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 Durbin (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 Durbin. 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.
Durbin 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 Durbin. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Durbin:
- Pocahontas County (The home county of Durbin)
- The following are listed by their distance from Durbin, with the one closest to Durbin listed first.
- Frank
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Frank is located in Pocahontas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frank
- Thornwood
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Thornwood is located in Pocahontas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thornwood
- Arbovale
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Green Bank
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Wildell
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Wildell is located in Pocahontas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wildell
- Cass
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Sitlington
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Sitlington is located in Pocahontas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sitlington
- Slaty Fork
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Frost
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Frost is located in Pocahontas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frost
- Edray
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Edray is located in Pocahontas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edray
- Thorny Creek
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Thorny Creek is located in Pocahontas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thorny Creek
- Onoto
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Onoto is located in Pocahontas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Onoto
- Barbour County
- Junior
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Junior is located in Barbour County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Junior
- Population from the 2020 Census: 483 people
- Pendleton County
- The following are listed by their distance from Durbin, with the one closest to Durbin listed first.
- Dry Run
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Dry Run is located in Pendleton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dry Run
- Harper
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Harper is located in Pendleton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harper
- Circleville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Zigler
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Zigler is located in Pendleton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zigler
- Moyers
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Moyers is located in Pendleton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moyers
- Franklin
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Sugar Grove
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Sugar Grove is located in Pendleton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sugar Grove
- Macksville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Macksville is located in Pendleton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Macksville
- Propstburg
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Propstburg is located in Pendleton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Propstburg
- Onego
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Onego is located in Pendleton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Onego
- Ruddle
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Ruddle is located in Pendleton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ruddle
- Randolph County
- The following are listed by their distance from Durbin, with the one closest to Durbin listed first.
- Elkwater
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Elkwater is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elkwater
- Valley Head
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Mingo
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Lee Bell
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Lee Bell is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lee Bell
- Huttonsville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Mill Creek
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Mill Creek is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mill Creek
- Population from the 2020 Census: 681 people
- Blue Spring
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Blue Spring is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blue Spring
- Monterville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Huff ‑ Historic
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Huff is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Huff
- Beverly
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Florence ‑ Historic
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Florence is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Florence
- Cassity
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Cassity is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cassity
- Upshur County
- The following are listed by their distance from Durbin, with the one closest to Durbin listed first.
- Alexander
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Alexander is located in Upshur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alexander
- Queens
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Queens is located in Upshur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Queens
- Alton
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Alton is located in Upshur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alton
- Beans Mill
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Beans Mill is located in Upshur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beans Mill
- Goshen
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Goshen is located in Upshur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goshen
- Sellers ‑ Historic
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Sellers is located in Upshur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sellers
- Tenmile
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Tenmile is located in Upshur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tenmile
- Sand Run
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Sand Run is located in Upshur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sand Run
- Webster County
- The following are listed by their distance from Durbin, with the one closest to Durbin listed first.
- Ralph
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Ralph is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ralph
- Hacker Valley
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Bath County (VA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Durbin, with the one closest to Durbin listed first.
- Bolar
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Bolar is located in Bath County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bolar
- Burnsville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Burnsville is located in Bath County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burnsville
- Highland County (VA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Durbin, with the one closest to Durbin listed first.
- Hightown
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Hightown is located in Highland County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hightown
- Meadowdale
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Meadowdale is located in Highland County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meadowdale
- Monterey
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Possum Trot
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Possum Trot is located in Highland County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Possum Trot
- Buckeye ‑ Historic
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Buckeye is located in Highland County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buckeye
- McDowell
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Clover Creek
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Clover Creek is located in Highland County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clover Creek
- Palo Alto
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Palo Alto is located in Highland County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Palo Alto
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Durbin, see our County-by-County Page for Durbin.
Cemeteries Near Durbin ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Durbin.
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 Durbin - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Durbin covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Durbin, with the one closest to Durbin listed first.
- Keller Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Hauchen Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Bethel Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- St. Mark Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Goodsell Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Yeager Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Ft. Milroy Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Mt. Hobart Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Arbovale Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Wanless Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Simmons Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Ware Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Continue List (82 more) ...
- Hilltop Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Old Brick Church Cemetery
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Baxter Presbyterian Church Cemetery
(13 miles [20.9 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.<3>
While we didn't find Durbin in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Durbin.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Durbin, with the one closest to Durbin listed first.
- Green Bank
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Elkwater
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Elkwater is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elkwater
- Valley Head
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Dunmore
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Hightown
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Hightown is located in Highland County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hightown
- Lee Bell
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Lee Bell is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lee Bell
- Meadowdale
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Meadowdale is located in Highland County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meadowdale
- New Hampden
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- New Hampden is located in Highland County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Hampden
- Huttonsville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Osceola
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Osceola is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Osceola
- Monterville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Blue Spring
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Blue Spring is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blue Spring
- Continue List (13 more) ...
- Clover Lick
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Clover Lick is located in Pocahontas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clover Lick
- Mill Gap
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Mill Gap is located in Highland County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mill Gap
- Vanderpool
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Vanderpool is located in Highland County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vanderpool
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Durbin. See our List of 1890's Communities around Durbin.
Newspapers Published in Durbin ...
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 20 newspapers that have been published in the area around Durbin.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Durbin, there are papers which were published within 26 miles [41.8 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Durbin.
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 Durbin:
- Websites specific to West Virginia
- Pages specific to Pocahontas County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Barbour County
- Pendleton County
- Randolph County
- Upshur 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> | 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 Durbin, 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' distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Durbin) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |