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 Donwood (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 Donwood. 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 hospitals and 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.
Donwood is primarily located in Fayette County. A portion of Donwood extends into Kanawha 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 Fayette County: Greenbrier, Kanawha, Nicholas, Raleigh & Summers.
Below are the counties that are near Donwood. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Donwood:
- Fayette County (The home county of Donwood)
- The following are listed by their distance from Donwood, with the one closest to Donwood listed first.
- Montgomery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Crescent
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Crescent is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crescent
- Smithers
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Cannelton
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Cannelton is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cannelton
- Kimberly
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Kimberly is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kimberly
- Mount Carbon
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Mount Carbon is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Carbon
- Powellton
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Powellton is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Powellton
- Elkridge
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Elkridge is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elkridge
- Falls View
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Falls View is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Falls View
- Gauley Bridge
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- McDunn
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- McDunn is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McDunn
- Beckwith
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Boone County
- The following are listed by their distance from Donwood, with the one closest to Donwood listed first.
- Joes Creek
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Joes Creek is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Joes Creek
- Orgas
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Orgas is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orgas
- Coopertown
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Coopertown is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coopertown
- Keith
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Keith is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keith
- Comfort
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Fosterville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Fosterville is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fosterville
- Elk Run Junction
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Elk Run Junction is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elk Run Junction
- Janie
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Janie is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Janie
- Former name for Janie:
- Mordue
- Bloomingrose
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Bloomingrose is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bloomingrose
- Eden
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Eden is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eden
- Kirbyton
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Kirbyton is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kirbyton
- Seth
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Clay County
- The following are listed by their distance from Donwood, with the one closest to Donwood listed first.
- Bomont
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Bomont is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bomont
- Porter
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Porter is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Porter
- Elkhurst
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Elkhurst is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elkhurst
- Hartland
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Hartland is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hartland
- Procious
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Procious is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Procious
- Clay
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Spread
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Spread is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spread
- Valley Fork
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Valley Fork is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Valley Fork
- Gould
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Gould is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gould
- Kanawha County
- The following are listed by their distance from Donwood, with the one closest to Donwood listed first.
- Handley
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Handley is located in Kanawha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Handley
- Population from the 2020 Census: 309 people
- Hollygrove
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Hollygrove is located in Kanawha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hollygrove
- Hollygrove has also been known as:
- Hollygrove Station
- Hudnall
- Hugheston
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Hugheston is located in Kanawha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hugheston
- Pratt
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Pratt is located in Kanawha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pratt
- Population from the 2020 Census: 552 people
- Glasgow
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Ronda
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Ronda is located in Kanawha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ronda
- Cedar Grove
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Cedar Grove is located in Kanawha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar Grove
- Population from the 2020 Census: 897 people
- East Bank
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- East Bank is located in Kanawha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Bank
- Population from the 2020 Census: 857 people
- Eskdale
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Eskdale is located in Kanawha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eskdale
- Dry Branch
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Dry Branch is located in Kanawha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dry Branch
- Cabin Creek
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Cabin Creek is located in Kanawha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cabin Creek
- Chelyan
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Chelyan is located in Kanawha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chelyan
- Lincoln County
- The following are listed by their distance from Donwood, with the one closest to Donwood listed first.
- Alum Creek
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Priestley
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Priestley is located in Lincoln County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Priestley
- Sod
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Sod is located in Lincoln County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sod
- Nicholas County
- The following are listed by their distance from Donwood, with the one closest to Donwood listed first.
- Dixie
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Dixie is located in Nicholas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dixie
- Beech Glen
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Beech Glen is located in Nicholas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beech Glen
- Albion ‑ Historic
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Albion is located in Nicholas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Albion
- Tipton
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Tipton is located in Nicholas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tipton
- Keslers Cross Lanes
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Keslers Cross Lanes is located in Nicholas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keslers Cross Lanes
- Zela
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Zela is located in Nicholas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zela
- Morrison ‑ Historic
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Morrison is located in Nicholas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morrison
- Runa
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Runa is located in Nicholas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Runa
- Summersville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Snow Hill
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Snow Hill is located in Nicholas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Snow Hill
- Raleigh County
- The following are listed by their distance from Donwood, with the one closest to Donwood listed first.
- Dorothy
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Dorothy is located in Raleigh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dorothy
- Packsville
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Packsville is located in Raleigh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Packsville
- Montcoal
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Montcoal is located in Raleigh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Montcoal
- Stickney
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Stickney is located in Raleigh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stickney
- Bradley
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Bradley is located in Raleigh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bradley
- Naoma
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Naoma is located in Raleigh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Naoma
- Rock Creek
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Rock Creek is located in Raleigh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock Creek
- Sweeneyburg
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Sweeneyburg is located in Raleigh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sweeneyburg
- Arnett
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Pineknob
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Pineknob is located in Raleigh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pineknob
- Prosperity
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Prosperity is located in Raleigh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prosperity
- Zada
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Zada is located in Raleigh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zada
- Roane County
- Pigeon
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Pigeon is located in Roane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pigeon
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Donwood, see our County-by-County Page for Donwood.
Cemeteries Near Donwood ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Donwood.
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 Donwood - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Donwood covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Donwood, with the one closest to Donwood listed first.
- Craig Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Goodwin Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Guthrie Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Montgomery Memorial Park
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Montgomery Memorial Park
- The Montgomery Memorial Park has also been known as:
- Montgomery Memorial Cemetery
- Montgomery Memorial Gardens
- Blake Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Kanawha Valley Memorial Gardens
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Robson Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Mt. Lewis Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Ward Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Woodland Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Virginias Chapel Slave Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- IOOF Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Continue List (587 more) ...
- Hensley Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Johnson Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Sycamore Branch Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
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 Donwood in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Donwood.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Donwood, with the one closest to Donwood listed first.
- Eagle
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Eagle is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eagle
- Crescent
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Crescent is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crescent
- Montgomery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Mount Carbon
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Mount Carbon is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Carbon
- Handley
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Handley is located in Kanawha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Handley
- Population from the 2020 Census: 309 people
- Powellton
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Powellton is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Powellton
- Deep Water
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Deep Water is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deep Water
- Crown Hill
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Crown Hill is located in Kanawha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crown Hill
- Kanawha Falls
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Kanawha Falls is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kanawha Falls
- Gauley Bridge
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Cedar Grove
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Cedar Grove is located in Kanawha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar Grove
- Population from the 2020 Census: 897 people
- East Bank
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- East Bank is located in Kanawha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Bank
- Population from the 2020 Census: 857 people
- Continue List (13 more) ...
- Coalburg
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Coalburg is located in Kanawha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coalburg
- Dry Branch
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Dry Branch is located in Kanawha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dry Branch
- Gauley
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Gauley is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gauley
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Donwood. See our List of 1890's Communities around Donwood.
Newspapers Published in Donwood ...
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 17 newspapers that have been published in the area around Donwood.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Donwood, there are papers which were published within 14 miles [22.5 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Donwood.
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 Donwood:
- Websites specific to West Virginia
- Pages specific to Fayette County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Boone County
- Clay County
- Kanawha County
- Lincoln County
- Nicholas County
- Raleigh County
- Roane 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 Donwood, 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 obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Donwood) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |