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 Friars Hill (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 Friars Hill. 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 Friars Hill ...
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.
While the name of this community is Friars Hill, be aware that it's the common practice of mapmakers to remove the apostrophe from possessive names<1>. So Friars Hill may originally have been Friar's Hill.
Sometimes the trailing 's' might be dropped altogether, in which case Friars Hill might be written as Friar Hill.
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 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.
Friars Hill 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 Friars Hill. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Friars Hill:
- Greenbrier County (The home county of Friars Hill)
- The following are listed by their distance from Friars Hill, with the one closest to Friars Hill listed first.
- Sunlight
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Sunlight is located in Greenbrier County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sunlight
- Falling Spring
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Falling Spring is located in Greenbrier County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Falling Spring
- Population from the 2020 Census: 200 people
- Williamsburg
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Loveridge
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Loveridge is located in Greenbrier County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Loveridge
- Oscar
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Oscar is located in Greenbrier County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oscar
- Unus
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Unus is located in Greenbrier County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Unus
- Frankford
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Frankford is located in Greenbrier County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frankford
- Spring Creek
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Spring Creek is located in Greenbrier County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spring Creek
- Clendenenville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Clendenenville is located in Greenbrier County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clendenenville
- Richlands
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Richlands is located in Greenbrier County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Richlands
- Anthony
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Anthony is located in Greenbrier County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Anthony
- Kieffer
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Kieffer is located in Greenbrier County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kieffer
- Fayette County
- The following are listed by their distance from Friars Hill, with the one closest to Friars Hill listed first.
- Maywood
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Maywood is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maywood
- Spring Dale
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Spring Dale is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spring Dale
- Bellwood
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Bellwood is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bellwood
- Meadow Bridge
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Meadow Bridge is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meadow Bridge
- Population from the 2020 Census: 344 people
- Hilton Village
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Hilton Village is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hilton Village
- Clifftop
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Lookout
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Clifty
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Clifty is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clifty
- Monroe County
- The following are listed by their distance from Friars Hill, with the one closest to Friars Hill listed first.
- Wolfcreek
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Wolfcreek is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wolfcreek
- Hillsdale
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Hillsdale is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hillsdale
- Hollywood
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Hollywood is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hollywood
- Creamery
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Creamery is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Creamery
- Union
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Union is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union
- Population from the 2020 Census: 539 people
- Nicholas County
- The following are listed by their distance from Friars Hill, with the one closest to Friars Hill listed first.
- Carl
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Carl is located in Nicholas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carl
- Peaser Junction ‑ Historic
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Peaser Junction is located in Nicholas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peaser Junction
- Richwood
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Saxman
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Saxman is located in Nicholas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saxman
- Tolbert
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Tolbert is located in Nicholas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tolbert
- Nettie
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Odell Town
(19 miles [30.6 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
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Snow Hill is located in Nicholas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Snow Hill
- Donald
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Donald is located in Nicholas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Donald
- Beaver
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Beaver is located in Nicholas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beaver
- Craigsville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Runa
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Runa is located in Nicholas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Runa
- Pocahontas County
- The following are listed by their distance from Friars Hill, with the one closest to Friars Hill listed first.
- Hillsboro
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Watoga ‑ Historic
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Watoga is located in Pocahontas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Watoga
- Buckeye
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Marlinton
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Huntersville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Onoto
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Onoto is located in Pocahontas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Onoto
- Edray
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Edray is located in Pocahontas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edray
- Thorny Creek
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Thorny Creek is located in Pocahontas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thorny Creek
- Summers County
- The following are listed by their distance from Friars Hill, with the one closest to Friars Hill listed first.
- Riffe
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Riffe is located in Summers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riffe
- Lowell
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Lowell is located in Summers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lowell
- New Richmond ‑ Historic
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- New Richmond is located in Summers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Richmond
- Sandstone
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Talcott
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Webster County
- The following are listed by their distance from Friars Hill, with the one closest to Friars Hill listed first.
- Camden-on-Gauley
(25 miles [40.2 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
- Upperglade
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Upperglade is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Upperglade
- Welch Glade
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Welch Glade is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Welch Glade
- Cowen
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Excelsior
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Excelsior is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Excelsior
- Halo
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Halo is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Halo
- Alleghany County (VA)
- Moss Run
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Moss Run is located in Alleghany County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moss Run
- Bath County (VA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Friars Hill, with the one closest to Friars Hill listed first.
- Greenwood ‑ Historic
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Greenwood is located in Bath County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenwood
- Carloover
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Carloover is located in Bath County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carloover
- Mountain Grove
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Mountain Grove is located in Bath County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mountain Grove
- Covington City (VA)
- Covington
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Friars Hill, see our County-by-County Page for Friars Hill.
Cemeteries Near Friars Hill ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Friars Hill.
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 Friars Hill - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Friars Hill covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Friars Hill, with the one closest to Friars Hill listed first.
- Reed Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Pilgrim Rest Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Morning Side Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Walnut Grove Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Mountain Gate Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Enon Baptist Church Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Kellison Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Sunset Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Baber Cemetery
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Wallace Memorial Cemetery
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- At The End Of The Trail Cemetery
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Old Amwell Cemetery
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Continue List (94 more) ...
- Harrah Cemetery
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Old Stone Cemetery
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Rosewood Cemetery
(14 miles [22.5 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.<4>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that in 1895, Friars Hill had a post office and no railroad service.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Friars Hill, with the one closest to Friars Hill listed first.
- Williamsburg
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Falling Spring
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Falling Spring is located in Greenbrier County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Falling Spring
- Population from the 2020 Census: 200 people
- Loveridge
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Loveridge is located in Greenbrier County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Loveridge
- Leonard
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Leonard is located in Greenbrier County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leonard
- Frankford
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Frankford is located in Greenbrier County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frankford
- Renicks Valley
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Renicks Valley is located in Greenbrier County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Renicks Valley
- Jacox
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Jacox is located in Pocahontas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jacox
- Hughart
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Hughart is located in Greenbrier County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hughart
- Duo
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Duo is located in Greenbrier County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Duo
- Richlands
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Richlands is located in Greenbrier County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Richlands
- Alta
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Alta is located in Greenbrier County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alta
- Locust
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Locust is located in Pocahontas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Locust
- Continue List (16 more) ...
- Lobelia
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Lobelia is located in Pocahontas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lobelia
- Clintonville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Clintonville is located in Greenbrier County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clintonville
- Lile
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Lile is located in Greenbrier County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lile
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Friars Hill. See our List of 1890's Communities around Friars Hill.
Newspapers Published in Friars Hill ...
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 28 newspapers that have been published in the area around Friars Hill.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Friars Hill, there are papers which were published within 18 miles [29 km]<5>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Friars Hill.
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 websites either 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 Friars Hill:
- Websites specific to West Virginia
- Pages specific to Greenbrier County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Fayette County
- Monroe County
- Nicholas County
- Pocahontas County
- Summers County
- Webster County
- Alleghany County
- Bath County
- Covington City
- Cemetery Information and Directories for West Virginia
Footnotes ...
| <1> | It's generally believed that possessive apostrophes are removed to prevent confusion on maps where the apostrophe may be confused with a cartographic symbol. While this is generally true, it's not uncommon to find possessive apostrophes in administrative names (such as towns or counties). |
| <2> | While we're fans and frequent users of TripAdvisor, you should know that we're also members of the TripAdvisor affiliate program. |
| <3> | 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. |
| <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 Friars Hill, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <5> | 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 drawn from Point A (ie- Friars Hill) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |