Our Genealogy Helper
Introduction ...
So far, we found very little information about Bethel. The little that we've found leads us believe that the community is historic.<1>
We've added Bethel to our Gazetteer with the hope that we can develop more information. If you can help us with Bethel, please Contact Us.
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 Bethel (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 Bethel. 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.
Although our information shows that the community of Bethel is historic, it would have been located within present day Mercer 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 Mercer County: Bland (VA), Giles (VA), Tazewell (VA), McDowell, Raleigh, Summers & Wyoming.
Below are the counties that are near Bethel. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Bethel:
- Mercer County (The home county of Bethel)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
- Edison
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Edison is located in Mercer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edison
- El Centro ‑ Historic
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- El Centro is located in Mercer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for El Centro
- Bluefield
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Littlesburg
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Littlesburg is located in Mercer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Littlesburg
- Blake ‑ Historic
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Blake is located in Mercer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blake
- Johnston Town
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Johnston Town is located in Mercer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Johnston Town
- Princeton
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Flipping
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Flipping is located in Mercer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flipping
- Montcalm
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Montcalm is located in Mercer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Montcalm
- Nemours
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Yards
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Yards is located in Mercer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yards
- Bramwell
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Logan County
- Rich Creek
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Rich Creek is located in Logan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rich Creek
- McDowell County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
- Elkhorn
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Elkhorn is located in McDowell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elkhorn
- Anawalt
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Anawalt is located in McDowell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Anawalt
- Population from the 2020 Census: 172 people
- Kyle
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Kyle is located in McDowell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kyle
- Northfork
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Keystone
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Thorpe
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Thorpe is located in McDowell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thorpe
- Big Four
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Big Four is located in McDowell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Big Four
- Kimball
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Bishop
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Bishop is located in McDowell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bishop
- Gary
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Gary is located in McDowell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gary
- Population from the 2020 Census: 759 people
- Newhall
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Newhall is located in McDowell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newhall
- Welch
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Monroe County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
- Peterstown
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Ballard
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Ballard is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ballard
- Raleigh County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
- Rhodell
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Rhodell is located in Raleigh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rhodell
- Population from the 2020 Census: 159 people
- Eastgulf
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Eastgulf is located in Raleigh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eastgulf
- Helen
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Helen is located in Raleigh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Helen
- Princewick
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Princewick is located in Raleigh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Princewick
- Ury
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Ury is located in Raleigh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ury
- Coal City
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Coal City is located in Raleigh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coal City
- Stotesbury
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Stotesbury is located in Raleigh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stotesbury
- Sullivan
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Sullivan is located in Raleigh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sullivan
- Pemberton
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Pemberton is located in Raleigh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pemberton
- Shady Spring
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Slab Fork
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Slab Fork is located in Raleigh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Slab Fork
- Sophia
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Summers County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
- Mercers Saltworks ‑ Historic
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Mercers Saltworks is located in Summers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mercers Saltworks
- Pipestem
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- True
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- True is located in Summers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for True
- Jumping Branch
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Jumping Branch is located in Summers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jumping Branch
- Nimitz
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Nimitz is located in Summers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nimitz
- Packs Ferry
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Packs Ferry is located in Summers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Packs Ferry
- Buck
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Buck is located in Summers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buck
- Forest Hill
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Bellepoint
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Bellepoint is located in Summers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bellepoint
- Wyoming County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
- Bud
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Bud is located in Wyoming County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bud
- Mullens
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Woosley
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Woosley is located in Wyoming County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woosley
- Pineville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Mullensville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Mullensville is located in Wyoming County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mullensville
- Bland County (VA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
- Rocky Gap
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Rocky Gap is located in Bland County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rocky Gap
- Hicksville
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Hicksville is located in Bland County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hicksville
- Round Bottom
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Round Bottom is located in Bland County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Round Bottom
- Bastian
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Bland
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Mechanicsburg
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Mechanicsburg is located in Bland County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mechanicsburg
- Giles County (VA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
- Shumate
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Shumate is located in Giles County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shumate
- Glen Lyn
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Glen Lyn is located in Giles County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glen Lyn
- Population from the 2020 Census: 97 people
- Lurich
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Lurich is located in Giles County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lurich
- Narrows
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Thessalia
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Thessalia is located in Giles County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thessalia
- Rich Creek
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Bluff City
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Bluff City is located in Giles County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bluff City
- Poplar Hill
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Poplar Hill is located in Giles County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Poplar Hill
- Pearisburg
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Pembroke
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Eggleston
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Pulaski County (VA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
- Sassin ‑ Historic
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Sassin is located in Pulaski County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sassin
- Hilton Village
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Hilton Village is located in Pulaski County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hilton Village
- Pulaski
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Wurno
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Wurno is located in Pulaski County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wurno
- Draper
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Dublin
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Newbern
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Parrott
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Parrott is located in Pulaski County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parrott
- Tazewell County (VA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
- Bluefield
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Falls Mills
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Falls Mills is located in Tazewell County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Falls Mills
- Saint Clair
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Saint Clair is located in Tazewell County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Clair
- Yards
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Yards is located in Tazewell County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yards
- Pocahontas
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Pocahontas is located in Tazewell County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pocahontas
- Population from the 2020 Census: 348 people
- Boissevain
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Boissevain is located in Tazewell County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boissevain
- Shawver Mill
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Shawver Mill is located in Tazewell County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shawver Mill
- Little Town
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Little Town is located in Tazewell County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Little Town
- Springville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Springville is located in Tazewell County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Springville
- Abbs Valley
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Abbs Valley is located in Tazewell County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Abbs Valley
- Wittens Mills
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Wittens Mills is located in Tazewell County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wittens Mills
- Five Oaks
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Five Oaks is located in Tazewell County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Five Oaks
- Wythe County (VA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
- Wytheville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Kent
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Kent is located in Wythe County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kent
- Max Meadows
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Fort Chiswell
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Fort Chiswell is located in Wythe County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fort Chiswell
- Locust Hill
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Locust Hill is located in Wythe County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Locust Hill
- Crockett
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Rural Retreat
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Siloam
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Siloam is located in Wythe County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Siloam
- Rowe Crossroads
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Rowe Crossroads is located in Wythe County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rowe Crossroads
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Bethel, see our County-by-County Page for Bethel.
Cemeteries Near Bethel ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Bethel.
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 Bethel - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Bethel covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
- Bailey Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Calfee Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Stowers Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Stowers Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Neal Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Lambert Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Maple Park Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Bailey Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Gibson Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Hartwell Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Wilson Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Atkins Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Continue List (376 more) ...
- Belcher Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Monte Vista Park
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Calfee Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 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.
Bethel itself is historic and was described in the Rand McNally Atlas as having a population of 29 people in 1895 with a post office and no railroad service.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
- Ada
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Ada is located in Mercer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ada
- Byron
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Byron is located in Bland County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Byron
- Rocky Gap
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Rocky Gap is located in Bland County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rocky Gap
- Bluefield
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Clear Fork
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Clear Fork is located in Bland County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clear Fork
- New Hope
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- New Hope is located in Mercer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Hope
- Hicksville
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Hicksville is located in Bland County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hicksville
- Stowersville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Stowersville is located in Bland County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stowersville
- Ingleside
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Ingleside is located in Mercer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ingleside
- Princeton
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Duhring
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Duhring is located in Mercer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Duhring
- Flipping
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Flipping is located in Mercer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flipping
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Abbs Valley ‑ Historic
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Abbs Valley is located in Mercer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Abbs Valley
- Falls Mills
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Falls Mills is located in Tazewell County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Falls Mills
- Saint Clair
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Saint Clair is located in Tazewell County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Clair
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Bethel. See our List of 1890's Communities around Bethel.
Newspapers Published in Bethel ...
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 25 newspapers that have been published in the area around Bethel.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Bethel, 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 Bethel.
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 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 Bethel:
- Websites specific to West Virginia
- Pages specific to Mercer County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Logan County
- McDowell County
- Monroe County
- Raleigh County
- Summers County
- Wyoming County
- Bland County
- Giles County
- Pulaski County
- Tazewell County
- Wythe County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for West Virginia
Footnotes ...
| <1> | 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 Bethel, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <2> | While we're fans and frequent users of TripAdvisor, you should know that we're also members of the TripAdvisor affiliate program. |
| <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> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' (or 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- Bethel) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |