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 Fort Donnally (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 Fort Donnally. 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.
Name Variations for Fort Donnally ...
When searching records, keep in mind that names and their spelling can change over time. Our sources include documents like maps, railroad schedules, Travel, Express and Shipping Guides. Many of these documents date from the 1800's and it's common to find spelling differences.
Although we can't give a definitive list, hopefully the following will give you a feel for the variations that might occur.
For example, a typical abbreviation for Fort Donnally: Ft. Donnally
If you have information about these names (such as the reason for the change, date of change, the origin of the name), please Contact Us.
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 doctors and hospitals 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.
Fort Donnally is located in Greenbrier 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 Greenbrier County: Alleghany (VA), Bath (VA), Fayette, Monroe, Nicholas, Pocahontas, Summers & Webster.
Below are the counties that are near Fort Donnally. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Fort Donnally:
- Greenbrier County (The home county of Fort Donnally)
- The following are listed by their distance from Fort Donnally, with the one closest to Fort Donnally listed first.
- Unus
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Unus is located in Greenbrier County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Unus
- Williamsburg
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Sunlight
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Sunlight is located in Greenbrier County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sunlight
- Frankford
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Frankford is located in Greenbrier County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frankford
- Richlands
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Richlands is located in Greenbrier County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Richlands
- Clendenenville
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Clendenenville is located in Greenbrier County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clendenenville
- Spring Creek
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Spring Creek is located in Greenbrier County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spring Creek
- Falling Spring
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Falling Spring is located in Greenbrier County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Falling Spring
- Population from the 2020 Census: 200 people
- Kieffer
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Kieffer is located in Greenbrier County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kieffer
- Anthony
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Anthony is located in Greenbrier County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Anthony
- Lewisburg
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Brink ‑ Historic
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Brink is located in Greenbrier County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brink
- Crawley
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Fayette County
- The following are listed by their distance from Fort Donnally, with the one closest to Fort Donnally listed first.
- Maywood
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Maywood is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maywood
- Spring Dale
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Spring Dale is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spring Dale
- Bellwood
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Bellwood is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bellwood
- Meadow Bridge
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Meadow Bridge is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meadow Bridge
- Population from the 2020 Census: 344 people
- Hilton Village
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Hilton Village is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hilton Village
- Clifftop
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Lookout
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Clifty
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Clifty is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clifty
- Sewell ‑ Historic
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Sewell is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sewell
- Alaska ‑ Historic
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Alaska is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alaska
- East Sewell ‑ Historic
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- East Sewell is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Sewell
- Keeneys Creek
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Keeneys Creek is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keeneys Creek
- Monroe County
- The following are listed by their distance from Fort Donnally, with the one closest to Fort Donnally listed first.
- Wolfcreek
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Wolfcreek is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wolfcreek
- Hillsdale
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Hillsdale is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hillsdale
- Hollywood
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Hollywood is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hollywood
- Creamery
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Creamery is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Creamery
- Union
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Union is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union
- Population from the 2020 Census: 539 people
- Wayside
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Wayside is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wayside
- Nicholas County
- The following are listed by their distance from Fort Donnally, with the one closest to Fort Donnally listed first.
- Peaser Junction ‑ Historic
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Peaser Junction is located in Nicholas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peaser Junction
- Carl
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Carl is located in Nicholas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carl
- Richwood
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Saxman
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Saxman is located in Nicholas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saxman
- Odell Town
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Odell Town is located in Nicholas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Odell Town
- Odell Town has also been known as:
- Odell
- Snow Hill
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Snow Hill is located in Nicholas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Snow Hill
- Tolbert
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Tolbert is located in Nicholas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tolbert
- Nettie
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Runa
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Runa is located in Nicholas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Runa
- Donald
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Donald is located in Nicholas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Donald
- Beaver
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Beaver is located in Nicholas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beaver
- Craigsville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Morrison ‑ Historic
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Morrison is located in Nicholas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morrison
- Pocahontas County
- The following are listed by their distance from Fort Donnally, with the one closest to Fort Donnally listed first.
- Hillsboro
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Watoga ‑ Historic
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Watoga is located in Pocahontas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Watoga
- Buckeye
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Marlinton
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Edray
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Edray is located in Pocahontas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edray
- Huntersville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Onoto
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Onoto is located in Pocahontas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Onoto
- Raleigh County
- Abraham
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Abraham is located in Raleigh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Abraham
- Summers County
- The following are listed by their distance from Fort Donnally, with the one closest to Fort Donnally listed first.
- Riffe
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Riffe is located in Summers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riffe
- Lowell
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Lowell is located in Summers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lowell
- New Richmond ‑ Historic
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- New Richmond is located in Summers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Richmond
- Sandstone
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Talcott
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Bargers Springs
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Bargers Springs is located in Summers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bargers Springs
- Hilldale
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Hilldale is located in Summers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hilldale
- Brooklin
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Brooklin is located in Summers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brooklin
- Hinton
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Bellepoint
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Bellepoint is located in Summers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bellepoint
- Buck
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Buck is located in Summers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buck
- Forest Hill
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Webster County
- Camden-on-Gauley
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Camden-on-Gauley is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Camden-on-Gauley
- Population from the 2020 Census: 143 people
- Alleghany County (VA)
- Moss Run
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Moss Run is located in Alleghany County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moss Run
- Bath County (VA)
- Greenwood ‑ Historic
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Greenwood is located in Bath County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenwood
- Covington City (VA)
- Covington
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Fort Donnally, see our County-by-County Page for Fort Donnally.
Cemeteries Near Fort Donnally ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Fort Donnally.
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 Fort Donnally - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Fort Donnally covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Fort Donnally, with the one closest to Fort Donnally listed first.
- Pilgrim Rest Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Walnut Grove Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Reed Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Morning Side Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Enon Baptist Church Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Wallace Memorial Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- At The End Of The Trail Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Harrah Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Old Stone Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Rosewood Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Richardson Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Mountain Gate Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Continue List (106 more) ...
- Old Amwell Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Greenbrier Memorial Gardens
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Coffman Cemetery
(12 miles [19.3 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.<3>
While we didn't find Fort Donnally in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Fort Donnally.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Fort Donnally, with the one closest to Fort Donnally listed first.
- Williamsburg
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Hughart
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Hughart is located in Greenbrier County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hughart
- Richlands
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Richlands is located in Greenbrier County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Richlands
- Frankford
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Frankford is located in Greenbrier County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frankford
- Friars Hill
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Friars Hill is located in Greenbrier County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Friars Hill
- Alta
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Alta is located in Greenbrier County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alta
- Clintonville
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Clintonville is located in Greenbrier County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clintonville
- Falling Spring
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Falling Spring is located in Greenbrier County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Falling Spring
- Population from the 2020 Census: 200 people
- Meadow Bluff
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Meadow Bluff is located in Greenbrier County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meadow Bluff
- Asbury
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Lewisburg
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Leonard
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Leonard is located in Greenbrier County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leonard
- Continue List (18 more) ...
- Whitcomb ‑ Historic
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Whitcomb is located in Greenbrier County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whitcomb
- Loveridge
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Loveridge is located in Greenbrier County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Loveridge
- Duo
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Duo is located in Greenbrier County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Duo
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Fort Donnally. See our List of 1890's Communities around Fort Donnally.
Newspapers Published in Fort Donnally ...
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 32 newspapers that have been published in the area around Fort Donnally.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Fort Donnally, there are papers which were published within 19 miles [30.6 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Fort Donnally.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we like to start with 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 Fort Donnally:
- Websites specific to West Virginia
- Pages specific to Greenbrier County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Fayette County
- Monroe County
- Nicholas County
- Pocahontas County
- Raleigh County
- Summers County
- Webster County
- Alleghany County
- Bath County
- Covington City
- 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 Fort Donnally, 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 obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Fort Donnally) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |