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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 May (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 May. 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.

May is located in Pocahontas 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 Pocahontas County: Bath (VA), Highland (VA), Greenbrier, Pendleton, Randolph & Webster.

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

  • Pocahontas County     (The home county of May)
    • The following are listed by their distance from May, with the one closest to May listed first.
    • Wildell
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
      • Wildell is located in Pocahontas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wildell
    • Durbin
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
    • Frank
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
      • Frank is located in Pocahontas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frank
    • Thornwood
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Thornwood is located in Pocahontas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thornwood
    • Arbovale
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
    • Green Bank
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
    • Cass
      (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
    • Sitlington
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
      • Sitlington is located in Pocahontas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sitlington
    • Slaty Fork
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
    • Frost
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
      • Frost is located in Pocahontas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frost
    • Edray
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Edray is located in Pocahontas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edray
    • Thorny Creek
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Thorny Creek is located in Pocahontas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thorny Creek
  • Barbour County
    • The following are listed by their distance from May, with the one closest to May listed first.
    • Junior
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
      • Junior is located in Barbour County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Junior
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 483 people
    • Belington
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
    • Wilmoth ‑ Historic
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
      • Wilmoth is located in Barbour County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilmoth
    • Huffman ‑ Historic
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
      • Huffman is located in Barbour County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Huffman
    • Valley Bend
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
    • Clements ‑ Historic
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Clements is located in Barbour County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clements
    • Audra
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Audra is located in Barbour County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Audra
  • Pendleton County
    • The following are listed by their distance from May, with the one closest to May listed first.
    • Dry Run
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
      • Dry Run is located in Pendleton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dry Run
    • Circleville
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
    • Harper
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Harper is located in Pendleton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harper
    • Zigler
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
      • Zigler is located in Pendleton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zigler
    • Macksville
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
      • Macksville is located in Pendleton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Macksville
    • Onego
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Onego is located in Pendleton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Onego
    • Franklin
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
    • Moyers
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
      • Moyers is located in Pendleton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moyers
    • Ruddle
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
      • Ruddle is located in Pendleton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ruddle
    • Sugar Grove
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
      • Sugar Grove is located in Pendleton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sugar Grove
    • Propstburg
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
      • Propstburg is located in Pendleton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Propstburg
    • Brandywine
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
  • Randolph County
    • The following are listed by their distance from May, with the one closest to May listed first.
    • Huttonsville
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Mill Creek
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Mill Creek is located in Randolph County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mill Creek
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 681 people
    • Elkwater
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
      • Elkwater is located in Randolph County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elkwater
    • Lee Bell
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
      • Lee Bell is located in Randolph County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lee Bell
    • Beverly
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
    • Huff ‑ Historic
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Huff is located in Randolph County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Huff
    • Valley Head
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Whitmer
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Whitmer is located in Randolph County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whitmer
    • Cassity
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Cassity is located in Randolph County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cassity
    • Mingo
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Monterville
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
    • Blue Spring
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
      • Blue Spring is located in Randolph County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blue Spring
  • Tucker County
    • The following are listed by their distance from May, with the one closest to May listed first.
    • Pleasant Run
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
      • Pleasant Run is located in Tucker County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Run
    • Gladwin
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Gladwin is located in Tucker County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gladwin
    • Porterwood
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
      • Porterwood is located in Tucker County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Porterwood
    • Elk
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Elk is located in Tucker County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elk
    • Hambleton
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • Hambleton is located in Tucker County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hambleton
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 212 people
    • Hendricks
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • Hendricks is located in Tucker County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hendricks
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 254 people
  • Upshur County
    • The following are listed by their distance from May, with the one closest to May listed first.
    • Queens
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Queens is located in Upshur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Queens
    • Beans Mill
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Beans Mill is located in Upshur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beans Mill
    • Alexander
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
      • Alexander is located in Upshur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alexander
    • Alton
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Alton is located in Upshur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alton
    • Sand Run
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Sand Run is located in Upshur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sand Run
    • Sellers ‑ Historic
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Sellers is located in Upshur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sellers
    • Tenmile
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Tenmile is located in Upshur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tenmile
    • Gormley
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Gormley is located in Upshur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gormley
    • Tallmansville
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Excelsior
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Excelsior is located in Upshur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Excelsior
    • Goshen
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • Goshen is located in Upshur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goshen
    • Overhill
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Overhill is located in Upshur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Overhill
  • Bath County (VA)
    • Bolar
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
      • Bolar is located in Bath County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bolar
  • Highland County (VA)
    • The following are listed by their distance from May, with the one closest to May listed first.
    • Hightown
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Hightown is located in Highland County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hightown
    • Possum Trot
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Possum Trot is located in Highland County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Possum Trot
    • Meadowdale
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
      • Meadowdale is located in Highland County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meadowdale
    • Monterey
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Buckeye ‑ Historic
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
      • Buckeye is located in Highland County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buckeye
    • McDowell
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Palo Alto
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Palo Alto is located in Highland County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Palo Alto
    • Clover Creek
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Clover Creek is located in Highland County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clover Creek

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

Cemeteries Near May ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of May.

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 May - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • Ft. Milroy Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Hauchen Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
  • Keller Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
  • Goodsell Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
  • St. Mark Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
  • Yeager Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
  • Bethel Cemetery
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
  • Crouch Cemetery
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
  • Old Brick Church Cemetery
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
  • Simmons Cemetery
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Stalnaker Cemetery
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
  • Mt. Hobart Cemetery
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
  • Continue List   (96 more) ...
    • Mt. Iser Cemetery
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
    • Beverly Cemetery
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
    • Ware Cemetery
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)

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 May in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of May.

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

  • Osceola
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Osceola is located in Randolph County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Osceola
  • Glady
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
  • Huttonsville
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
  • Lee Bell
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
    • Lee Bell is located in Randolph County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lee Bell
  • Elkwater
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
    • Elkwater is located in Randolph County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elkwater
  • Beverly
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
  • Huff ‑ Historic
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Huff is located in Randolph County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Huff
  • Valley Head
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
  • Dry Run
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
    • Dry Run is located in Pendleton County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dry Run
  • Green Bank
    (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
  • Circleville
    (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
  • Monterville
    (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Hightown
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Hightown is located in Highland County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hightown
    • New Hampden
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
      • New Hampden is located in Highland County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Hampden
    • Cassity
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Cassity is located in Randolph County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cassity

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

Newspapers Published in May ...

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 15 newspapers that have been published in the area around May.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of May, there are papers which were published within 20 miles [32.2 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for May.

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 May:

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 May, 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 things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- May) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.