen County (TN)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Wheeler, with the one closest to Wheeler listed first.
    • Collons Ferry
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
      • Collons Ferry is located in Hamblen County (TN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Collons Ferry
      • Estimated population in 2014: 986 people
    • Bright ‑ Historic
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Bright is located in Hamblen County (TN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bright
      • Estimated population in 2014: 2,942 people
    • Casablanca
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Casablanca is located in Hamblen County (TN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Casablanca
      • Estimated population in 2014: 2,223 people
  • Hancock County (TN)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Wheeler, with the one closest to Wheeler listed first.
    • Alanthus Hill
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
      • Alanthus Hill is located in Hancock County (TN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alanthus Hill
      • Estimated population in 2014: 2,498 people
    • Xenophon
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Xenophon is located in Hancock County (TN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Xenophon
    • Sneedville
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
    • Duck Creek
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Trent Valley
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
      • Trent Valley is located in Hancock County (TN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trent Valley
      • Estimated population in 2014: 4,157 people
    • Yount Town
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Kyles Ford
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
    • Willis
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
      • Willis is located in Hancock County (TN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willis
      • Estimated population in 2014: 387 people
  • Hawkins County (TN)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Wheeler, with the one closest to Wheeler listed first.
    • Mooresburg Springs
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Mooresburg Springs is located in Hawkins County (TN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mooresburg Springs
      • Population from the 2010 Census: 941 people
    • Mooresburg
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Galbraith Springs
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Red Bridge Ferry
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Red Bridge Ferry is located in Hawkins County (TN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Bridge Ferry
      • Estimated population in 2014: 1,135 people
    • Eidson
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
  • Union County (TN)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Wheeler, with the one closest to Wheeler listed first.
    • Haynes ‑ Historic
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
      • Haynes is located in Union County (TN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Haynes
    • Braden
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Phebe ‑ Historic
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
      • Phebe is located in Union County (TN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Phebe
    • Long Hollow ‑ Historic
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Loo ‑ Historic
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Loo is located in Union County (TN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Loo
    • Rhodelia ‑ Historic
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Rhodelia is located in Union County (TN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rhodelia
    • Lost Creek ‑ Historic
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Lost Creek is located in Union County (TN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lost Creek
    • Maynardville
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Luttrell
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)

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

Cemeteries Near Wheeler ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Wheeler.

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

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

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

  • Gibson Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
  • Arnold Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
  • Colson Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the south)
  • Ensor Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
  • Gibson Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the west)
  • Jones Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
  • Hammock Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
  • Littrell Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the south)
  • Southern Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
  • Kelly Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
  • Brittian Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
  • Sproles Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
  • Continue List   (973 more) ...
    • Bailey Cemetery
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Woodson Cemetery
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
    • Forge Ridge Cemetery
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)

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>

The Rand McNally Atlas shows that in 1895, Wheeler had railroad service and no post office.

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

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

Newspapers Published in Wheeler ...

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 39 newspapers that have been published in the area around Wheeler.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Wheeler, there are papers which were published within 12 miles [19.3 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Wheeler.

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 Wheeler:

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 Wheeler, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.
<3>Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a '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- Wheeler) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.