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 Chestnut (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 Chestnut. 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 and hospitals 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.
Chestnut is located in Mason 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 Mason County: Gallia (OH), Meigs (OH), Cabell, Jackson & Putnam.
Below are the counties that are near Chestnut. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Chestnut:
- Mason County (The home county of Chestnut)
- The following are listed by their distance from Chestnut, with the one closest to Chestnut listed first.
- Letart
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Letart is located in Mason County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Letart
- Baden
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Baden is located in Mason County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Baden
- Flatrock
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Flatrock is located in Mason County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flatrock
- Leon
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Leon is located in Mason County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leon
- Population from the 2020 Census: 145 people
- Brighton
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Brighton is located in Mason County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brighton
- Sassafras
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Sassafras is located in Mason County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sassafras
- Arbuckle
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Arbuckle is located in Mason County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arbuckle
- Southside
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Southside is located in Mason County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Southside
- New Haven
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Fivemile
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Fivemile is located in Mason County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fivemile
- Meadowbrook
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Meadowbrook is located in Mason County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meadowbrook
- Grimms Landing
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Grimms Landing is located in Mason County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grimms Landing
- Arlee
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Arlee is located in Mason County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arlee
- Cabell County
- The following are listed by their distance from Chestnut, with the one closest to Chestnut listed first.
- Crown City
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Crown City is located in Cabell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crown City
- Culloden
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Culloden is located in Cabell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Culloden
- Milton
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Jackson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Chestnut, with the one closest to Chestnut listed first.
- Huntsville ‑ Historic
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Huntsville is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Huntsville
- Millwood
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Millwood is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millwood
- Angerona
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Angerona is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Angerona
- Willow Grove ‑ Historic
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Willow Grove is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willow Grove
- Flatwoods
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Flatwoods is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flatwoods
- Ripley
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Ravenswood
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Sherman
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Sherman is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sherman
- Sandyville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Skull Run
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Skull Run is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Skull Run
- Wilding
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Wilding is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilding
- Fairplain
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Fairplain is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairplain
- Hereford
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Hereford is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hereford
- Kanawha County
- The following are listed by their distance from Chestnut, with the one closest to Chestnut listed first.
- Sissonville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Island Branch
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Island Branch is located in Kanawha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Island Branch
- Cross Lanes
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Nitro
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Legg
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Legg is located in Kanawha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Legg
- Putnam County
- The following are listed by their distance from Chestnut, with the one closest to Chestnut listed first.
- Buffalo
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Pliny
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Pliny is located in Putnam County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pliny
- Indian Village
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Indian Village is located in Putnam County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Indian Village
- Fraziers Bottom
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Fraziers Bottom is located in Putnam County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fraziers Bottom
- Paradise
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Paradise is located in Putnam County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Paradise
- Midway
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Midway is located in Putnam County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Midway
- Liberty
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Liberty is located in Putnam County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Liberty
- Sigman
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Sigman is located in Putnam County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sigman
- Eleanor
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Red House
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Winfield
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Bancroft
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Bancroft is located in Putnam County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bancroft
- Population from the 2020 Census: 596 people
- Morgans Landing
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Morgans Landing is located in Putnam County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morgans Landing
- Roane County
- The following are listed by their distance from Chestnut, with the one closest to Chestnut listed first.
- Flint Town
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Flint Town is located in Roane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flint Town
- Reedy
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Reedy is located in Roane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reedy
- Population from the 2020 Census: 159 people
- Zona
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Zona is located in Roane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zona
- Cicerone
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Cicerone is located in Roane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cicerone
- Woodyard ‑ Historic
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Woodyard is located in Roane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodyard
- Mattie ‑ Historic
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Mattie is located in Roane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mattie
- Spencer
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Wirt County
- The following are listed by their distance from Chestnut, with the one closest to Chestnut listed first.
- Peewee
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Peewee is located in Wirt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peewee
- Windy
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Windy is located in Wirt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Windy
- Lucile
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Lucile is located in Wirt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lucile
- Palestine
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Palestine is located in Wirt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Palestine
- Wood County
- The following are listed by their distance from Chestnut, with the one closest to Chestnut listed first.
- Wesley ‑ Historic
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Wesley is located in Wood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wesley
- Eli
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Eli is located in Wood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eli
- Athens County (OH)
- The following are listed by their distance from Chestnut, with the one closest to Chestnut listed first.
- Pratts Fork
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Pratts Fork is located in Athens County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pratts Fork
- Vanderhoof
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Vanderhoof is located in Athens County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vanderhoof
- Coolville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Shade
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Youba
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Youba is located in Athens County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Youba
- Carsey Town
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Carsey Town is located in Athens County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carsey Town
- Albany
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Gallia County (OH)
- The following are listed by their distance from Chestnut, with the one closest to Chestnut listed first.
- Carlton
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Carlton is located in Gallia County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carlton
- Cheshire
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Cheshire is located in Gallia County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cheshire
- Population from the 2020 Census: 127 people
- Kyger
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Kyger is located in Gallia County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kyger
- Gallipolis
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Westbrook Village
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Westbrook Village is located in Gallia County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westbrook Village
- Mills Village
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Mills Village is located in Gallia County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mills Village
- Bladen
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Bladen is located in Gallia County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bladen
- Eureka
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Eureka is located in Gallia County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eureka
- Kerr
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Kerr is located in Gallia County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kerr
- Rodney
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Rodney is located in Gallia County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rodney
- Wigner ‑ Historic
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Wigner is located in Gallia County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wigner
- Cora
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Cora is located in Gallia County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cora
- Rio Grande
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Lawrence County (OH)
- The following are listed by their distance from Chestnut, with the one closest to Chestnut listed first.
- Greasy Ridge
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Greasy Ridge is located in Lawrence County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greasy Ridge
- Athalia
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Athalia is located in Lawrence County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Athalia
- Population from the 2020 Census: 353 people
- Meigs County (OH)
- The following are listed by their distance from Chestnut, with the one closest to Chestnut listed first.
- Letart Falls
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Letart Falls is located in Meigs County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Letart Falls
- Plants
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Plants is located in Meigs County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plants
- Racine
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Dorcas
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Dorcas is located in Meigs County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dorcas
- Spiller
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Spiller is located in Meigs County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spiller
- Syracuse
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Welshtown
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Welshtown is located in Meigs County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Welshtown
- Portland
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Middleport
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Bashan
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Bashan is located in Meigs County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bashan
- Pomeroy
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Thomas Village
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Thomas Village is located in Meigs County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thomas Village
- Keno
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Keno is located in Meigs County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keno
- Vinton County (OH)
- Wilkesville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Wilkesville is located in Vinton County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilkesville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 144 people
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Chestnut, see our County-by-County Page for Chestnut.
Cemeteries Near Chestnut ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Chestnut.
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 Chestnut - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Chestnut covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Chestnut, with the one closest to Chestnut listed first.
- Morgan Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Sayre Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Baden Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Ward Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Mt. Zion Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Letart Evergreen Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Letart Evergreen Cemetery
- The Letart Evergreen Cemetery has also been known as:
- Evergreen Cemetery
- Bethel Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Baden Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Letart Falls Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Eddy Chapel Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Yauger Church Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Greenlee Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Continue List (806 more) ...
- Jenkins Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Pine Grove Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Grove Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Pine Grove Cemetery is located 3 miles [4.8 km]<3> to the northeast of Leon.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #79556 <2>
- Creston Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
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 Chestnut in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Chestnut.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Chestnut, with the one closest to Chestnut listed first.
- Rollins
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Rollins is located in Mason County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rollins
- Letart Falls
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Letart Falls is located in Meigs County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Letart Falls
- Baden
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Baden is located in Mason County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Baden
- School House ‑ Historic
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- School House is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for School House
- Letart
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Letart is located in Mason County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Letart
- Providence
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Providence is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Providence
- Huntsville ‑ Historic
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Huntsville is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Huntsville
- Millwood
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Millwood is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millwood
- Apple Grove
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Apple Grove is located in Meigs County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Apple Grove
- Gunville
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Gunville is located in Mason County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gunville
- Cottageville
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Cottageville is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cottageville
- Ripley Landing
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Ripley Landing is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ripley Landing
- Continue List (16 more) ...
- Plants
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Plants is located in Meigs County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plants
- Flatrock
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Flatrock is located in Mason County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flatrock
- Beech Hill
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Beech Hill is located in Mason County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beech Hill
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Chestnut. See our List of 1890's Communities around Chestnut.
Newspapers Published in Chestnut ...
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 54 newspapers that have been published in the area around Chestnut.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Chestnut, there are papers which were published within 15 miles [24.1 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Chestnut.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we first turn to 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 Chestnut:
- Websites specific to West Virginia
- Pages specific to Mason County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Cabell County
- Jackson County
- Kanawha County
- Putnam County
- Roane County
- Wirt County
- Wood County
- Athens County
- Gallia County
- Lawrence County
- Meigs County
- Vinton 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> | 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> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Chestnut) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |
| <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 Chestnut, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |