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 Ghent (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 Ghent. 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 northeast 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 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 east 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.
Ghent is located in Raleigh 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 Raleigh County: Boone, Fayette, Kanawha, Mercer, Summers & Wyoming.
Below are the counties that are near Ghent. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Ghent:
- Raleigh County (The home county of Ghent)
- The following are listed by their distance from Ghent, with the one closest to Ghent listed first.
- Shady Spring
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Coal City
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Coal City is located in Raleigh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coal City
- Princewick
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Princewick is located in Raleigh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Princewick
- Sullivan
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Sullivan is located in Raleigh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sullivan
- Daniels
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Pemberton
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Pemberton is located in Raleigh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pemberton
- Tilden
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Tilden is located in Raleigh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tilden
- Beaver
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Sophia
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Eastgulf
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Eastgulf is located in Raleigh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eastgulf
- Clifftop
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Clifftop is located in Raleigh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clifftop
- Crab Orchard
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Helen
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Helen is located in Raleigh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Helen
- Fayette County
- The following are listed by their distance from Ghent, with the one closest to Ghent listed first.
- Prince
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Quinnimont
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Quinnimont is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Quinnimont
- McKendree
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- McKendree is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McKendree
- Kilsyth
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Kilsyth is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kilsyth
- Mount Hope
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Alaska ‑ Historic
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Alaska is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alaska
- Harvey
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Harvey is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harvey
- Pax
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Pax is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pax
- Population from the 2020 Census: 150 people
- Sewell Knob ‑ Historic
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Sewell Knob is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sewell Knob
- Sewell Knob has also been known as:
- Swell Knob
- Stonecliff ‑ Historic
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Stonecliff is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stonecliff
- Stonecliff has also been known as:
- Stone Cliff
- White Oak Junction
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- White Oak Junction is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White Oak Junction
- Meadow Bridge
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Meadow Bridge is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meadow Bridge
- Population from the 2020 Census: 344 people
- Newlyn ‑ Historic
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Newlyn is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newlyn
- Greenbrier County
- The following are listed by their distance from Ghent, with the one closest to Ghent listed first.
- Alderson
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Vale
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Vale is located in Greenbrier County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vale
- Logan County
- Rich Creek
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Rich Creek is located in Logan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rich Creek
- McDowell County
- The following are listed by their distance from Ghent, with the one closest to Ghent listed first.
- Northfork
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Elkhorn
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Elkhorn is located in McDowell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elkhorn
- Keystone
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Kyle
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Kyle is located in McDowell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kyle
- Kimball
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Anawalt
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Anawalt is located in McDowell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Anawalt
- Population from the 2020 Census: 172 people
- Big Four
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Big Four is located in McDowell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Big Four
- Thorpe
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Thorpe is located in McDowell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thorpe
- Welch
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Gary
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Gary is located in McDowell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gary
- Population from the 2020 Census: 759 people
- Davy
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Davy is located in McDowell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Davy
- Population from the 2020 Census: 324 people
- Mercer County
- The following are listed by their distance from Ghent, with the one closest to Ghent listed first.
- Lashmeet
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Lashmeet is located in Mercer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lashmeet
- Athens
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Matoaka
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Matoaka is located in Mercer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Matoaka
- Population from the 2020 Census: 193 people
- Oak Grove
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Oak Grove is located in Mercer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Grove
- Weyanoke
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Weyanoke is located in Mercer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weyanoke
- Johnston Town
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Johnston Town is located in Mercer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Johnston Town
- Princeton
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Elgood
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Elgood is located in Mercer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elgood
- Montcalm
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Montcalm is located in Mercer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Montcalm
- El Centro ‑ Historic
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- El Centro is located in Mercer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for El Centro
- Flipping
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Flipping is located in Mercer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flipping
- Blake ‑ Historic
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Blake is located in Mercer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blake
- Coaldale
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Coaldale is located in Mercer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coaldale
- Monroe County
- The following are listed by their distance from Ghent, with the one closest to Ghent listed first.
- Ballard
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Ballard is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ballard
- Peterstown
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Creamery
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Creamery is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Creamery
- Wayside
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Wayside is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wayside
- Assurance
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Assurance is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Assurance
- Wikel
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Wikel is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wikel
- Wolfcreek
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Wolfcreek is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wolfcreek
- Summers County
- The following are listed by their distance from Ghent, with the one closest to Ghent listed first.
- Jumping Branch
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Jumping Branch is located in Summers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jumping Branch
- Nimitz
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Nimitz is located in Summers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nimitz
- Pipestem
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- True
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- True is located in Summers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for True
- Packs Ferry
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Packs Ferry is located in Summers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Packs Ferry
- Bellepoint
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Bellepoint is located in Summers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bellepoint
- Brooklin
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Brooklin is located in Summers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brooklin
- Hinton
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Buck
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Buck is located in Summers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buck
- Mercers Saltworks ‑ Historic
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Mercers Saltworks is located in Summers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mercers Saltworks
- New Richmond ‑ Historic
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- New Richmond is located in Summers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Richmond
- Sandstone
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Hilldale
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Hilldale is located in Summers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hilldale
- Wyoming County
- The following are listed by their distance from Ghent, with the one closest to Ghent listed first.
- Mullens
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Bud
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Bud is located in Wyoming County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bud
- Keyrock
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Keyrock is located in Wyoming County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keyrock
- Pineville
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Rock View
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Rock View is located in Wyoming County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock View
- Mullensville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Mullensville is located in Wyoming County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mullensville
- Turkey
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Turkey is located in Wyoming County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Turkey
- Kopperston
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Kopperston is located in Wyoming County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kopperston
- Woosley
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Woosley is located in Wyoming County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woosley
- Wyoming
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Wyoming is located in Wyoming County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wyoming
- Fanny
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Fanny is located in Wyoming County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fanny
- Oceana
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Stoneville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Stoneville is located in Wyoming County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stoneville
- Bland County (VA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Ghent, with the one closest to Ghent listed first.
- Rocky Gap
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Rocky Gap is located in Bland County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rocky Gap
- Round Bottom
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Round Bottom is located in Bland County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Round Bottom
- Hicksville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Hicksville is located in Bland County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hicksville
- Giles County (VA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Ghent, with the one closest to Ghent listed first.
- Glen Lyn
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Glen Lyn is located in Giles County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glen Lyn
- Population from the 2020 Census: 97 people
- Lurich
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Lurich is located in Giles County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lurich
- Rich Creek
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Narrows
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Shumate
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Shumate is located in Giles County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shumate
- Bluff City
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Bluff City is located in Giles County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bluff City
- Pearisburg
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Thessalia
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Thessalia is located in Giles County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thessalia
- Tazewell County (VA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Ghent, with the one closest to Ghent listed first.
- Pocahontas
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Pocahontas is located in Tazewell County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pocahontas
- Population from the 2020 Census: 348 people
- Yards
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Yards is located in Tazewell County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yards
- Falls Mills
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Falls Mills is located in Tazewell County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Falls Mills
- Bluefield
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Boissevain
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Boissevain is located in Tazewell County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boissevain
- Saint Clair
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Saint Clair is located in Tazewell County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Clair
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Ghent, see our County-by-County Page for Ghent.
Cemeteries Near Ghent ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Ghent.
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 Ghent - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Ghent covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Ghent, with the one closest to Ghent listed first.
- Lilly Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Camp Creek Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Brammer Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Hatcher Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Russ Lilly Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Crook Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Hatcher Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Williams Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Meador Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Dunns Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Hall Family Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hall Family Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Hall Family Cemetery is located less than 2 miles<3> to the north of Shady Spring.
- Lilly - Crews Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lilly - Crews Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Lilly - Crews Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located less than 2 miles<3> to the south of Nimitz.
- The Lilly - Crews Cemetery has also been known as:
- Crews Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #1960819 <2>
- Continue List (442 more) ...
- Pemberton Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Mt. Pisgah Church Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Wright Hunter Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
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>
While we didn't find Ghent in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Ghent.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Ghent, with the one closest to Ghent listed first.
- Flat Top
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Odd
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Odd is located in Raleigh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Odd
- Dunns
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Dunns is located in Mercer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunns
- Shady Spring
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Egeria
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Egeria is located in Mercer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Egeria
- Ellison
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Ellison is located in Summers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ellison
- Jumping Branch
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Jumping Branch is located in Summers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jumping Branch
- Daniels
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Pemberton
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Pemberton is located in Raleigh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pemberton
- Pipestem
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- True
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- True is located in Summers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for True
- Crow
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Crow is located in Raleigh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crow
- Continue List (13 more) ...
- Spanishburg
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Packs Ferry
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Packs Ferry is located in Summers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Packs Ferry
- Pinoak
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Pinoak is located in Mercer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pinoak
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Ghent. See our List of 1890's Communities around Ghent.
Newspapers Published in Ghent ...
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 26 newspapers that have been published in the area around Ghent.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Ghent, 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 Ghent.
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 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 Ghent:
- Websites specific to West Virginia
- Pages specific to Raleigh County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Fayette County
- Greenbrier County
- Logan County
- McDowell County
- Mercer County
- Monroe County
- Summers County
- Wyoming County
- Bland County
- Giles County
- Tazewell 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> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' (or point-to-point) distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Ghent) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |
| <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 Ghent, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |