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Home >> State of West Virginia >> Mercer County >> Pinoak >> 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 Pinoak (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 Pinoak. 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 hospitals and 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.

Pinoak is located in Mercer 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 Mercer County: Bland (VA), Giles (VA), Tazewell (VA), McDowell, Raleigh, Summers & Wyoming.

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

  • Mercer County     (The home county of Pinoak)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Pinoak, with the one closest to Pinoak listed first.
    • Lashmeet
      (Less than 2 miles to the south)
      • Lashmeet is located in Mercer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lashmeet
    • Matoaka
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Matoaka is located in Mercer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Matoaka
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 193 people
    • Weyanoke
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Weyanoke is located in Mercer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weyanoke
    • Montcalm
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
      • Montcalm is located in Mercer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Montcalm
    • Johnston Town
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Johnston Town is located in Mercer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Johnston Town
    • Princeton
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Flipping
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Flipping is located in Mercer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flipping
    • Littlesburg
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
      • Littlesburg is located in Mercer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Littlesburg
    • Oak Grove
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Oak Grove is located in Mercer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Grove
    • Coaldale
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Coaldale is located in Mercer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coaldale
    • El Centro ‑ Historic
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
      • El Centro is located in Mercer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for El Centro
    • Freeman
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Freeman is located in Mercer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Freeman
  • Fayette County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Pinoak, with the one closest to Pinoak listed first.
    • Prince
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
    • Quinnimont
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
      • Quinnimont is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Quinnimont
    • Kilsyth
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • Kilsyth is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kilsyth
    • Mount Hope
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
  • Logan County
    • Rich Creek
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
      • Rich Creek is located in Logan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rich Creek
  • McDowell County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Pinoak, with the one closest to Pinoak listed first.
    • Elkhorn
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
      • Elkhorn is located in McDowell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elkhorn
    • Kyle
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
      • Kyle is located in McDowell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kyle
    • Northfork
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
    • Keystone
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
    • Anawalt
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Anawalt is located in McDowell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Anawalt
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 172 people
    • Kimball
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
    • Big Four
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
      • Big Four is located in McDowell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Big Four
    • Thorpe
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
      • Thorpe is located in McDowell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thorpe
    • Gary
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
      • Gary is located in McDowell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gary
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 759 people
    • Welch
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
      • Welch is located in McDowell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Welch
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,575 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Welch <1>
    • Davy
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
      • Davy is located in McDowell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Davy
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 324 people
    • Bishop
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Bishop is located in McDowell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bishop
  • Monroe County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Pinoak, with the one closest to Pinoak listed first.
    • Peterstown
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
    • Ballard
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
      • Ballard is located in Monroe County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ballard
    • Assurance
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
      • Assurance is located in Monroe County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Assurance
    • Wayside
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
      • Wayside is located in Monroe County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wayside
  • Raleigh County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Pinoak, with the one closest to Pinoak listed first.
    • Rhodell
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Rhodell is located in Raleigh County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rhodell
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 159 people
    • Eastgulf
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
      • Eastgulf is located in Raleigh County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eastgulf
    • Princewick
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
      • Princewick is located in Raleigh County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Princewick
    • Helen
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Helen is located in Raleigh County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Helen
    • Ury
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Ury is located in Raleigh County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ury
    • Coal City
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
      • Coal City is located in Raleigh County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coal City
    • Stotesbury
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
      • Stotesbury is located in Raleigh County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stotesbury
    • Slab Fork
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
      • Slab Fork is located in Raleigh County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Slab Fork
    • Sullivan
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
      • Sullivan is located in Raleigh County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sullivan
    • Pemberton
      (18 miles [29 km] to the north)
      • Pemberton is located in Raleigh County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pemberton
    • Shady Spring
      (18 miles [29 km] to the north)
    • Sophia
      (18 miles [29 km] to the north)
  • Summers County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Pinoak, with the one closest to Pinoak listed first.
    • Pipestem
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
    • True
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
      • True is located in Summers County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for True
    • Mercers Saltworks ‑ Historic
      (18 miles [29 km] to the east)
      • Mercers Saltworks is located in Summers County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mercers Saltworks
    • Jumping Branch
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Jumping Branch is located in Summers County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jumping Branch
    • Nimitz
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Nimitz is located in Summers County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nimitz
    • Packs Ferry
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Packs Ferry is located in Summers County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Packs Ferry
    • Bellepoint
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Bellepoint is located in Summers County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bellepoint
    • Brooklin
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
      • Brooklin is located in Summers County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brooklin
    • Buck
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
      • Buck is located in Summers County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buck
    • Hinton
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
    • Forest Hill
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
    • Hilldale
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Hilldale is located in Summers County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hilldale
  • Wyoming County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Pinoak, with the one closest to Pinoak listed first.
    • Bud
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Bud is located in Wyoming County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bud
    • Mullens
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Pineville
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Keyrock
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Keyrock is located in Wyoming County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keyrock
    • Mullensville
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Mullensville is located in Wyoming County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mullensville
    • Rock View
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Rock View is located in Wyoming County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock View
    • Woosley
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
      • Woosley is located in Wyoming County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woosley
    • Wyoming
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
      • Wyoming is located in Wyoming County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wyoming
    • Turkey
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Turkey is located in Wyoming County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Turkey
    • Fanny
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
      • Fanny is located in Wyoming County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fanny
    • Stoneville
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
      • Stoneville is located in Wyoming County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stoneville
    • Baileysville
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • Baileysville is located in Wyoming County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Baileysville
  • Bland County (VA)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Pinoak, with the one closest to Pinoak listed first.
    • Rocky Gap
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
      • Rocky Gap is located in Bland County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rocky Gap
    • Round Bottom
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Round Bottom is located in Bland County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Round Bottom
    • Hicksville
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
      • Hicksville is located in Bland County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hicksville
    • Bastian
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
    • Bland
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
    • Mechanicsburg
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Mechanicsburg is located in Bland County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mechanicsburg
  • Giles County (VA)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Pinoak, with the one closest to Pinoak listed first.
    • Glen Lyn
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
      • Glen Lyn is located in Giles County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glen Lyn
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 97 people
    • Lurich
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
      • Lurich is located in Giles County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lurich
    • Rich Creek
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
    • Shumate
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Shumate is located in Giles County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shumate
    • Narrows
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
      • Narrows is located in Giles County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Narrows
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,949 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Narrows <1>
    • Bluff City
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
      • Bluff City is located in Giles County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bluff City
    • Thessalia
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Thessalia is located in Giles County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thessalia
    • Pearisburg
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
    • Poplar Hill
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Poplar Hill is located in Giles County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Poplar Hill
  • Pulaski County (VA)
    • Sassin ‑ Historic
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Sassin is located in Pulaski County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sassin
  • Tazewell County (VA)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Pinoak, with the one closest to Pinoak listed first.
    • Falls Mills
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Falls Mills is located in Tazewell County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Falls Mills
    • Pocahontas
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Pocahontas is located in Tazewell County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pocahontas
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 348 people
    • Yards
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Yards is located in Tazewell County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yards
    • Bluefield
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
    • Boissevain
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Boissevain is located in Tazewell County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boissevain
    • Saint Clair
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Saint Clair is located in Tazewell County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Clair
    • Abbs Valley
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Abbs Valley is located in Tazewell County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Abbs Valley
    • Springville
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Springville is located in Tazewell County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Springville
    • Shawver Mill
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
      • Shawver Mill is located in Tazewell County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shawver Mill
    • Little Town
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
      • Little Town is located in Tazewell County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Little Town
    • Wittens Mills
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Wittens Mills is located in Tazewell County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wittens Mills
    • Bishop
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Bishop is located in Tazewell County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bishop

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

Cemeteries Near Pinoak ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Pinoak.

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

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

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

  • Matoaka Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
  • Mt. Olive Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
  • St. Peters Lutheran Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • Harless Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Neal Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • Wright Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • Robinett Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • Ross Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
  • Prosperity Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Taylor Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Hall Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Davidson Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
  • Continue List   (427 more) ...
    • Tiller Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
    • Donley Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
    • King Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)

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>

The Rand McNally Atlas shows that in 1895, Pinoak had a post office and no railroad service.

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

  • Lashmeet
    (Less than 2 miles to the south)
    • Lashmeet is located in Mercer County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lashmeet
  • Spanishburg
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
  • Egeria
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
    • Egeria is located in Mercer County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Egeria
  • Duhring
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Duhring is located in Mercer County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Duhring
  • Flipping
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Flipping is located in Mercer County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flipping
  • New Hope
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
    • New Hope is located in Mercer County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Hope
  • Princeton
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Coaldale
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Coaldale is located in Mercer County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coaldale
  • Freeman
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Freeman is located in Mercer County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Freeman
  • Maybeury
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
  • Coopers
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Coopers is located in Mercer County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coopers
  • Bramwell
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
  • Continue List   (17 more) ...
    • Ada
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
      • Ada is located in Mercer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ada
    • Dunns
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Dunns is located in Mercer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunns
    • Odd
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
      • Odd is located in Raleigh County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Odd

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

Newspapers Published in Pinoak ...

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 23 newspapers that have been published in the area around Pinoak.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Pinoak, 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 Pinoak.

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 websites either 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 Pinoak:

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