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 Rita (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 Rita. 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 northeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors were in the next county to the east. 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 east 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.
Rita is located in Logan 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 Logan County: Boone, Lincoln, Mingo & Wyoming.
Below are the counties that are near Rita. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Rita:
- Logan County (The home county of Rita)
- The following are listed by their distance from Rita, with the one closest to Rita listed first.
- Switzer
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Switzer is located in Logan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Switzer
- Man
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Omar
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Kistler
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Kistler is located in Logan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kistler
- Stirrat
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Stirrat is located in Logan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stirrat
- Accoville
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Accoville is located in Logan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Accoville
- Fort Branch
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Fort Branch is located in Logan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fort Branch
- Whitman
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Wilkinson
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Mallory
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Mallory is located in Logan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mallory
- Braeholm
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Braeholm is located in Logan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Braeholm
- Logan
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Boone County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rita, with the one closest to Rita listed first.
- Hewett
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Hewett is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hewett
- Clothier
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Clothier is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clothier
- Manila
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Manila is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Manila
- Ottawa
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Ottawa is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ottawa
- Stark
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Stark is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stark
- Havana
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Havana is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Havana
- Jeffrey
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Jeffrey is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jeffrey
- Secoal
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Secoal is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Secoal
- Greenview
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Greenview is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenview
- Barrett
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Barrett is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barrett
- Bim
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Bim is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bim
- Cazy
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Cazy is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cazy
- Lincoln County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rita, with the one closest to Rita listed first.
- Harts
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Spears ‑ Historic
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Spears is located in Lincoln County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spears
- Wewanta
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Wewanta is located in Lincoln County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wewanta
- Alkol
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Alkol is located in Lincoln County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alkol
- Palermo
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Palermo is located in Lincoln County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Palermo
- Kinder ‑ Historic
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Kinder is located in Lincoln County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kinder
- McDowell County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rita, with the one closest to Rita listed first.
- Wyoming City
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Wyoming City is located in McDowell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wyoming City
- Panther
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Panther is located in McDowell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Panther
- Iaeger
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Iaeger is located in McDowell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Iaeger
- Population from the 2020 Census: 232 people
- Wilmore
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Wilmore is located in McDowell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilmore
- Union City
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Union City is located in McDowell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union City
- Big Sandy
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Big Sandy is located in McDowell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Big Sandy
- Avondale
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Avondale is located in McDowell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avondale
- Davy
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Davy is located in McDowell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Davy
- Population from the 2020 Census: 324 people
- Roderfield
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Roderfield is located in McDowell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roderfield
- Bradshaw
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Jackson Flats
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Jackson Flats is located in McDowell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jackson Flats
- Paynesville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Paynesville is located in McDowell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Paynesville
- Mingo County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rita, with the one closest to Rita listed first.
- Pie
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Pie is located in Mingo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pie
- Gilbert
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Musick
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Musick is located in Mingo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Musick
- Baisden
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Gilbert Creek
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Gilbert Creek is located in Mingo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gilbert Creek
- Wharncliffe
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Red Jacket
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Red Jacket is located in Mingo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Jacket
- Delbarton
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Myrtle
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Myrtle is located in Mingo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Myrtle
- Dingess
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Dingess is located in Mingo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dingess
- Blackberry City
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Blackberry City is located in Mingo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blackberry City
- Matewan
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Raleigh County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rita, with the one closest to Rita listed first.
- Montcoal
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Montcoal is located in Raleigh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Montcoal
- Stickney
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Stickney is located in Raleigh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stickney
- Naoma
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Naoma is located in Raleigh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Naoma
- Pineknob
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Pineknob is located in Raleigh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pineknob
- Packsville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Packsville is located in Raleigh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Packsville
- Redbird
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Redbird is located in Raleigh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Redbird
- Rock Creek
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Rock Creek is located in Raleigh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock Creek
- Arnett
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Bolt
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Bolt is located in Raleigh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bolt
- Zada
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Zada is located in Raleigh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zada
- Dorothy
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Dorothy is located in Raleigh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dorothy
- Wayne County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rita, with the one closest to Rita listed first.
- Wilsondale
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Wilsondale is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilsondale
- Stonecoal
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Stonecoal is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stonecoal
- Cove Gap
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Cove Gap is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cove Gap
- Doane
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Doane is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Doane
- Kiahsville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Kiahsville is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kiahsville
- Wyoming County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rita, with the one closest to Rita listed first.
- Cub City
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Cub City is located in Wyoming County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cub City
- Uno
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Uno is located in Wyoming County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Uno
- Clear Fork
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Clear Fork is located in Wyoming County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clear Fork
- Sun Hill
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Sun Hill is located in Wyoming County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sun Hill
- Oceana
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Baileysville
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Baileysville is located in Wyoming County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Baileysville
- Kopperston
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Kopperston is located in Wyoming County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kopperston
- Fanny
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Fanny is located in Wyoming County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fanny
- Stoneville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Stoneville is located in Wyoming County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stoneville
- Turkey
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Turkey is located in Wyoming County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Turkey
- Wyoming
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Wyoming is located in Wyoming County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wyoming
- Rock View
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Rock View is located in Wyoming County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock View
- Martin County (KY)
- The following are listed by their distance from Rita, with the one closest to Rita listed first.
- Lovely
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Lovely is located in Martin County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lovely
- Pilgrim
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Pilgrim is located in Martin County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pilgrim
- Warfield
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Beauty
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Beauty is located in Martin County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beauty
- Hode
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Hode is located in Martin County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hode
- Pike County (KY)
- The following are listed by their distance from Rita, with the one closest to Rita listed first.
- Buskirk
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Buskirk is located in Pike County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buskirk
- McCarr
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Freeburn
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Freeburn is located in Pike County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Freeburn
- Majestic
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Majestic is located in Pike County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Majestic
- Hardy
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Hardy is located in Pike County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hardy
- Ransom
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Ransom is located in Pike County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ransom
- Stopover
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Stopover is located in Pike County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stopover
- Toler
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Toler is located in Pike County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Toler
- South Williamson
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Belfry
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Forest Hills
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Forest Hills is located in Pike County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest Hills
- Phelps
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Buchanan County (VA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Rita, with the one closest to Rita listed first.
- Kelsa
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Kelsa is located in Buchanan County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kelsa
- Jackson Flats
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Jackson Flats is located in Buchanan County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jackson Flats
- Paynesville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Paynesville is located in Buchanan County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Paynesville
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Rita, see our County-by-County Page for Rita.
Cemeteries Near Rita ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Rita.
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 Rita - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Rita covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Rita, with the one closest to Rita listed first.
- Upper Hinchman Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Avis Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Mullens Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Chauncey Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Steele Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Core Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Foley Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- McDonald Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Logan Memorial Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- White Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the White Cemetery is located outside and to the east of Kistler.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2340950 <2>
- George F. Browning Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Litz - Smith Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Litz - Smith Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Litz - Smith Cemetery is located outside and to the northwest of Accoville.
- Continue List (815 more) ...
- Chambers Family Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Hatfield Family Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Ruffner Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
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 Rita in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Rita.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Rita, with the one closest to Rita listed first.
- Man
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Oilville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Oilville is located in Logan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oilville
- Christian
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Christian is located in Logan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Christian
- Lake
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Lake is located in Logan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake
- Hewett
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Hewett is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hewett
- Chapmanville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- North Spring
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- North Spring is located in Wyoming County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Spring
- Hanover
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Hanover is located in Wyoming County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hanover
- Lincoln
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Lincoln is located in Wyoming County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lincoln
- Sun Hill
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Sun Hill is located in Wyoming County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sun Hill
- Oceana
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Bald Knob
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Bald Knob is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bald Knob
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Baileysville
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Baileysville is located in Wyoming County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Baileysville
- Van
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Van is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Van
- Bandytown
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Bandytown is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bandytown
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Rita. See our List of 1890's Communities around Rita.
Newspapers Published in Rita ...
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 8 newspapers that have been published in the area around Rita.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Rita, there are papers which were published within 7 miles [11.3 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Rita.
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 Rita:
- Websites specific to West Virginia
- Pages specific to Logan County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Boone County
- Lincoln County
- McDowell County
- Mingo County
- Raleigh County
- Wayne County
- Wyoming County
- Martin County
- Pike County
- Buchanan 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> | 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 Rita, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <4> | 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 drawn from Point A (ie- Rita) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |