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Home >> State of West Virginia >> Kanawha County >> Ruthdale >> 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 Ruthdale (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 Ruthdale. 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 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.

Ruthdale is located in Kanawha 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 Kanawha County: Boone, Clay, Fayette, Jackson, Lincoln, Nicholas, Putnam, Raleigh & Roane.

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

  • Kanawha County     (The home county of Ruthdale)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ruthdale, with the one closest to Ruthdale listed first.
    • Ruth
      (Less than 2 miles to the south)
      • Ruth is located in Kanawha County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ruth
    • South Charleston
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
    • Rock Lake Village
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Rock Lake Village is located in Kanawha County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock Lake Village
    • Loudendale
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
      • Loudendale is located in Kanawha County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Loudendale
    • Dunbar
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Elk
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Elk is located in Kanawha County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elk
    • Charleston
      (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
    • South Ruffner
      (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
      • South Ruffner is located in Kanawha County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Ruffner
    • Jefferson
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
      • Jefferson is located in Kanawha County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jefferson
    • Saint Albans
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Kanawha City
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
      • Kanawha City is located in Kanawha County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kanawha City
    • Cross Lanes
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Sattes
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Sattes is located in Kanawha County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sattes
  • Boone County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ruthdale, with the one closest to Ruthdale listed first.
    • Dartmont
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
      • Dartmont is located in Boone County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dartmont
    • Emmons
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
      • Emmons is located in Boone County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Emmons
    • Grippe
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
      • Grippe is located in Boone County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grippe
    • Ashford
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
    • Rumble
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
      • Rumble is located in Boone County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rumble
    • Brushton
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
      • Brushton is located in Boone County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brushton
    • Easly
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
      • Easly is located in Boone County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Easly
    • Johns
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
      • Johns is located in Boone County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Johns
    • Nellis
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
      • Nellis is located in Boone County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nellis
    • Peytona
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
      • Peytona is located in Boone County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peytona
    • Racine
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
      • Racine is located in Boone County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Racine
    • Ridgeview
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
      • Ridgeview is located in Boone County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ridgeview
    • Bloomingrose
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
      • Bloomingrose is located in Boone County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bloomingrose
  • Cabell County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ruthdale, with the one closest to Ruthdale listed first.
    • Culloden
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
      • Culloden is located in Cabell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Culloden
    • Milton
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
    • Fudges Creek
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
      • Fudges Creek is located in Cabell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fudges Creek
    • Yates Crossing
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
      • Yates Crossing is located in Cabell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yates Crossing
    • Ona
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
    • Salt Rock
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
    • Sarah
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
      • Sarah is located in Cabell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sarah
  • Clay County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ruthdale, with the one closest to Ruthdale listed first.
    • Porter
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Porter is located in Clay County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Porter
    • Bomont
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
      • Bomont is located in Clay County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bomont
    • Procious
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Procious is located in Clay County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Procious
  • Fayette County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ruthdale, with the one closest to Ruthdale listed first.
    • Montgomery
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
    • Cannelton
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
      • Cannelton is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cannelton
    • Crescent
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Crescent is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crescent
    • Smithers
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
    • Elkridge
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Elkridge is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elkridge
    • Kimberly
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Kimberly is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kimberly
    • Mount Carbon
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Mount Carbon is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Carbon
    • Powellton
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Powellton is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Powellton
    • McDunn
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
      • McDunn is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McDunn
    • Falls View
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Falls View is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Falls View
    • Gauley Bridge
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
  • Jackson County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ruthdale, with the one closest to Ruthdale listed first.
    • Romance
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
      • Romance is located in Jackson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Romance
    • Fletcher
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
      • Fletcher is located in Jackson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fletcher
    • Kenna
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
    • Kentuck
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
      • Kentuck is located in Jackson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kentuck
    • Fairplain
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
      • Fairplain is located in Jackson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairplain
    • Statts Mills
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
      • Statts Mills is located in Jackson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Statts Mills
    • Aplin ‑ Historic
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • Aplin is located in Jackson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aplin
  • Lincoln County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ruthdale, with the one closest to Ruthdale listed first.
    • Alum Creek
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
    • Priestley
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Priestley is located in Lincoln County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Priestley
    • Sod
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Sod is located in Lincoln County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sod
    • Garretts Bend
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
      • Garretts Bend is located in Lincoln County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garretts Bend
    • Tango
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Tango is located in Lincoln County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tango
    • East ‑ Historic
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
      • East is located in Lincoln County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East
    • Yawkey
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Yawkey is located in Lincoln County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yawkey
    • Alkol
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Alkol is located in Lincoln County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alkol
    • Sweetland
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
      • Sweetland is located in Lincoln County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sweetland
    • Palermo
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Palermo is located in Lincoln County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Palermo
    • Hamlin
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
    • Myra
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
      • Myra is located in Lincoln County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Myra
    • Portersville
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
      • Portersville is located in Lincoln County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Portersville
  • Logan County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ruthdale, with the one closest to Ruthdale listed first.
    • Banco
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Banco is located in Logan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Banco
    • Big Creek
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Big Creek is located in Logan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Big Creek
    • Sodom
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
      • Sodom is located in Logan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sodom
    • Chapmanville
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
  • Mason County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ruthdale, with the one closest to Ruthdale listed first.
    • Upland
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Upland is located in Mason County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Upland
    • Grimms Landing
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Grimms Landing is located in Mason County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grimms Landing
    • Arbuckle
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Arbuckle is located in Mason County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arbuckle
    • Southside
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Southside is located in Mason County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Southside
  • Nicholas County
    • Dixie
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
      • Dixie is located in Nicholas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dixie
  • Putnam County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ruthdale, with the one closest to Ruthdale listed first.
    • Poca
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Morgans Landing
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Morgans Landing is located in Putnam County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morgans Landing
    • Raymond City
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Raymond City is located in Putnam County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Raymond City
    • Scott Village
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Scott Village is located in Putnam County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Scott Village
    • Bancroft
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Bancroft is located in Putnam County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bancroft
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 596 people
    • Teays Valley
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Teays Village
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Teays Village is located in Putnam County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Teays Village
    • Hurricane
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Red House
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Winfield
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Paradise
      (18 miles [29 km] to the north)
      • Paradise is located in Putnam County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Paradise
    • Sigman
      (18 miles [29 km] to the north)
      • Sigman is located in Putnam County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sigman
    • Eleanor
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
  • Raleigh County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ruthdale, with the one closest to Ruthdale listed first.
    • Packsville
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Packsville is located in Raleigh County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Packsville
    • Montcoal
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
      • Montcoal is located in Raleigh County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Montcoal
    • Dorothy
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Dorothy is located in Raleigh County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dorothy
    • Stickney
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
      • Stickney is located in Raleigh County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stickney
  • Roane County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ruthdale, with the one closest to Ruthdale listed first.
    • Cicerone
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
      • Cicerone is located in Roane County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cicerone
    • Mattie ‑ Historic
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Mattie is located in Roane County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mattie
    • Woodyard ‑ Historic
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Woodyard is located in Roane County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodyard
    • Walton
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Kester ‑ Historic
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Kester is located in Roane County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kester

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

Cemeteries Near Ruthdale ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Ruthdale.

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

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

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

  • Graceland Memorial Park
    (Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Graceland Memorial Park
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Graceland Memorial Park is a large cemetery that is located 5 miles [8 km]<2> to the west of Charleston.
    • The Graceland Memorial Park has also been known as:
    • Graceland Cemetery
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #78482 <3>
  • French Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the east)
  • Childress Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
  • Cobbs Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
  • Sunset Memorial Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
  • Grandview Memorial Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
  • Mt. Joy Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
  • Adkins Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
  • Glendale Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
  • Bays Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
  • Thurston Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
  • Bess Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
  • Continue List   (830 more) ...
    • St. Matthews Church Cemetery
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
    • Haws Cemetery
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Martin / Dunlap Cemetery
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)

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.<4>

While we didn't find Ruthdale in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Ruthdale.

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

  • Davis Creek
    (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
    • Davis Creek is located in Kanawha County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Davis Creek
  • Spring Hill
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
  • Mound ‑ Historic
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
    • Mound is located in Kanawha County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mound
  • South Ruffner
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
    • South Ruffner is located in Kanawha County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Ruffner
  • Charleston
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • Saint Albans
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Kanawha City
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
    • Kanawha City is located in Kanawha County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kanawha City
  • Sattes
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Sattes is located in Kanawha County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sattes
  • Tornado
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
    • Tornado is located in Kanawha County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tornado
  • Malden
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
  • Rocky Fork
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
    • Rocky Fork is located in Kanawha County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rocky Fork
  • Scary
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Scary is located in Putnam County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Scary
  • Continue List   (20 more) ...
    • Garretts Bend
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
      • Garretts Bend is located in Lincoln County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garretts Bend
    • Poca
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Mink ‑ Historic
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Mink is located in Kanawha County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mink

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

Newspapers Published in Ruthdale ...

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 107 newspapers that have been published in the area around Ruthdale.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Ruthdale, there are papers which were published within 12 miles [19.3 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Ruthdale.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we first turn to 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 Ruthdale:

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>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- Ruthdale) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.
<3>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.
<4>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 Ruthdale, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.