Our Genealogy Helper
Introduction ...
So far, we found very little information about Kester. The little that we've found leads us believe that the community is historic.<1>
We've added Kester to our Gazetteer with the hope that we can develop more information. If you can help us with Kester, please Contact Us.
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 Kester (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 Kester. 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 and hospitals 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.
Although our information shows that the community of Kester is historic, it would have been located within present day Roane 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 Roane County: Calhoun, Clay, Jackson, Kanawha & Wirt.
Below are the counties that are near Kester. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Kester:
- Roane County (The home county of Kester)
- The following are listed by their distance from Kester, with the one closest to Kester listed first.
- Looneyville
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Roxalana
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Roxalana is located in Roane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roxalana
- Walton
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Rushville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Rushville is located in Roane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rushville
- Pigeon
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Pigeon is located in Roane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pigeon
- Graux
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Graux is located in Roane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Graux
- Mattie ‑ Historic
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Mattie is located in Roane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mattie
- Woodyard ‑ Historic
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Woodyard is located in Roane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodyard
- Zona
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Zona is located in Roane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zona
- Cicerone
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Cicerone is located in Roane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cicerone
- Spencer
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Flint Town
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Flint Town is located in Roane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flint Town
- Triplett
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Triplett is located in Roane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Triplett
- Braxton County
- The following are listed by their distance from Kester, with the one closest to Kester listed first.
- Elmira
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Elmira is located in Braxton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elmira
- Sleith ‑ Historic
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Sleith is located in Braxton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sleith
- Clem
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Clem is located in Braxton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clem
- Strange Creek
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Strange Creek is located in Braxton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Strange Creek
- Wilsie
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Wilsie is located in Braxton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilsie
- Frametown
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Frametown is located in Braxton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frametown
- Rockton
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Rockton is located in Braxton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rockton
- Progress ‑ Historic
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Progress is located in Braxton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Progress
- Herold
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Herold is located in Braxton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Herold
- Twistville ‑ Historic
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Twistville is located in Braxton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Twistville
- Chapel
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Chapel is located in Braxton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chapel
- Gassaway
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Canfield
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Canfield is located in Braxton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Canfield
- Calhoun County
- The following are listed by their distance from Kester, with the one closest to Kester listed first.
- Oka
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Oka is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oka
- Mudfork
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Mudfork is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mudfork
- Stinson
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Stinson is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stinson
- Pink
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Pink is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pink
- Beech
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Beech is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beech
- Walnut
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Walnut is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walnut
- Losie ‑ Historic
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Losie is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Losie
- Gomez ‑ Historic
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Gomez is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gomez
- Orma
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Orma is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orma
- Arnoldsburg
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Arnoldsburg is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arnoldsburg
- Rocksdale
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Rocksdale is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rocksdale
- Hur
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Hur is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hur
- Russet
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Russet is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Russet
- Clay County
- The following are listed by their distance from Kester, with the one closest to Kester listed first.
- Porter
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Porter is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Porter
- Procious
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Procious is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Procious
- Valley Fork
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Valley Fork is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Valley Fork
- Bomont
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Bomont is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bomont
- Dink
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Dink is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dink
- Elkhurst
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Elkhurst is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elkhurst
- Lydia
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Lydia is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lydia
- Spread
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Spread is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spread
- Clay
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Gould
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Gould is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gould
- Hartland
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Hartland is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hartland
- Ira
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Ira is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ira
- Harrison
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Harrison is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harrison
- Fayette County
- The following are listed by their distance from Kester, with the one closest to Kester listed first.
- Cannelton
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Cannelton is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cannelton
- Crescent
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Crescent is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crescent
- Montgomery
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Smithers
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Gilmer County
- The following are listed by their distance from Kester, with the one closest to Kester listed first.
- Shock
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Shock is located in Gilmer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shock
- Stumptown
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Stumptown is located in Gilmer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stumptown
- Normantown
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- De Kalb
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- De Kalb is located in Gilmer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for De Kalb
- Cedarville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Cedarville is located in Gilmer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedarville
- Jackson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Kester, with the one closest to Kester listed first.
- Fletcher
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Fletcher is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fletcher
- Kentuck
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Kentuck is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kentuck
- Romance
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Romance is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Romance
- Aplin ‑ Historic
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Aplin is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aplin
- Statts Mills
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Statts Mills is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Statts Mills
- Kenna
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Fairplain
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Fairplain is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairplain
- Hereford
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Hereford is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hereford
- Liverpool
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Liverpool is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Liverpool
- Meadowdale
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Meadowdale is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meadowdale
- Garfield
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Garfield is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garfield
- Ripley
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Odaville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Odaville is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Odaville
- Kanawha County
- The following are listed by their distance from Kester, with the one closest to Kester listed first.
- Wellford
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Wellford is located in Kanawha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wellford
- Clendenin
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Reamer
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Reamer is located in Kanawha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reamer
- Falling Rock
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Falling Rock is located in Kanawha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Falling Rock
- Youngs Bottom
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Youngs Bottom is located in Kanawha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Youngs Bottom
- Island Branch
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Island Branch is located in Kanawha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Island Branch
- Apgah ‑ Historic
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Apgah is located in Kanawha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Apgah
- Three Mile
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Three Mile is located in Kanawha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Three Mile
- Aarons
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Aarons is located in Kanawha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aarons
- Elkview
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Wills
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Wills is located in Kanawha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wills
- Coco
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Coco is located in Kanawha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coco
- Jarretts Ford
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Jarretts Ford is located in Kanawha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jarretts Ford
- Nicholas County
- The following are listed by their distance from Kester, with the one closest to Kester listed first.
- Dixie
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Dixie is located in Nicholas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dixie
- Beech Glen
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Beech Glen is located in Nicholas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beech Glen
- Tipton
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Tipton is located in Nicholas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tipton
- Zela
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Zela is located in Nicholas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zela
- Birch River
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Muddlety
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Muddlety is located in Nicholas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Muddlety
- Putnam County
- The following are listed by their distance from Kester, with the one closest to Kester listed first.
- Liberty
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Liberty is located in Putnam County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Liberty
- Sigman
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Sigman is located in Putnam County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sigman
- Paradise
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Paradise is located in Putnam County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Paradise
- Poca
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Raymond City
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Raymond City is located in Putnam County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Raymond City
- Bancroft
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Bancroft is located in Putnam County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bancroft
- Population from the 2020 Census: 596 people
- Morgans Landing
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Morgans Landing is located in Putnam County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morgans Landing
- Wirt County
- The following are listed by their distance from Kester, with the one closest to Kester listed first.
- Creston
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Creston is located in Wirt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Creston
- Lucile
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Lucile is located in Wirt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lucile
- Burning Springs
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Burning Springs is located in Wirt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burning Springs
- Peewee
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Peewee is located in Wirt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peewee
- Palestine
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Palestine is located in Wirt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Palestine
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Kester, see our County-by-County Page for Kester.
Cemeteries Near Kester ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Kester.
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 Kester - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Kester covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Kester, with the one closest to Kester listed first.
- Jackson Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Hershberger Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Groves Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- J Herbert Smith Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Curtis Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Noel Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Gandee Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Myers Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Payne Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Vineyard Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Criner Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Nida Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Continue List (628 more) ...
- Kelley Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Nida Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Jones Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 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.
Kester itself is historic and was described in the Rand McNally Atlas as having a post office and no railroad service.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Kester, with the one closest to Kester listed first.
- Clio
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Clio is located in Roane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clio
- Amma
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Amma is located in Roane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Amma
- Looneyville
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Osbornes Mills
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Osbornes Mills is located in Roane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Osbornes Mills
- Roxalana
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Roxalana is located in Roane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roxalana
- Walton
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Wellford
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Wellford is located in Kanawha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wellford
- Buffalolick ‑ Historic
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Buffalolick is located in Roane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buffalolick
- Newton
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Newton is located in Roane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newton
- Pigeon
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Pigeon is located in Roane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pigeon
- Walnut Grove
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Walnut Grove is located in Roane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walnut Grove
- Linden
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Linden is located in Roane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Linden
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- Gandeeville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Gandeeville is located in Roane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gandeeville
- Clendenin
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Procious
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Procious is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Procious
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Kester. See our List of 1890's Communities around Kester.
Newspapers Published in Kester ...
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 9 newspapers that have been published in the area around Kester.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Kester, there are papers which were published within 15 miles [24.1 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Kester.
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 helpful 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 Kester:
- Websites specific to West Virginia
- Pages specific to Roane County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Braxton County
- Calhoun County
- Clay County
- Fayette County
- Gilmer County
- Jackson County
- Kanawha County
- Nicholas County
- Putnam County
- Wirt County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for West Virginia
Footnotes ...
| <1> | 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 Kester, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <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> | 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 drawn from Point A (ie- Kester) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |