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 Dora (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 Dora. 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 southwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most hospitals were in the next county to the west. 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 west 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.
Dora is located in Gilmer 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 Gilmer County: Braxton, Calhoun, Doddridge, Lewis & Ritchie.
Below are the counties that are near Dora. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Dora:
- Gilmer County (The home county of Dora)
- The following are listed by their distance from Dora, with the one closest to Dora listed first.
- Truebada
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Truebada is located in Gilmer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Truebada
- Sand Fork
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Sand Fork is located in Gilmer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sand Fork
- Population from the 2020 Census: 145 people
- Stouts Mills
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Stouts Mills is located in Gilmer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stouts Mills
- Glenville
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Baldwin
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Baldwin is located in Gilmer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Baldwin
- Cedarville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Cedarville is located in Gilmer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedarville
- Alice
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Alice is located in Gilmer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alice
- Troy
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Troy is located in Gilmer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Troy
- Normantown
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- De Kalb
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- De Kalb is located in Gilmer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for De Kalb
- Newberne
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Newberne is located in Gilmer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newberne
- Conings
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Conings is located in Gilmer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Conings
- Stumptown
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Stumptown is located in Gilmer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stumptown
- Braxton County
- The following are listed by their distance from Dora, with the one closest to Dora listed first.
- Arnett
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Arnett is located in Braxton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arnett
- Burnsville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Orlando
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Orlando is located in Braxton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orlando
- Exchange
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Chapel
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Chapel is located in Braxton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chapel
- Progress ‑ Historic
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Progress is located in Braxton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Progress
- Rollyson
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Rollyson is located in Braxton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rollyson
- Lloydsville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Lloydsville is located in Braxton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lloydsville
- Heaters
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Napier
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Napier is located in Braxton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Napier
- Bulltown
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Bulltown is located in Braxton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bulltown
- Flatwoods
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Corley
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Corley is located in Braxton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Corley
- Calhoun County
- The following are listed by their distance from Dora, with the one closest to Dora listed first.
- Russet
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Russet is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Russet
- Staten
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Staten is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Staten
- Grantsville
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Gomez ‑ Historic
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Gomez is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gomez
- Freed
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Freed is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Freed
- Arnoldsburg
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Arnoldsburg is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arnoldsburg
- Losie ‑ Historic
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Losie is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Losie
- Orma
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Orma is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orma
- Big Bend
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Big Bend is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Big Bend
- Hur
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Hur is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hur
- Walnut
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Walnut is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walnut
- Beech
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Beech is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beech
- Rocksdale
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Rocksdale is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rocksdale
- Clay County
- The following are listed by their distance from Dora, with the one closest to Dora listed first.
- Lydia
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Lydia is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lydia
- Ira
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Ira is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ira
- Dink
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Dink is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dink
- Harrison
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Harrison is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harrison
- Wattsville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Wattsville is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wattsville
- Gould
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Gould is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gould
- Doddridge County
- The following are listed by their distance from Dora, with the one closest to Dora listed first.
- Saint Clara
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Saint Clara is located in Doddridge County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Clara
- Grove
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Grove is located in Doddridge County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grove
- Coldwater
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Coldwater is located in Doddridge County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coldwater
- Market
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Market is located in Doddridge County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Market
- Avon
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Avon is located in Doddridge County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avon
- New Milton
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Big Isaac
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Big Isaac is located in Doddridge County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Big Isaac
- Miletus
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Miletus is located in Doddridge County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Miletus
- Duckworth
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Duckworth is located in Doddridge County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Duckworth
- Avondale
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Avondale is located in Doddridge County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avondale
- Smithburg
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Smithburg is located in Doddridge County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smithburg
- West Union
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Doak
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Doak is located in Doddridge County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Doak
- Harrison County
- The following are listed by their distance from Dora, with the one closest to Dora listed first.
- Tichenal
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Tichenal is located in Harrison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tichenal
- McWhorter
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- McWhorter is located in Harrison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McWhorter
- Salem
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- West Milford
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- West Milford is located in Harrison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Milford
- Population from the 2020 Census: 609 people
- Bristol
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Lost Creek
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Lost Creek is located in Harrison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lost Creek
- Population from the 2020 Census: 462 people
- Lewis County
- The following are listed by their distance from Dora, with the one closest to Dora listed first.
- Vadis
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Vadis is located in Lewis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vadis
- Alum Bridge
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Alum Bridge is located in Lewis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alum Bridge
- Hurst
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Hurst is located in Lewis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hurst
- Camden
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Camden is located in Lewis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Camden
- Alkires Mills
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Alkires Mills is located in Lewis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alkires Mills
- Cox Town
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Cox Town is located in Lewis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cox Town
- Crawford
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Crawford is located in Lewis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crawford
- Smith Village
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Smith Village is located in Lewis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smith Village
- Weston
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Valley Chapel
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Duffy
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Duffy is located in Lewis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Duffy
- Garton Village
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Garton Village is located in Lewis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garton Village
- Westfield
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Westfield is located in Lewis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westfield
- Nicholas County
- Birch River
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Ritchie County
- The following are listed by their distance from Dora, with the one closest to Dora listed first.
- Auburn
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Auburn is located in Ritchie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Auburn
- Population from the 2020 Census: 88 people
- Lawford
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Lawford is located in Ritchie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lawford
- Burnt House
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Burnt House is located in Ritchie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burnt House
- Berea
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Berea is located in Ritchie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Berea
- Slab
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Slab is located in Ritchie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Slab
- Smithville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Smithville is located in Ritchie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smithville
- Pullman
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Pullman is located in Ritchie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pullman
- Population from the 2020 Census: 135 people
- Cantwell
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Cantwell is located in Ritchie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cantwell
- Cokeleys
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Cokeleys is located in Ritchie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cokeleys
- Harrisville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Toll Gate
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Toll Gate is located in Ritchie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Toll Gate
- Hannahdale
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Hannahdale is located in Ritchie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hannahdale
- Oxbow
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Oxbow is located in Ritchie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oxbow
- Roane County
- The following are listed by their distance from Dora, with the one closest to Dora listed first.
- Triplett
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Triplett is located in Roane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Triplett
- Graux
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Graux is located in Roane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Graux
- Roxalana
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Roxalana is located in Roane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roxalana
- Millard
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Millard is located in Roane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millard
- Upshur County
- The following are listed by their distance from Dora, with the one closest to Dora listed first.
- Frenchton
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Frenchton is located in Upshur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frenchton
- Rock Cave
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Rock Cave is located in Upshur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock Cave
- Wilsontown
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Wilsontown is located in Upshur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilsontown
- Abbott
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Abbott is located in Upshur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Abbott
- Hoover Town
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Hoover Town is located in Upshur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hoover Town
- Kanawha Head
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Kanawha Head is located in Upshur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kanawha Head
- Adrian
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Adrian is located in Upshur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adrian
- Goshen
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Goshen is located in Upshur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goshen
- Buckhannon
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Sago
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Sago is located in Upshur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sago
- Webster County
- The following are listed by their distance from Dora, with the one closest to Dora listed first.
- Replete
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Replete is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Replete
- Cleveland
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Big Run
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Big Run is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Big Run
- Hacker Valley
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Erbacon
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Erbacon is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Erbacon
- Wirt County
- The following are listed by their distance from Dora, with the one closest to Dora listed first.
- Creston
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Creston is located in Wirt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Creston
- Burning Springs
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Burning Springs is located in Wirt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burning Springs
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Dora, see our County-by-County Page for Dora.
Cemeteries Near Dora ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Dora.
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 Dora - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Dora covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Dora, with the one closest to Dora listed first.
- Rhodes Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Otterbein Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Sand Fork Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Moss Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Conrad Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Smith Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Conrad Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Whitting Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Cedarville Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedarville Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Cedarville Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the northwest of Cedarville.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #1961158 <2>
- Burk Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Dyer Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- McHenry Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Continue List (447 more) ...
- Messenger Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Stalnaker Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Keyster Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
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.<3>
While we didn't find Dora in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Dora.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Dora, with the one closest to Dora listed first.
- Truebada
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Truebada is located in Gilmer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Truebada
- Sand Fork
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Sand Fork is located in Gilmer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sand Fork
- Population from the 2020 Census: 145 people
- Stouts Mills
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Stouts Mills is located in Gilmer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stouts Mills
- Glenville
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Cedarville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Cedarville is located in Gilmer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedarville
- Ellis
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Ellis is located in Gilmer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ellis
- Copen
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Copen is located in Braxton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Copen
- Hyers
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Hyers is located in Braxton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hyers
- Alice
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Alice is located in Gilmer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alice
- Hope ‑ Historic
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Hope is located in Braxton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hope
- Troy
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Troy is located in Gilmer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Troy
- Normantown
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Continue List (17 more) ...
- Bennett ‑ Historic
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Bennett is located in Gilmer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bennett
- Cutlips
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Cutlips is located in Braxton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cutlips
- Burnsville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Dora. See our List of 1890's Communities around Dora.
Newspapers Published in Dora ...
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 33 newspapers that have been published in the area around Dora.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Dora, there are papers which were published within 17 miles [27.4 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Dora.
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 Dora:
- Websites specific to West Virginia
- Pages specific to Gilmer County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Braxton County
- Calhoun County
- Clay County
- Doddridge County
- Harrison County
- Lewis County
- Nicholas County
- Ritchie County
- Roane County
- Upshur County
- Webster County
- Wirt 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> | 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 Dora, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <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- Dora) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |