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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 Arcola (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 Arcola. 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 southwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most hospitals and doctors 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.

Arcola is located in Webster County.

To see how the shape of West 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 Webster County: Braxton, Greenbrier, Lewis, Nicholas, Pocahontas, Randolph & Upshur.

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

  • Webster County     (The home county of Arcola)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Arcola, with the one closest to Arcola listed first.
    • Halo
      (Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
      • Halo is located in Webster County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Halo
    • Excelsior
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
      • Excelsior is located in Webster County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Excelsior
    • Upperglade
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
      • Upperglade is located in Webster County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Upperglade
    • Cowen
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Erbacon
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
      • Erbacon is located in Webster County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Erbacon
    • Welch Glade
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
      • Welch Glade is located in Webster County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Welch Glade
    • Addison
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
      • Addison is located in Webster County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Addison
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 660 people
    • Orndoff
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Orndoff is located in Webster County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orndoff
    • Camden-on-Gauley
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Camden-on-Gauley is located in Webster County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Camden-on-Gauley
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 143 people
    • Ralph
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
      • Ralph is located in Webster County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ralph
    • Big Run
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
      • Big Run is located in Webster County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Big Run
    • Hacker Valley
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
  • Braxton County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Arcola, with the one closest to Arcola listed first.
    • Little Birch
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Little Birch is located in Braxton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Little Birch
    • Palmer
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
      • Palmer is located in Braxton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Palmer
    • Canfield
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Canfield is located in Braxton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Canfield
    • Milroy
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
      • Milroy is located in Braxton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Milroy
    • McNutt
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
      • McNutt is located in Braxton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McNutt
    • Sutton
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Herold
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
      • Herold is located in Braxton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Herold
    • Twistville ‑ Historic
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
      • Twistville is located in Braxton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Twistville
    • Corley
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
      • Corley is located in Braxton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Corley
    • Flatwoods
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
    • Gassaway
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
    • Rockton
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Rockton is located in Braxton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rockton
  • Clay County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Arcola, with the one closest to Arcola listed first.
    • Wattsville
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
      • Wattsville is located in Clay County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wattsville
    • Widen
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
      • Widen is located in Clay County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Widen
    • Harrison
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
      • Harrison is located in Clay County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harrison
    • Ira
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
      • Ira is located in Clay County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ira
    • Gould
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
      • Gould is located in Clay County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gould
    • Spread
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • Spread is located in Clay County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spread
    • Lydia
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Lydia is located in Clay County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lydia
    • Clay
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
    • Dink
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
      • Dink is located in Clay County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dink
  • Gilmer County
    • Cedarville
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Cedarville is located in Gilmer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedarville
  • Greenbrier County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Arcola, with the one closest to Arcola listed first.
    • Lile
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
      • Lile is located in Greenbrier County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lile
    • Brushy Junction ‑ Historic
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
      • Brushy Junction is located in Greenbrier County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brushy Junction
    • Loveridge
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
      • Loveridge is located in Greenbrier County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Loveridge
    • Oscar
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
      • Oscar is located in Greenbrier County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oscar
    • Quinwood
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
      • Quinwood is located in Greenbrier County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Quinwood
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 260 people
    • Crichton
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
      • Crichton is located in Greenbrier County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crichton
  • Lewis County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Arcola, with the one closest to Arcola listed first.
    • Duffy
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
      • Duffy is located in Lewis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Duffy
    • Crawford
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
      • Crawford is located in Lewis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crawford
  • Nicholas County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Arcola, with the one closest to Arcola listed first.
    • Tioga
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Craigsville
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Beaver
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Beaver is located in Nicholas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beaver
    • Birch River
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
    • Richwood
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
    • Donald
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Donald is located in Nicholas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Donald
    • Muddlety
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Muddlety is located in Nicholas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Muddlety
    • Saxman
      (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
      • Saxman is located in Nicholas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saxman
    • Nettie
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Tolbert
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Tolbert is located in Nicholas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tolbert
    • Odell Town
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Odell Town is located in Nicholas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Odell Town
      • Odell Town has also been known as:
      • Odell
    • Summersville
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Pocahontas County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Arcola, with the one closest to Arcola listed first.
    • Slaty Fork
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
    • Edray
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Edray is located in Pocahontas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edray
    • Onoto
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Onoto is located in Pocahontas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Onoto
    • Buckeye
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Hillsboro
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Marlinton
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Thorny Creek
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Thorny Creek is located in Pocahontas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thorny Creek
    • Watoga ‑ Historic
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Watoga is located in Pocahontas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Watoga
  • Randolph County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Arcola, with the one closest to Arcola listed first.
    • Florence ‑ Historic
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Florence is located in Randolph County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Florence
    • Pickens
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Blue Spring
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
      • Blue Spring is located in Randolph County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blue Spring
    • Monterville
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
    • Helvetia
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
    • Mingo
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
    • Valley Head
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
    • Elkwater
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Elkwater is located in Randolph County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elkwater
  • Upshur County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Arcola, with the one closest to Arcola listed first.
    • Goshen
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Goshen is located in Upshur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goshen
    • Kanawha Head
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
      • Kanawha Head is located in Upshur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kanawha Head
    • Wilsontown
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
      • Wilsontown is located in Upshur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilsontown
    • Rock Cave
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
      • Rock Cave is located in Upshur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock Cave
    • Alexander
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Alexander is located in Upshur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alexander
    • Frenchton
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
      • Frenchton is located in Upshur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frenchton
    • Alton
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Alton is located in Upshur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alton
    • Hoover Town
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • Hoover Town is located in Upshur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hoover Town
    • Beans Mill
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Beans Mill is located in Upshur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beans Mill

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

Cemeteries Near Arcola ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Arcola.

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

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

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

  • McElwain Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
  • Handschumacher Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
  • Lynch Point Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
  • Hoover Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Woods Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
  • Adam Miller Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
  • Sunset Memorial Park
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
  • Green Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
  • Boggs Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
  • Dunlap Memorial Garden Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Miller Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
  • Columbus McCourt Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
  • Continue List   (197 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.<3>

While we didn't find Arcola in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Arcola.

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

  • Halo
    (Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
    • Halo is located in Webster County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Halo
  • Upperglade
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
    • Upperglade is located in Webster County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Upperglade
  • Welch Glade
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
    • Welch Glade is located in Webster County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Welch Glade
  • Boggs
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
    • Boggs is located in Webster County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boggs
  • Addison
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
    • Addison is located in Webster County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Addison
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 660 people
  • Strouds
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Strouds is located in Webster County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Strouds
  • Ralph
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
    • Ralph is located in Webster County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ralph
  • Diana
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Diana is located in Webster County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Diana
  • Delphi
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Delphi is located in Nicholas County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Delphi
  • Bernardstown
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
    • Bernardstown is located in Webster County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bernardstown
  • Jumbo
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Jumbo is located in Webster County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jumbo
  • Craigsville
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Continue List   (13 more) ...
    • Bergoo
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
      • Bergoo is located in Webster County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bergoo
    • Woodzell
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
      • Woodzell is located in Webster County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodzell
    • Bakers Run
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
      • Bakers Run is located in Braxton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bakers Run

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

Newspapers Published in Arcola ...

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 26 newspapers that have been published in the area around Arcola.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Arcola, there are papers which were published within 22 miles [35.4 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Arcola.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we first visit 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 Arcola:

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 Arcola, 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 obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Arcola) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.