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 Middlebrook (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 Middlebrook. 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 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.
Middlebrook is located in Randolph 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 Randolph County: Barbour, Pendleton, Pocahontas, Tucker, Upshur & Webster.
Below are the counties that are near Middlebrook. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Middlebrook:
- Randolph County (The home county of Middlebrook)
- The following are listed by their distance from Middlebrook, with the one closest to Middlebrook listed first.
- Monterville
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Blue Spring
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Blue Spring is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blue Spring
- Valley Head
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Mingo
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Florence ‑ Historic
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Florence is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Florence
- Pickens
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Elkwater
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Elkwater is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elkwater
- Helvetia
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Lee Bell
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Lee Bell is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lee Bell
- Huttonsville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Mill Creek
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Mill Creek is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mill Creek
- Population from the 2020 Census: 681 people
- Huff ‑ Historic
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Huff is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Huff
- Cassity
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Cassity is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cassity
- Barbour County
- Junior
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Junior is located in Barbour County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Junior
- Population from the 2020 Census: 483 people
- Braxton County
- The following are listed by their distance from Middlebrook, with the one closest to Middlebrook listed first.
- Milroy
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Milroy is located in Braxton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Milroy
- Palmer
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Palmer is located in Braxton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Palmer
- Falls Mill
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Falls Mill is located in Braxton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Falls Mill
- Bulltown
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Bulltown is located in Braxton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bulltown
- Corley
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Corley is located in Braxton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Corley
- Knawl
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Knawl is located in Braxton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Knawl
- Napier
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Napier is located in Braxton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Napier
- Heaters
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Flatwoods
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- McNutt
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- McNutt is located in Braxton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McNutt
- Lewis County
- The following are listed by their distance from Middlebrook, with the one closest to Middlebrook listed first.
- Duffy
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Duffy is located in Lewis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Duffy
- Crawford
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Crawford is located in Lewis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crawford
- Nicholas County
- Tioga
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Pocahontas County
- The following are listed by their distance from Middlebrook, with the one closest to Middlebrook listed first.
- Slaty Fork
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Durbin
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Cass
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Frank
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Frank is located in Pocahontas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frank
- Sitlington
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Sitlington is located in Pocahontas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sitlington
- Green Bank
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Edray
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Edray is located in Pocahontas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edray
- Onoto
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Onoto is located in Pocahontas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Onoto
- Arbovale
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Thornwood
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Thornwood is located in Pocahontas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thornwood
- Wildell
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Wildell is located in Pocahontas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wildell
- Thorny Creek
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Thorny Creek is located in Pocahontas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thorny Creek
- Marlinton
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Upshur County
- The following are listed by their distance from Middlebrook, with the one closest to Middlebrook listed first.
- Goshen
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Goshen is located in Upshur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goshen
- Alexander
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Alexander is located in Upshur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alexander
- Alton
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Alton is located in Upshur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alton
- Kanawha Head
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Kanawha Head is located in Upshur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kanawha Head
- Beans Mill
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Beans Mill is located in Upshur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beans Mill
- Queens
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Queens is located in Upshur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Queens
- Sellers ‑ Historic
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Sellers is located in Upshur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sellers
- Tenmile
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Tenmile is located in Upshur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tenmile
- Wilsontown
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Wilsontown is located in Upshur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilsontown
- Rock Cave
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Rock Cave is located in Upshur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock Cave
- Tallmansville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Frenchton
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Frenchton is located in Upshur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frenchton
- Hoover Town
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Hoover Town is located in Upshur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hoover Town
- Webster County
- The following are listed by their distance from Middlebrook, with the one closest to Middlebrook listed first.
- Ralph
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Ralph is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ralph
- Hacker Valley
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Addison
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Addison is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Addison
- Population from the 2020 Census: 660 people
- Orndoff
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Orndoff is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orndoff
- Cleveland
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Big Run
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Big Run is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Big Run
- Excelsior
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Excelsior is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Excelsior
- Replete
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Replete is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Replete
- Upperglade
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Upperglade is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Upperglade
- Halo
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Halo is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Halo
- Cowen
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Erbacon
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Erbacon is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Erbacon
- Welch Glade
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Welch Glade is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Welch Glade
- Highland County (VA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Middlebrook, with the one closest to Middlebrook listed first.
- Hightown
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Hightown is located in Highland County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hightown
- Buckeye ‑ Historic
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Buckeye is located in Highland County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buckeye
- Meadowdale
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Meadowdale is located in Highland County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meadowdale
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Middlebrook, see our County-by-County Page for Middlebrook.
Cemeteries Near Middlebrook ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Middlebrook.
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 Middlebrook - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Middlebrook covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Middlebrook, with the one closest to Middlebrook listed first.
- Cowger Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Stainaker Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Simmons Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Hicks Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Ware Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Pickens Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Pt. Mountain Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Meadowland Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Varner Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Helvetia Cemetery
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Old Brick Church Cemetery
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Laurel Fork Cemetery
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Continue List (140 more) ...
- Pine Grove Cemetery
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Old Cemetery
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Hannah Cemetery
(13 miles [20.9 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.<2>
While we didn't find Middlebrook in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Middlebrook.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Middlebrook, with the one closest to Middlebrook listed first.
- Blue Spring
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Blue Spring is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blue Spring
- Monterville
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Valley Head
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Pickens
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Florence ‑ Historic
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Florence is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Florence
- Elkwater
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Elkwater is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elkwater
- Woodzell
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Woodzell is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodzell
- Bergoo
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Bergoo is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bergoo
- Helvetia
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Lee Bell
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Lee Bell is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lee Bell
- Bernardstown
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Bernardstown is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bernardstown
- Mayton ‑ Historic
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Mayton is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mayton
- Continue List (13 more) ...
- Ralph
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Ralph is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ralph
- Huttonsville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Palace Valley
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Palace Valley is located in Upshur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Palace Valley
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Middlebrook. See our List of 1890's Communities around Middlebrook.
Newspapers Published in Middlebrook ...
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 7 newspapers that have been published in the area around Middlebrook.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Middlebrook, there are papers which were published within 23 miles [37 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Middlebrook.
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 professional and volunteer 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 Middlebrook:
- Websites specific to West Virginia
- Pages specific to Randolph County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Barbour County
- Braxton County
- Lewis County
- Nicholas County
- Pocahontas County
- Upshur County
- Webster County
- Highland 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> | 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 Middlebrook, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <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- Middlebrook) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |