The location of Paw Paw
Our Genealogy Helper for Paw Paw ...
We have a couple of goals for our Gazetteer:
- That it be a tool that can help us with planning our trips.
- That it also helps us to understand the community in which our ancestors lived, the community that was part of their daily lives.
By learning about Paw Paw (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 Paw Paw. 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.
It's still very early in our research, but as we gather more information it will be added to this page.
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 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.
Paw Paw is located in Morgan County.
The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Morgan County: Allegany (MD), Washington (MD), Frederick (VA), Berkeley & Hampshire.
Below are the counties that are near Paw Paw. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Paw Paw:
| Dir | Distance | ||
| Morgan (The home county for Paw Paw) | |||
| Magnolia [Map] | NE | 2 miles [3.2 km]<1> | |
| Bath [Map] | NE | 13 miles [20.9 km] | |
| Berryville [Map] | NE | 13 miles [20.9 km] | |
| Berkeley | |||
| Arden [Map] | E | 23 miles [37 km] | |
| Hedgesville [Map] | E | 24 miles [38.6 km] | |
| Martinsburg [Map] | E | 25 miles [40.2 km] | |
| Bunker Hill [Map] | SE | 25 miles [40.2 km] | |
| Inwood [Map] | SE | 25 miles [40.2 km] | |
| Baker Heights [Map] | E | 29 miles [46.7 km] | |
| Bedington [Map] | E | 29 miles [46.7 km] | |
| Falling Waters [Map] | E | 30 miles [48.3 km] | |
| Scrabble [Map] | E | 33 miles [53.1 km] | |
| Hampshire | |||
| Slanesville [Map] | S | 11 miles [17.7 km] | |
| Three Churches [Map] | SW | 13 miles [20.9 km] | |
| Capon Bridge [Map] | S | 16 miles [25.7 km] | |
| Ritters [Map] | SW | 16 miles [25.7 km] | |
| Augusta [Map] | SW | 18 miles [29 km] | |
| Romney [Map] | SW | 20 miles [32.2 km] | |
| Hardy | |||
| Wardensville [Map] | S | 32 miles [51.5 km] | |
| Baker [Map] | SW | 37 miles [59.5 km] | |
| Jefferson | |||
| Bardane [Map] | E | 33 miles [53.1 km] | |
| Jefferson Village [Map] | SE | 33 miles [53.1 km] | |
| Shepherdstown [Map] | E | 35 miles [56.3 km] | |
| Charles Town [Map] | SE | 35 miles [56.3 km] | |
| Ranson [Map] | SE | 35 miles [56.3 km] | |
| Bloomery [Map] | SE | 38 miles [61.2 km] | |
| Kabletown [Map] | SE | 38 miles [61.2 km] | |
| Bolivar [Map] | E | 40 miles [64.4 km] | |
| Harpers Ferry [Map] | E | 40 miles [64.4 km] | |
| Mineral | |||
| Fort Ashby [Map] | W | 16 miles [25.7 km] | |
| Ridgeley [Map] | NW | 18 miles [29 km] | |
| Carpendale [Map] | W | 18 miles [29 km] | |
| Wiley Ford [Map] | W | 18 miles [29 km] | |
| Burlington [Map] | SW | 28 miles [45.1 km] | |
| Keyser [Map] | W | 28 miles [45.1 km] | |
| Piedmont [Map] | W | 31 miles [49.9 km] | |
| New Creek [Map] | W | 32 miles [51.5 km] | |
| Elk Garden [Map] | W | 38 miles [61.2 km] | |
| Sulphur City [Map] | W | 38 miles [61.2 km] | |
| Hartmansville [Map] | W | 40 miles [64.4 km] | |
| Allegany (MD) | |||
| Keifers (MD) [Map] | W | Less than 2 miles | |
| Little Orleans (MD) [Map] | NE | 7 miles [11.3 km] | |
| Oldtown (MD) [Map] | W | 8 miles [12.9 km] | |
| Flintstone (MD) [Map] | NW | 13 miles [20.9 km] | |
| Spring Gap (MD) [Map] | W | 14 miles [22.5 km] | |
| Cumberland (MD) [Map] | NW | 18 miles [29 km] | |
| Shanty Town (MD) - Historic [Map] | NW | 18 miles [29 km] | |
| La Vale (MD) [Map] | NW | 20 miles [32.2 km] | |
| Pinto (MD) [Map] | W | 20 miles [32.2 km] | |
| Corriganville (MD) [Map] | NW | 21 miles [33.8 km] | |
| Ellerslie (MD) [Map] | NW | 21 miles [33.8 km] | |
| Rawlings (MD) [Map] | W | 22 miles [35.4 km] | |
| Eckhart Mines (MD) [Map] | W | 24 miles [38.6 km] | |
| Garrett (MD) | |||
| Bloomington (MD) [Map] | W | 33 miles [53.1 km] | |
| Grantsville (MD) [Map] | W | 38 miles [61.2 km] | |
| Kitzmiller (MD) [Map] | W | 40 miles [64.4 km] | |
| Washington (MD) | |||
| Hancock (MD) [Map] | NE | 19 miles [30.6 km] | |
| Big Pool (MD) [Map] | E | 24 miles [38.6 km] | |
| Clear Spring (MD) [Map] | E | 29 miles [46.7 km] | |
| Williamsport (MD) [Map] | E | 34 miles [54.7 km] | |
| Wilson-Conococheague (MD) [Map] | E | 34 miles [54.7 km] | |
| Fairplay (MD) [Map] | E | 37 miles [59.5 km] | |
| Halfway (MD) [Map] | E | 37 miles [59.5 km] | |
| Saint James (MD) [Map] | E | 37 miles [59.5 km] | |
| Sharpsburg (MD) [Map] | E | 37 miles [59.5 km] | |
| Saint James Village (MD) [Map] | E | 38 miles [61.2 km] | |
| Breathedsville (MD) [Map] | E | 39 miles [62.8 km] | |
| Hagerstown (MD) [Map] | E | 39 miles [62.8 km] | |
| Maugansville (MD) [Map] | E | 39 miles [62.8 km] | |
| Bedford (PA) | |||
| Purcell (PA) [Map] | N | 18 miles [29 km] | |
| Stringtown (PA) [Map] | NW | 21 miles [33.8 km] | |
| Rainsburg (PA) [Map] | N | 24 miles [38.6 km] | |
| Hyndman (PA) [Map] | NW | 25 miles [40.2 km] | |
| Everett (PA) [Map] | N | 30 miles [48.3 km] | |
| Ott Town (PA) [Map] | N | 30 miles [48.3 km] | |
| Bedford (PA) [Map] | N | 31 miles [49.9 km] | |
| Manns Choice (PA) [Map] | N | 32 miles [51.5 km] | |
| Mount Dallas (PA) [Map] | N | 33 miles [53.1 km] | |
| Breezewood (PA) [Map] | N | 34 miles [54.7 km] | |
| Penn Wood (PA) [Map] | N | 34 miles [54.7 km] | |
| Wolfsburg (PA) [Map] | N | 35 miles [56.3 km] | |
| Schellsburg (PA) [Map] | N | 36 miles [57.9 km] | |
| Franklin (PA) | |||
| Mercersburg (PA) [Map] | NE | 35 miles [56.3 km] | |
| Fort Loudon (PA) [Map] | NE | 39 miles [62.8 km] | |
| Fulton (PA) | |||
| Websters Mill (PA) [Map] | NE | 31 miles [49.9 km] | |
| McConnellsburg (PA) [Map] | NE | 36 miles [57.9 km] | |
| Valley-Hi (PA) [Map] | N | 37 miles [59.5 km] | |
| Harrisonville (PA) [Map] | NE | 37 miles [59.5 km] | |
| Somerset (PA) | |||
| Wellersburg (PA) [Map] | NW | 24 miles [38.6 km] | |
| Fairhope (PA) [Map] | NW | 27 miles [43.5 km] | |
| Callimont (PA) [Map] | NW | 30 miles [48.3 km] | |
| Johnsburg (PA) [Map] | NW | 31 miles [49.9 km] | |
| Glade City (PA) [Map] | NW | 34 miles [54.7 km] | |
| Hays Mill (PA) [Map] | NW | 35 miles [56.3 km] | |
| Meyersdale (PA) [Map] | NW | 35 miles [56.3 km] | |
| New Baltimore (PA) [Map] | NW | 35 miles [56.3 km] | |
| Salisbury (PA) [Map] | NW | 36 miles [57.9 km] | |
| Berlin (PA) [Map] | NW | 37 miles [59.5 km] | |
| Garrett (PA) [Map] | NW | 39 miles [62.8 km] | |
| Clarke (VA) | |||
| Berryville (VA) [Map] | SE | 36 miles [57.9 km] | |
| Boyce (VA) [Map] | SE | 36 miles [57.9 km] | |
| Gaylord (VA) [Map] | SE | 36 miles [57.9 km] | |
| Waterloo (VA) [Map] | SE | 36 miles [57.9 km] | |
| White Post (VA) [Map] | SE | 37 miles [59.5 km] | |
| Frederick (VA) | |||
| Nordic Village (VA) [Map] | SE | 17 miles [27.4 km] | |
| White Hall (VA) [Map] | SE | 23 miles [37 km] | |
| Welltown (VA) [Map] | SE | 25 miles [40.2 km] | |
| Day - Mar Village (VA) [Map] | SE | 29 miles [46.7 km] | |
| Echo Village (VA) [Map] | SE | 31 miles [49.9 km] | |
| Stephens City (VA) [Map] | SE | 32 miles [51.5 km] | |
| Middletown (VA) [Map] | S | 35 miles [56.3 km] | |
| Shenandoah (VA) | |||
| Strasburg (VA) [Map] | S | 37 miles [59.5 km] | |
| Toms Brook (VA) [Map] | S | 40 miles [64.4 km] | |
| Warren (VA) | |||
| Reliance (VA) [Map] | S | 38 miles [61.2 km] | |
| Winchester City (VA) | |||
| Winchester (VA) [Map] | SE | 28 miles [45.1 km] | |
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Paw Paw, see our County-by-County Page for Paw Paw.
Cemeteries Near Paw Paw ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Paw Paw.
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.
If you click on the [Map] that follows each cemetery's name, a Google map will open showing a satellite view of the area where the cemetery is located. We have tried to place the cemetery in the center of the map, but we're still working on our data and the map might not not be centered properly. If you don't see the cemetery right away, try zooming-in. Usually, but not always, you can see the outline of the cemetery or some of the headstones.
If you need information about a burial or interment, photos, transcripts, how to contact the cemetery or local authorities, please visit our selection of Genealogy Websites (see below).
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Paw Paw covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
Newspapers Published in Paw Paw ...
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 66 newspapers that have been published in the area around Paw Paw.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Paw Paw, there are papers which were published within 18 miles [29 km]. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Paw Paw.
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>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Paw Paw had a population of 772 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2017, Paw Paw had a population of 491 people.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Paw Paw, with the one closest to Paw Paw listed first.
| Little Cacapon [Map] | |
| - | Located 2 miles [3.2 km] to the West Southwest (WSW) from Paw Paw |
| - | Little Cacapon had railroad service and no post office |
| Magnolia [Map] | |
| - | Located 2 miles [3.2 km] to the Northeast (NE) from Paw Paw |
| - | 1895 population of 146 people |
| - | Magnolia had a post office and no railroad service |
| Okonoko [Map] | |
| - | Located 3 miles [4.8 km] to the West (W) from Paw Paw |
| - | 1895 population of 46 people |
| - | Okonoko had a post office and railroad service |
| Levels [Map] | |
| - | Located 6 miles [9.7 km] to the West Southwest (WSW) from Paw Paw |
| - | Levels had a post office and no railroad service |
| Doe Gully [Map] | |
| - | Located 6 miles [9.7 km] to the North Northeast (NNE) from Paw Paw |
| - | Doe Gully had railroad service and no post office |
| Orleans Cross Roads [Map] | |
| - | Located 7 miles [11.3 km] to the North Northeast (NNE) from Paw Paw |
| - | 1895 population of 11 people |
| - | Orleans Cross Roads had a post office and no railroad service |
| Little Orleans (MD) [Map] | |
| - | Located 7 miles [11.3 km] to the North Northeast (NNE) from Paw Paw |
| - | 1895 population of 100 people |
| - | Little Orleans had a post office and no railroad service |
| Spring Gap - Historic [Map] | |
| - | While Spring Gap was mentioned in the 1895 Atlas, it no longer exists |
| - | Located 8 miles [12.9 km] to the South Southwest (SSW) from Paw Paw |
| - | Spring Gap had a post office and no railroad service |
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Paw Paw. The list can be found on our page for Communities Neighboring Paw Paw in the 1890's.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we first turn to the websites of 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 all and free to view - you should note that they might link to other websites which do charge.
To help you get started, the following links will take you to the pages that are relevant to Paw Paw:
These websites are specific to West Virginia:
| Cyndi's List | Family Search | Genealogy Trails |
Website for the West Virginia State Archives
Not to be confused with the official state website, we've found the Digital State Archives website for the State of West Virginia to be a good source for additional links.
These pages are specific to Morgan County:
| Cyndi's List | Family Search | Genealogy Trails |
Genealogy information for nearby counties:
Cemetery Information and Directories for West Virginia:
| Cyndi's List: | Cemeteries for West Virginia, for Morgan County |
| Cemetery Junction: | Directory for West Virginia |
| FamilySearch.org: | Cemetery Wiki for West Virginia |
| Find-A-Grave: | Home Page |
| Internment.net: | Cemeteries for West Virginia |
Of Special Interest ...
The GenDisasters website specializes in newspaper articles about tragedies and disasters. While it makes interesting reading all by itself, it should be of special interest to genealogists and family historians looking for people who were either affected by or directly involved in such tragedies.
| Disaster Stories from West Virginia |
| Also see Disaster Stories for ... |
| Maryland |
| Pennsylvania |
| Virginia |
Miscellaneous References and Mentions for Paw Paw ...
While our initial data about Paw Paw came from various goverment sources, we have found mention of Paw Paw in old books and maps. When we do, we'll find a fact here or a snippet there. We've created the following list to keep track of the documents we found useful in adding to our knowledge about Paw Paw.
We hope that the following list of documents will be of interest to you.
Business Atlas and Shippers' Guide
Published by Rand McNally & Co.
(Document found on Google Books)
Notes for Paw Paw:
- Services available at that time (1895): had Post Office, Railroad Station, Express Office
We have found Paw Paw in these Censuses: 2010-1990. See our Census Page for Paw Paw for more information.
Both the GNIS and FIPS databases contain entries for Paw Paw. See our Misc Page for Paw Paw for more information.
Other Roadside Stops ...
Find a Community located in West Virginia
Off-the-Road Links ...
Unfortunately, we don't know of a website for Paw Paw. If you can help, please contact us through our Feedback Page.
The official website for State of West Virginia: https://www.wv.gov/
Footnotes ...
| <1> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Paw Paw) to Point B. If you need the driving distance, we recommend that you use one of the Mapping Services listed on our Map Page for Paw Paw. Since we usually use Google Maps for our own planning, we've provided the following link: Google Map and Driving Directions starting from Paw Paw Our distance measurements begin at a specific point in Paw Paw. The point we use is located at these GPS coordinates - Latitude: 39.5314, Longitude: -78.4553 [Map]. In this case, the coordinates for Paw Paw have been provided by the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS). |
| <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 Paw Paw, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |