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Home >> State of West Virginia >> Kanawha County >> Lower Belle >> Genealogy HelperIndex...

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 Lower Belle (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 Lower Belle. 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.

Lower Belle is located in Kanawha 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 Kanawha County: Boone, Clay, Fayette, Jackson, Lincoln, Nicholas, Putnam, Raleigh & Roane.

Below are the counties that are near Lower Belle. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Lower Belle:

  • Kanawha County     (The home county of Lower Belle)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Lower Belle, with the one closest to Lower Belle listed first.
    • Marmet
      (Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
    • Dupont City
      (Less than 2 miles to the north)
      • Dupont City is located in Kanawha County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dupont City
    • Belle
      (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
      • Belle is located in Kanawha County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belle
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,108 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Belle <1>
    • Chesapeake
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Chesapeake is located in Kanawha County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chesapeake
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,393 people
    • Malden
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
    • Witcher
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Witcher is located in Kanawha County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Witcher
    • Kanawha City
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
      • Kanawha City is located in Kanawha County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kanawha City
    • Winifrede
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
      • Winifrede is located in Kanawha County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winifrede
    • Coal Fork
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
      • Coal Fork is located in Kanawha County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coal Fork
    • Chelyan
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
      • Chelyan is located in Kanawha County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chelyan
    • Loudendale
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Loudendale is located in Kanawha County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Loudendale
    • South Ruffner
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
      • South Ruffner is located in Kanawha County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Ruffner
    • Cabin Creek
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Cabin Creek is located in Kanawha County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cabin Creek
  • Boone County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Lower Belle, with the one closest to Lower Belle listed first.
    • Comfort
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
    • Bloomingrose
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Bloomingrose is located in Boone County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bloomingrose
    • Rumble
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Rumble is located in Boone County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rumble
    • Ashford
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Brushton
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Brushton is located in Boone County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brushton
    • Dartmont
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Dartmont is located in Boone County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dartmont
    • Eden
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Eden is located in Boone County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eden
    • Racine
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Racine is located in Boone County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Racine
    • Sharlow
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Sharlow is located in Boone County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sharlow
    • Kirbyton
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
      • Kirbyton is located in Boone County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kirbyton
    • Johns
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Johns is located in Boone County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Johns
    • Emmons
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
      • Emmons is located in Boone County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Emmons
    • Grippe
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
      • Grippe is located in Boone County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grippe
  • Cabell County
    • Culloden
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Culloden is located in Cabell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Culloden
  • Clay County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Lower Belle, with the one closest to Lower Belle listed first.
    • Bomont
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Bomont is located in Clay County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bomont
    • Porter
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
      • Porter is located in Clay County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Porter
    • Procious
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Procious is located in Clay County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Procious
    • Elkhurst
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Elkhurst is located in Clay County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elkhurst
    • Hartland
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Hartland is located in Clay County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hartland
    • Clay
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Valley Fork
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Valley Fork is located in Clay County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Valley Fork
  • Fayette County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Lower Belle, with the one closest to Lower Belle listed first.
    • Montgomery
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
    • Crescent
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
      • Crescent is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crescent
    • Cannelton
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
      • Cannelton is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cannelton
    • Smithers
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
    • Kimberly
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Kimberly is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kimberly
    • Mount Carbon
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Mount Carbon is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Carbon
    • Powellton
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Powellton is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Powellton
    • Elkridge
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Elkridge is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elkridge
    • Falls View
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Falls View is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Falls View
    • McDunn
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
      • McDunn is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McDunn
    • Gauley Bridge
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
    • Beckwith
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
    • Cotton Hill
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Cotton Hill is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cotton Hill
  • Jackson County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Lower Belle, with the one closest to Lower Belle listed first.
    • Romance
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
      • Romance is located in Jackson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Romance
    • Fletcher
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
      • Fletcher is located in Jackson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fletcher
    • Kentuck
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
      • Kentuck is located in Jackson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kentuck
    • Kenna
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
  • Lincoln County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Lower Belle, with the one closest to Lower Belle listed first.
    • Alum Creek
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
    • Priestley
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
      • Priestley is located in Lincoln County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Priestley
    • Sod
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
      • Sod is located in Lincoln County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sod
    • Garretts Bend
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
      • Garretts Bend is located in Lincoln County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garretts Bend
    • Tango
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
      • Tango is located in Lincoln County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tango
    • Alkol
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
      • Alkol is located in Lincoln County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alkol
    • East ‑ Historic
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
      • East is located in Lincoln County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East
    • Yawkey
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
      • Yawkey is located in Lincoln County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yawkey
    • Sweetland
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
      • Sweetland is located in Lincoln County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sweetland
    • Palermo
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • Palermo is located in Lincoln County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Palermo
    • Hamlin
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
    • Myra
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • Myra is located in Lincoln County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Myra
  • Logan County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Lower Belle, with the one closest to Lower Belle listed first.
    • Sodom
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Sodom is located in Logan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sodom
    • Banco
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Banco is located in Logan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Banco
  • Nicholas County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Lower Belle, with the one closest to Lower Belle listed first.
    • Dixie
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
      • Dixie is located in Nicholas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dixie
    • Beech Glen
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
      • Beech Glen is located in Nicholas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beech Glen
    • Albion ‑ Historic
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
      • Albion is located in Nicholas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Albion
  • Putnam County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Lower Belle, with the one closest to Lower Belle listed first.
    • Poca
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Raymond City
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Raymond City is located in Putnam County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Raymond City
    • Morgans Landing
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Morgans Landing is located in Putnam County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morgans Landing
    • Scott Village
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Scott Village is located in Putnam County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Scott Village
    • Bancroft
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
      • Bancroft is located in Putnam County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bancroft
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 596 people
    • Teays Valley
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
    • Teays Village
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Teays Village is located in Putnam County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Teays Village
    • Liberty
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
      • Liberty is located in Putnam County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Liberty
    • Sigman
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Sigman is located in Putnam County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sigman
    • Paradise
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Paradise is located in Putnam County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Paradise
    • Red House
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Winfield
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Eleanor
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
  • Raleigh County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Lower Belle, with the one closest to Lower Belle listed first.
    • Packsville
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
      • Packsville is located in Raleigh County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Packsville
    • Dorothy
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
      • Dorothy is located in Raleigh County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dorothy
    • Montcoal
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
      • Montcoal is located in Raleigh County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Montcoal
    • Stickney
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
      • Stickney is located in Raleigh County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stickney
    • Naoma
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
      • Naoma is located in Raleigh County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Naoma
    • Pineknob
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
      • Pineknob is located in Raleigh County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pineknob
    • Rock Creek
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
      • Rock Creek is located in Raleigh County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock Creek
    • Arnett
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
    • Zada
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
      • Zada is located in Raleigh County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zada
  • Roane County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Lower Belle, with the one closest to Lower Belle listed first.
    • Cicerone
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
      • Cicerone is located in Roane County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cicerone
    • Mattie ‑ Historic
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
      • Mattie is located in Roane County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mattie
    • Pigeon
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Pigeon is located in Roane County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pigeon
    • Walton
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
    • Kester ‑ Historic
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Kester is located in Roane County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kester
    • Woodyard ‑ Historic
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
      • Woodyard is located in Roane County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodyard

For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Lower Belle, see our County-by-County Page for Lower Belle.

Cemeteries Near Lower Belle ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Lower Belle.

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 Lower Belle - one of the links might be able to help.

If not found below, our Cemetery List for Lower Belle covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.

The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Lower Belle, with the one closest to Lower Belle listed first.

  • Marmet Memorial Gardens Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the south)
  • Hawks Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
  • Hoffman Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Mitchell Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
  • Cooper Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
  • Witcher Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
  • Snodgrass Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Frye Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • Wrightsville Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • Sawmill Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • Younger Branch Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
  • Slaughter Creek Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
  • Continue List   (792 more) ...
    • Fisher Cemetery
      (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
    • Valley Grove Cemetery
      (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
    • Hess Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 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.<2>

While we didn't find Lower Belle in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Lower Belle.

These communities are listed based on their distance from Lower Belle, with the one closest to Lower Belle listed first.

  • Winifrede Junction
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Winifrede Junction is located in Kanawha County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winifrede Junction
  • Malden
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
  • Kanawha City
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
    • Kanawha City is located in Kanawha County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kanawha City
  • Winifrede
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
    • Winifrede is located in Kanawha County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winifrede
  • Shrewsbury
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
    • Shrewsbury is located in Kanawha County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shrewsbury
  • Coalburg
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Coalburg is located in Kanawha County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coalburg
  • South Ruffner
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
    • South Ruffner is located in Kanawha County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Ruffner
  • Dry Branch
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Dry Branch is located in Kanawha County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dry Branch
  • East Bank
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
    • East Bank is located in Kanawha County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Bank
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 857 people
  • Cedar Grove
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
    • Cedar Grove is located in Kanawha County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar Grove
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 897 people
  • Charleston
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Comfort
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
  • Continue List   (15 more) ...
    • Crown Hill
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Crown Hill is located in Kanawha County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crown Hill
    • Racine
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Racine is located in Boone County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Racine
    • Davis Creek
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Davis Creek is located in Kanawha County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Davis Creek

We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Lower Belle. See our List of 1890's Communities around Lower Belle.

Newspapers Published in Lower Belle ...

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 103 newspapers that have been published in the area around Lower Belle.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Lower Belle, there are papers which were published within 13 miles [20.9 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Lower Belle.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we begin with the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These 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 Lower Belle:

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>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 Lower Belle, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.
<3>Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a '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- Lower Belle) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.