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 Brownsburg (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 Brownsburg. 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.
Brownsburg is located in Pocahontas 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 Pocahontas County: Bath (VA), Highland (VA), Greenbrier, Pendleton, Randolph & Webster.
Below are the counties that are near Brownsburg. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Brownsburg:
- Pocahontas County (The home county of Brownsburg)
- The following are listed by their distance from Brownsburg, with the one closest to Brownsburg listed first.
- Edray
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Edray is located in Pocahontas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edray
- Onoto
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Onoto is located in Pocahontas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Onoto
- Thorny Creek
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Thorny Creek is located in Pocahontas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thorny Creek
- Marlinton
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Huntersville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Buckeye
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Watoga ‑ Historic
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Watoga is located in Pocahontas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Watoga
- Frost
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Frost is located in Pocahontas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frost
- Slaty Fork
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Sitlington
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Sitlington is located in Pocahontas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sitlington
- Hillsboro
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Cass
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Green Bank
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Greenbrier County
- The following are listed by their distance from Brownsburg, with the one closest to Brownsburg listed first.
- Loveridge
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Loveridge is located in Greenbrier County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Loveridge
- Neola
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Neola is located in Greenbrier County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Neola
- Oscar
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Oscar is located in Greenbrier County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oscar
- Falling Spring
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Falling Spring is located in Greenbrier County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Falling Spring
- Population from the 2020 Census: 200 people
- Spring Creek
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Spring Creek is located in Greenbrier County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spring Creek
- Sunlight
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Sunlight is located in Greenbrier County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sunlight
- Wild Meadow
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Wild Meadow is located in Greenbrier County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wild Meadow
- Anthony
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Anthony is located in Greenbrier County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Anthony
- Frankford
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Frankford is located in Greenbrier County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frankford
- Unus
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Unus is located in Greenbrier County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Unus
- Williamsburg
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Nicholas County
- The following are listed by their distance from Brownsburg, with the one closest to Brownsburg listed first.
- Richwood
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Saxman
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Saxman is located in Nicholas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saxman
- Randolph County
- The following are listed by their distance from Brownsburg, with the one closest to Brownsburg listed first.
- Mingo
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Blue Spring
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Blue Spring is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blue Spring
- Valley Head
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Monterville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Elkwater
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Elkwater is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elkwater
- Florence ‑ Historic
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Florence is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Florence
- Pickens
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Lee Bell
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Lee Bell is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lee Bell
- Helvetia
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Webster County
- The following are listed by their distance from Brownsburg, with the one closest to Brownsburg listed first.
- Ralph
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Ralph is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ralph
- Addison
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Addison is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Addison
- Population from the 2020 Census: 660 people
- Excelsior
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Excelsior is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Excelsior
- Upperglade
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Upperglade is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Upperglade
- Orndoff
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Orndoff is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orndoff
- Halo
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Halo is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Halo
- Cowen
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Welch Glade
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Welch Glade is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Welch Glade
- Camden-on-Gauley
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Camden-on-Gauley is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Camden-on-Gauley
- Population from the 2020 Census: 143 people
- Bath County (VA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Brownsburg, with the one closest to Brownsburg listed first.
- Mountain Grove
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Mountain Grove is located in Bath County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mountain Grove
- Cowardin ‑ Historic
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Cowardin is located in Bath County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cowardin
- Bolar
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Bolar is located in Bath County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bolar
- Warm Springs
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Greenwood ‑ Historic
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Greenwood is located in Bath County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenwood
- Mitchelltown
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Mitchelltown is located in Bath County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mitchelltown
- Burnsville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Burnsville is located in Bath County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burnsville
- Bath Alum
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Bath Alum is located in Bath County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bath Alum
- Healing Springs
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Healing Springs is located in Bath County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Healing Springs
- Carloover
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Carloover is located in Bath County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carloover
- Fort Lewis ‑ Historic
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Fort Lewis is located in Bath County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fort Lewis
- Highland County (VA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Brownsburg, with the one closest to Brownsburg listed first.
- Buckeye ‑ Historic
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Buckeye is located in Highland County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buckeye
- Meadowdale
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Meadowdale is located in Highland County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meadowdale
- Hightown
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Hightown is located in Highland County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hightown
- Clover Creek
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Clover Creek is located in Highland County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clover Creek
- Monterey
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Brownsburg, see our County-by-County Page for Brownsburg.
Cemeteries Near Brownsburg ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Brownsburg.
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 Brownsburg - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Brownsburg covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Brownsburg, with the one closest to Brownsburg listed first.
- Mountain View Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Messir Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- McLaughlin Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Bethel Church Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Gibson Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Hannah Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Shinaberry Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Varner Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Beaver Creek Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Gragg Cemetery
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Moore Cemetery
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Lindsay Cemetery
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Continue List (78 more) ...
- Chestnut Cemetery
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Bussard Cemetery
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Shinaberry Cemetery
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
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 Brownsburg in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Brownsburg.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Brownsburg, with the one closest to Brownsburg listed first.
- Edray
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Edray is located in Pocahontas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edray
- Marlinton
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Buckeye
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Huntersville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Dilleys Mill
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Dilleys Mill is located in Pocahontas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dilleys Mill
- Clover Lick
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Clover Lick is located in Pocahontas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clover Lick
- Sunset ‑ Historic
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Sunset is located in Pocahontas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sunset
- Mill Point
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Mill Point is located in Pocahontas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mill Point
- Frost
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Frost is located in Pocahontas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frost
- Dunmore
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Lobelia
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Lobelia is located in Pocahontas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lobelia
- Mountain Grove
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Mountain Grove is located in Bath County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mountain Grove
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Sunrise
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Sunrise is located in Bath County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sunrise
- Locust
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Locust is located in Pocahontas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Locust
- Green Bank
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Brownsburg. See our List of 1890's Communities around Brownsburg.
Newspapers Published in Brownsburg ...
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 23 newspapers that have been published in the area around Brownsburg.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Brownsburg, there are papers which were published within 25 miles [40.2 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Brownsburg.
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 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 Brownsburg:
- Websites specific to West Virginia
- Pages specific to Pocahontas County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Greenbrier County
- Nicholas County
- Randolph County
- Webster County
- Bath County
- Highland 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> | 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 Brownsburg, 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' (or point-to-point) distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Brownsburg) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |