RoadsideThoughts
A Gazetteer for the United States and Canada
Home >> State of West Virginia >> Mercer County >> Bluewell >> Genealogy HelperIndex...

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 Bluewell (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 Bluewell. 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 southeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors were in the next county to the east. 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 east 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.

Bluewell is located in 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 Bluewell. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Bluewell:

  • Mercer County     (The home county of Bluewell)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bluewell, with the one closest to Bluewell listed first.
    • Littlesburg
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
      • Littlesburg is located in Mercer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Littlesburg
    • Flipping
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
      • Flipping is located in Mercer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flipping
    • Montcalm
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
      • Montcalm is located in Mercer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Montcalm
    • Freeman
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Freeman is located in Mercer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Freeman
    • Bramwell
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
    • Nemours
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
    • Bluefield
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Yards
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Yards is located in Mercer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yards
    • Coopers
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
      • Coopers is located in Mercer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coopers
    • Edison
      (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
      • Edison is located in Mercer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edison
    • Coaldale
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
      • Coaldale is located in Mercer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coaldale
    • Bethel ‑ Historic
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
      • Bethel is located in Mercer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bethel
  • Logan County
    • Rich Creek
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
      • 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 Bluewell, with the one closest to Bluewell listed first.
    • Elkhorn
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Elkhorn is located in McDowell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elkhorn
    • Anawalt
      (10 miles [16.1 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
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Kyle is located in McDowell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kyle
    • Northfork
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Keystone
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Thorpe
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
      • Thorpe is located in McDowell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thorpe
    • Big Four
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Big Four is located in McDowell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Big Four
    • Kimball
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Gary
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
      • Gary is located in McDowell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gary
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 759 people
    • Bishop
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Bishop is located in McDowell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bishop
    • Welch
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Welch is located in McDowell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Welch
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,575 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Welch <1>
    • Newhall
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
      • Newhall is located in McDowell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newhall
  • Monroe County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bluewell, with the one closest to Bluewell listed first.
    • Peterstown
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
    • Ballard
      (28 miles [45.1 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 Bluewell, with the one closest to Bluewell listed first.
    • Rhodell
      (20 miles [32.2 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
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
      • Eastgulf is located in Raleigh County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eastgulf
    • Helen
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
      • Helen is located in Raleigh County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Helen
    • Ury
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
      • Ury is located in Raleigh County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ury
    • Princewick
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
      • Princewick is located in Raleigh County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Princewick
    • Coal City
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
      • Coal City is located in Raleigh County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coal City
    • Stotesbury
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
      • Stotesbury is located in Raleigh County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stotesbury
    • Slab Fork
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
      • Slab Fork is located in Raleigh County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Slab Fork
    • Sophia
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
    • Sullivan
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
      • Sullivan is located in Raleigh County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sullivan
    • Pemberton
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
      • Pemberton is located in Raleigh County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pemberton
    • Shady Spring
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
  • Summers County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bluewell, with the one closest to Bluewell listed first.
    • Pipestem
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Mercers Saltworks ‑ Historic
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
      • Mercers Saltworks is located in Summers County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mercers Saltworks
    • True
      (25 miles [40.2 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 northeast)
      • 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
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Packs Ferry is located in Summers County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Packs Ferry
  • Wyoming County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bluewell, with the one closest to Bluewell listed first.
    • Bud
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Bud is located in Wyoming County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bud
    • Mullens
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
    • Woosley
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
      • Woosley is located in Wyoming County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woosley
    • Mullensville
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Mullensville is located in Wyoming County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mullensville
    • Pineville
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
    • Fanny
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Fanny is located in Wyoming County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fanny
    • Keyrock
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Keyrock is located in Wyoming County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keyrock
    • Rock View
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Rock View is located in Wyoming County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock View
    • Wyoming
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Wyoming is located in Wyoming County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wyoming
    • Stoneville
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Stoneville is located in Wyoming County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stoneville
    • Turkey
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Turkey is located in Wyoming County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Turkey
    • Baileysville
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Baileysville is located in Wyoming County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Baileysville
  • Bland County (VA)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bluewell, with the one closest to Bluewell listed first.
    • Rocky Gap
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Rocky Gap is located in Bland County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rocky Gap
    • Hicksville
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Hicksville is located in Bland County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hicksville
    • Round Bottom
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
      • Round Bottom is located in Bland County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Round Bottom
    • Bastian
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Bland
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Mechanicsburg
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Mechanicsburg is located in Bland County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mechanicsburg
  • Buchanan County (VA)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bluewell, with the one closest to Bluewell listed first.
    • Bearwallow
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • Bearwallow is located in Buchanan County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bearwallow
    • Peapatch
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • Peapatch is located in Buchanan County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peapatch
    • Height
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
      • Height is located in Buchanan County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Height
  • Giles County (VA)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bluewell, with the one closest to Bluewell listed first.
    • Glen Lyn
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
      • Glen Lyn is located in Giles County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glen Lyn
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 97 people
    • Shumate
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
      • Shumate is located in Giles County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shumate
    • Lurich
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
      • Lurich is located in Giles County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lurich
    • Narrows
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
      • Narrows is located in Giles County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Narrows
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,949 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Narrows <1>
    • Rich Creek
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
    • Thessalia
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
      • Thessalia is located in Giles County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thessalia
    • Bluff City
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
      • Bluff City is located in Giles County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bluff City
    • Pearisburg
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
    • Poplar Hill
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
      • Poplar Hill is located in Giles County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Poplar Hill
  • Pulaski County (VA)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bluewell, with the one closest to Bluewell listed first.
    • Sassin ‑ Historic
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
      • Sassin is located in Pulaski County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sassin
    • Hilton Village
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Hilton Village is located in Pulaski County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hilton Village
  • Tazewell County (VA)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bluewell, with the one closest to Bluewell listed first.
    • Falls Mills
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Falls Mills is located in Tazewell County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Falls Mills
    • Yards
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Yards is located in Tazewell County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yards
    • Bluefield
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
    • Pocahontas
      (4 miles [6.4 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
    • Saint Clair
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Saint Clair is located in Tazewell County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Clair
    • Boissevain
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
      • Boissevain is located in Tazewell County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boissevain
    • Abbs Valley
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Abbs Valley is located in Tazewell County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Abbs Valley
    • Springville
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Springville is located in Tazewell County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Springville
    • Shawver Mill
      (12 miles [19.3 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 south)
      • Little Town is located in Tazewell County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Little Town
    • Wittens Mills
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Wittens Mills is located in Tazewell County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wittens Mills
    • Five Oaks
      (16 miles [25.7 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 Bluewell, with the one closest to Bluewell listed first.
    • Wytheville
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
    • Rural Retreat
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
    • Kent
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Kent is located in Wythe County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kent
    • Crockett
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
    • Max Meadows
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Fort Chiswell
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Fort Chiswell is located in Wythe County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fort Chiswell
    • Locust Hill
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Locust Hill is located in Wythe County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Locust Hill

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

Cemeteries Near Bluewell ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Bluewell.

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

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

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

  • Hale Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the south)
  • Woodlawn Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
  • Oak Grove Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
  • Poe Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the north)
  • Phillips Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the west)
  • Davidson Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
  • Taylor Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the east)
  • Wall Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
  • Butt Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the west)
  • Butt Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the west)
  • Mt. Herman Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the west)
  • King Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
  • Continue List   (385 more) ...
    • Belcher Cemetery
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Brown Cemetery
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Belcher 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.<2>

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

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

  • Abbs Valley ‑ Historic
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
    • Abbs Valley is located in Mercer County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Abbs Valley
  • Duhring
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
    • Duhring is located in Mercer County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Duhring
  • Freeman
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Freeman is located in Mercer County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Freeman
  • Bramwell
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
  • Flipping
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
    • Flipping is located in Mercer County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flipping
  • Falls Mills
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Falls Mills is located in Tazewell County (VA)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Falls Mills
  • Bluefield
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
  • Coopers
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
    • Coopers is located in Mercer County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coopers
  • Pocahontas
    (4 miles [6.4 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
  • Bethel ‑ Historic
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
    • Bethel is located in Mercer County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bethel
  • New Hope
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
    • New Hope is located in Mercer County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Hope
  • Coaldale
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
    • Coaldale is located in Mercer County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coaldale
  • Continue List   (15 more) ...
    • Saint Clair
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Saint Clair is located in Tazewell County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Clair
    • Ada
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
      • Ada is located in Mercer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ada
    • Maybeury
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)

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

Newspapers Published in Bluewell ...

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 24 newspapers that have been published in the area around Bluewell.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Bluewell, 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 Bluewell.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we like to start with 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 Bluewell:

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 Bluewell, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.
<3>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 from Point A (ie- Bluewell) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.