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 Bertha (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 Bertha. 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 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.
Bertha is located in Summers 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 Summers County: Giles (VA), Fayette, Greenbrier, Mercer, Monroe & Raleigh.
Below are the counties that are near Bertha. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Bertha:
- Summers County (The home county of Bertha)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bertha, with the one closest to Bertha listed first.
- Buck
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Buck is located in Summers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buck
- True
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- True is located in Summers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for True
- Forest Hill
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Packs Ferry
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Packs Ferry is located in Summers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Packs Ferry
- Bellepoint
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Bellepoint is located in Summers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bellepoint
- Pipestem
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Bargers Springs
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Bargers Springs is located in Summers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bargers Springs
- Hilldale
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Hilldale is located in Summers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hilldale
- Mercers Saltworks ‑ Historic
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Mercers Saltworks is located in Summers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mercers Saltworks
- Brooklin
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Brooklin is located in Summers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brooklin
- Hinton
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Nimitz
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Nimitz is located in Summers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nimitz
- Fayette County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bertha, with the one closest to Bertha listed first.
- Meadow Bridge
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Meadow Bridge is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meadow Bridge
- Population from the 2020 Census: 344 people
- Spring Dale
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Spring Dale is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spring Dale
- Quinnimont
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Quinnimont is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Quinnimont
- Prince
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Bellwood
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Bellwood is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bellwood
- McKendree
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- McKendree is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McKendree
- Alaska ‑ Historic
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Alaska is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alaska
- Sewell Knob ‑ Historic
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Sewell Knob is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sewell Knob
- Sewell Knob has also been known as:
- Swell Knob
- Stonecliff ‑ Historic
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Stonecliff is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stonecliff
- Stonecliff has also been known as:
- Stone Cliff
- Maywood
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Maywood is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maywood
- Kilsyth
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Kilsyth is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kilsyth
- Mount Hope
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Greenbrier County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bertha, with the one closest to Bertha listed first.
- Alderson
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Frazier
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Frazier is located in Greenbrier County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frazier
- Fort Spring
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Fort Spring is located in Greenbrier County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fort Spring
- Vale
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Vale is located in Greenbrier County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vale
- Rockland
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Rockland is located in Greenbrier County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rockland
- Ronceverte
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Fairlea
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Crawley
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Rainelle
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Rupert
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Lewisburg
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Caldwell
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Logan County
- Rich Creek
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Rich Creek is located in Logan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rich Creek
- Mercer County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bertha, with the one closest to Bertha listed first.
- Elgood
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Elgood is located in Mercer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elgood
- Athens
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Willowton
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Willowton is located in Mercer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willowton
- Oak Grove
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Oak Grove is located in Mercer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Grove
- Oakvale
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Oakvale is located in Mercer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakvale
- Population from the 2020 Census: 109 people
- East River ‑ Historic
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- East River is located in Mercer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East River
- Princeton
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Johnston Town
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Johnston Town is located in Mercer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Johnston Town
- Lashmeet
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Lashmeet is located in Mercer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lashmeet
- Blake ‑ Historic
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Blake is located in Mercer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blake
- El Centro ‑ Historic
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- El Centro is located in Mercer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for El Centro
- Matoaka
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Matoaka is located in Mercer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Matoaka
- Population from the 2020 Census: 193 people
- Monroe County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bertha, with the one closest to Bertha listed first.
- Ballard
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Ballard is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ballard
- Wayside
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Wayside is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wayside
- Creamery
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Creamery is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Creamery
- Wikel
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Wikel is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wikel
- Peterstown
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Assurance
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Assurance is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Assurance
- Wolfcreek
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Wolfcreek is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wolfcreek
- Union
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Union is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union
- Population from the 2020 Census: 539 people
- Hillsdale
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Hillsdale is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hillsdale
- Hollywood
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Hollywood is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hollywood
- Raleigh County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bertha, with the one closest to Bertha listed first.
- Abraham
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Abraham is located in Raleigh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Abraham
- Shady Spring
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Daniels
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Beaver
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Clifftop
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Clifftop is located in Raleigh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clifftop
- Sullivan
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Sullivan is located in Raleigh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sullivan
- Tilden
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Tilden is located in Raleigh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tilden
- Coal City
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Coal City is located in Raleigh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coal City
- Grandview
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Grandview is located in Raleigh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grandview
- Raleigh
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Raleigh is located in Raleigh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Raleigh
- Princewick
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Princewick is located in Raleigh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Princewick
- Pemberton
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Pemberton is located in Raleigh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pemberton
- Wyoming County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bertha, with the one closest to Bertha listed first.
- Bud
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Bud is located in Wyoming County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bud
- Mullens
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Bland County (VA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bertha, with the one closest to Bertha listed first.
- Round Bottom
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Round Bottom is located in Bland County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Round Bottom
- Rocky Gap
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Rocky Gap is located in Bland County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rocky Gap
- Mechanicsburg
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Mechanicsburg is located in Bland County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mechanicsburg
- Hicksville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Hicksville is located in Bland County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hicksville
- Craig County (VA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bertha, with the one closest to Bertha listed first.
- Captain
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Captain is located in Craig County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Captain
- Huffman
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Huffman is located in Craig County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Huffman
- Simmonsville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Simmonsville is located in Craig County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Simmonsville
- Giles County (VA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bertha, with the one closest to Bertha listed first.
- Glen Lyn
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Glen Lyn is located in Giles County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glen Lyn
- Population from the 2020 Census: 97 people
- Lurich
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Lurich is located in Giles County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lurich
- Rich Creek
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Narrows
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Bluff City
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Bluff City is located in Giles County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bluff City
- Shumate
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Shumate is located in Giles County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shumate
- Pearisburg
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Kire
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Kire is located in Giles County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kire
- Pembroke
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Thessalia
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Thessalia is located in Giles County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thessalia
- Mountain Lake
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Mountain Lake is located in Giles County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mountain Lake
- Eggleston
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Pulaski County (VA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bertha, with the one closest to Bertha listed first.
- Sassin ‑ Historic
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Sassin is located in Pulaski County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sassin
- Parrott
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Parrott is located in Pulaski County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parrott
- Tazewell County (VA)
- Yards
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Yards is located in Tazewell County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yards
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Bertha, see our County-by-County Page for Bertha.
Cemeteries Near Bertha ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Bertha.
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 Bertha - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Bertha covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Bertha, with the one closest to Bertha listed first.
- Barton Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Snider Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Huffman Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Farley Farm Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Farley Farm Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Farley Farm Cemetery is located less than 2 miles<2> to the southeast of Pipestem.
- The Farley Farm Cemetery has also been known as:
- Archibald & Jermima Farley Cemetery
- Fairview Baptist Church Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Greenbrier Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- New Hope Church Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Lilly - Crews Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lilly - Crews Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Lilly - Crews Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located less than 2 miles<2> to the south of Nimitz.
- The Lilly - Crews Cemetery has also been known as:
- Crews Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #1960819 <3>
- Hilltop Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Mt. Carman Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Restwood Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Oak Grove Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Continue List (323 more) ...
- Upland Memorial Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Lovern Church of God Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lovern Church of God Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Lovern Church of God Cemetery is located 7 miles [11.3 km]<2> to the east of Athens.
- The Lovern Church of God Cemetery has also been known as:
- Casher Hill Cemetery
- Cashers Hill Cemetery
- Harris Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #77962 <3>
- Adkins Family Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
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>
While we didn't find Bertha in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Bertha.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Bertha, with the one closest to Bertha listed first.
- Warford ‑ Historic
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Warford is located in Summers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Warford
- Buck
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Buck is located in Summers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buck
- True
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- True is located in Summers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for True
- Crumps Bottom
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Crumps Bottom is located in Summers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crumps Bottom
- Packs Ferry
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Packs Ferry is located in Summers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Packs Ferry
- Indian Mills
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Indian Mills is located in Summers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Indian Mills
- Forest Hill
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Pipestem
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Mercers Saltworks ‑ Historic
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Mercers Saltworks is located in Summers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mercers Saltworks
- Bargers Springs
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Bargers Springs is located in Summers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bargers Springs
- Hilldale
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Hilldale is located in Summers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hilldale
- Wiggins
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Wiggins is located in Summers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wiggins
- Continue List (13 more) ...
- Ellison
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Ellison is located in Summers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ellison
- Neponset
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Neponset is located in Summers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Neponset
- Hinton
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Bertha. See our List of 1890's Communities around Bertha.
Newspapers Published in Bertha ...
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 27 newspapers that have been published in the area around Bertha.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Bertha, there are papers which were published within 18 miles [29 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Bertha.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we start with 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 Bertha:
- Websites specific to West Virginia
- Pages specific to Summers County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Fayette County
- Greenbrier County
- Logan County
- Mercer County
- Monroe County
- Raleigh County
- Wyoming County
- Bland County
- Craig County
- Giles County
- Pulaski County
- Tazewell County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for West 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> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Bertha) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |
| <3> | 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. |
| <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 Bertha, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |