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 Ryan (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 Ryan. 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 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 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.
Ryan is located in Roane 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 Roane County: Calhoun, Clay, Jackson, Kanawha & Wirt.
Below are the counties that are near Ryan. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Ryan:
- Roane County (The home county of Ryan)
- The following are listed by their distance from Ryan, with the one closest to Ryan listed first.
- Woodyard ‑ Historic
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Woodyard is located in Roane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodyard
- Mattie ‑ Historic
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Mattie is located in Roane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mattie
- Cicerone
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Cicerone is located in Roane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cicerone
- Walton
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Zona
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Zona is located in Roane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zona
- Flint Town
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Flint Town is located in Roane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flint Town
- Rushville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Rushville is located in Roane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rushville
- Kester ‑ Historic
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Kester is located in Roane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kester
- Looneyville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Roxalana
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Roxalana is located in Roane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roxalana
- Graux
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Graux is located in Roane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Graux
- Spencer
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Pigeon
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Pigeon is located in Roane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pigeon
- Braxton County
- The following are listed by their distance from Ryan, with the one closest to Ryan listed first.
- Elmira
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Elmira is located in Braxton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elmira
- Sleith ‑ Historic
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Sleith is located in Braxton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sleith
- Clem
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Clem is located in Braxton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clem
- Calhoun County
- The following are listed by their distance from Ryan, with the one closest to Ryan listed first.
- Pink
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Pink is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pink
- Oka
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Oka is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oka
- Beech
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Beech is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beech
- Rocksdale
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Rocksdale is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rocksdale
- Mudfork
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Mudfork is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mudfork
- Orma
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Orma is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orma
- Stinson
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Stinson is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stinson
- Arnoldsburg
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Arnoldsburg is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arnoldsburg
- Gomez ‑ Historic
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Gomez is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gomez
- Walnut
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Walnut is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walnut
- Hur
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Hur is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hur
- Losie ‑ Historic
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Losie is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Losie
- Big Bend
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Big Bend is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Big Bend
- Clay County
- The following are listed by their distance from Ryan, with the one closest to Ryan listed first.
- Porter
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Porter is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Porter
- Procious
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Procious is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Procious
- Bomont
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Bomont is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bomont
- Valley Fork
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Valley Fork is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Valley Fork
- Elkhurst
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Elkhurst is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elkhurst
- Dink
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Dink is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dink
- Lydia
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Lydia is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lydia
- Spread
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Spread is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spread
- Gould
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Gould is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gould
- Clay
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Hartland
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Hartland is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hartland
- Ira
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Ira is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ira
- Harrison
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Harrison is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harrison
- Gilmer County
- The following are listed by their distance from Ryan, with the one closest to Ryan listed first.
- Shock
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Shock is located in Gilmer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shock
- Stumptown
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Stumptown is located in Gilmer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stumptown
- Jackson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Ryan, with the one closest to Ryan listed first.
- Fletcher
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Fletcher is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fletcher
- Kentuck
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Kentuck is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kentuck
- Romance
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Romance is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Romance
- Aplin ‑ Historic
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Aplin is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aplin
- Statts Mills
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Statts Mills is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Statts Mills
- Kenna
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Fairplain
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Fairplain is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairplain
- Hereford
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Hereford is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hereford
- Liverpool
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Liverpool is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Liverpool
- Ripley
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Meadowdale
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Meadowdale is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meadowdale
- Garfield
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Garfield is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garfield
- Odaville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Odaville is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Odaville
- Kanawha County
- The following are listed by their distance from Ryan, with the one closest to Ryan listed first.
- Island Branch
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Island Branch is located in Kanawha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Island Branch
- Aarons
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Aarons is located in Kanawha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aarons
- Wellford
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Wellford is located in Kanawha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wellford
- Sissonville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Falling Rock
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Falling Rock is located in Kanawha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Falling Rock
- Wills
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Wills is located in Kanawha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wills
- Youngs Bottom
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Youngs Bottom is located in Kanawha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Youngs Bottom
- Clendenin
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Reamer
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Reamer is located in Kanawha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reamer
- Legg
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Legg is located in Kanawha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Legg
- Elkview
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Jarretts Ford
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Jarretts Ford is located in Kanawha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jarretts Ford
- Three Mile
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Three Mile is located in Kanawha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Three Mile
- Lincoln County
- Alum Creek
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Mason County
- The following are listed by their distance from Ryan, with the one closest to Ryan listed first.
- Baden
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Baden is located in Mason County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Baden
- Grimms Landing
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Grimms Landing is located in Mason County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grimms Landing
- Arbuckle
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Arbuckle is located in Mason County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arbuckle
- Leon
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Leon is located in Mason County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leon
- Population from the 2020 Census: 145 people
- Southside
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Southside is located in Mason County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Southside
- Letart
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Letart is located in Mason County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Letart
- Nicholas County
- Dixie
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Dixie is located in Nicholas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dixie
- Putnam County
- The following are listed by their distance from Ryan, with the one closest to Ryan listed first.
- Liberty
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Liberty is located in Putnam County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Liberty
- Sigman
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Sigman is located in Putnam County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sigman
- Paradise
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Paradise is located in Putnam County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Paradise
- Bancroft
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Bancroft is located in Putnam County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bancroft
- Population from the 2020 Census: 596 people
- Poca
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Raymond City
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Raymond City is located in Putnam County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Raymond City
- Morgans Landing
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Morgans Landing is located in Putnam County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morgans Landing
- Red House
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Winfield
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Eleanor
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Midway
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Midway is located in Putnam County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Midway
- Buffalo
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Indian Village
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Indian Village is located in Putnam County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Indian Village
- Wirt County
- The following are listed by their distance from Ryan, with the one closest to Ryan listed first.
- Lucile
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Lucile is located in Wirt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lucile
- Peewee
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Peewee is located in Wirt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peewee
- Creston
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Creston is located in Wirt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Creston
- Burning Springs
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Burning Springs is located in Wirt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burning Springs
- Palestine
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Palestine is located in Wirt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Palestine
- Windy
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Windy is located in Wirt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Windy
- Elizabeth
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Meigs County (OH)
- The following are listed by their distance from Ryan, with the one closest to Ryan listed first.
- Letart Falls
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Letart Falls is located in Meigs County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Letart Falls
- Plants
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Plants is located in Meigs County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plants
- Portland
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Ryan, see our County-by-County Page for Ryan.
Cemeteries Near Ryan ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Ryan.
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 Ryan - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Ryan covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Ryan, with the one closest to Ryan listed first.
- Mt. Moriah Baptist Church Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Larch Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Ferrell Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Hunt Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Lowe Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Jarvis Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Price Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Hunt Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Droddy Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Rhodes Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Whited Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Gandee Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Continue List (702 more) ...
- Harper Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Westfall Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Presley Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
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, Ryan had a post office and no railroad service.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Ryan, with the one closest to Ryan listed first.
- Woodyard ‑ Historic
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Woodyard is located in Roane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodyard
- Cicerone
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Cicerone is located in Roane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cicerone
- Mattie ‑ Historic
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Mattie is located in Roane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mattie
- Walton
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Countsville
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Countsville is located in Roane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Countsville
- Flatfork
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Flatfork is located in Roane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flatfork
- Kettle
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Kettle is located in Roane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kettle
- Higby ‑ Historic
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Higby is located in Roane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Higby
- Island Branch
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Island Branch is located in Kanawha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Island Branch
- Gandeeville
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Gandeeville is located in Roane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gandeeville
- Zona
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Zona is located in Roane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zona
- Red Knob
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Red Knob is located in Roane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Knob
- Continue List (17 more) ...
- Kentuck
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Kentuck is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kentuck
- Blundon
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Blundon is located in Kanawha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blundon
- Buffalolick ‑ Historic
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Buffalolick is located in Roane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buffalolick
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Ryan. See our List of 1890's Communities around Ryan.
Newspapers Published in Ryan ...
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 Ryan.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Ryan, there are papers which were published within 17 miles [27.4 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Ryan.
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 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 Ryan:
- Websites specific to West Virginia
- Pages specific to Roane County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Braxton County
- Calhoun County
- Clay County
- Gilmer County
- Jackson County
- Kanawha County
- Lincoln County
- Mason County
- Nicholas County
- Putnam County
- Wirt County
- Meigs 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 Ryan, 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 things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Ryan) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |