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 Shanks (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 Shanks. 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 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.
Shanks is located in Hampshire 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 Hampshire County: Allegany (MD), Frederick (VA), Hardy, Mineral & Morgan.
Below are the counties that are near Shanks. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Shanks:
- Hampshire County (The home county of Shanks)
- The following are listed by their distance from Shanks, with the one closest to Shanks listed first.
- Augusta
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Romney
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Vance
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Vance is located in Hampshire County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vance
- Three Churches
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Three Churches is located in Hampshire County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Three Churches
- Wapocomo
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Wapocomo is located in Hampshire County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wapocomo
- Ritters
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Ritters is located in Hampshire County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ritters
- Sedan
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Sedan is located in Hampshire County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sedan
- North River Mills
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- North River Mills is located in Hampshire County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North River Mills
- Springfield
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Higginsville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Higginsville is located in Hampshire County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Higginsville
- Points
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Points is located in Hampshire County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Points
- Slanesville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Slanesville is located in Hampshire County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Slanesville
- Junction
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Junction is located in Hampshire County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Junction
- Grant County
- The following are listed by their distance from Shanks, with the one closest to Shanks listed first.
- Medley
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Lahmansville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Lahmansville is located in Grant County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lahmansville
- Greenland
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Greenland is located in Grant County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenland
- Arthur
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Arthur is located in Grant County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arthur
- Maysville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Maysville is located in Grant County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maysville
- Seymourville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Seymourville is located in Grant County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seymourville
- Hardy County
- The following are listed by their distance from Shanks, with the one closest to Shanks listed first.
- Inkerman
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Inkerman is located in Hardy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Inkerman
- Wardensville
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Baker
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Baker is located in Hardy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Baker
- Fort Run
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Fort Run is located in Hardy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fort Run
- Moorefield
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Lost City
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Durgon
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Durgon is located in Hardy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Durgon
- Mineral County
- The following are listed by their distance from Shanks, with the one closest to Shanks listed first.
- Headsville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Headsville is located in Mineral County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Headsville
- Burlington
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Fort Ashby
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Keyser
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Short Gap
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Short Gap is located in Mineral County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Short Gap
- New Creek
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Wiley Ford
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Carpendale
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Carpendale is located in Mineral County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carpendale
- Population from the 2020 Census: 900 people
- Piedmont
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Ridgeley
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Hartmansville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Hartmansville is located in Mineral County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hartmansville
- Shaw
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Shaw is located in Mineral County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shaw
- Sulphur City
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Sulphur City is located in Mineral County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sulphur City
- Morgan County
- The following are listed by their distance from Shanks, with the one closest to Shanks listed first.
- Paw Paw
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Magnolia
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Magnolia is located in Morgan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Magnolia
- Hansrote
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Hansrote is located in Morgan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hansrote
- Doe Gully
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Doe Gully is located in Morgan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Doe Gully
- Oakland
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Oakland is located in Morgan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakland
- Orleans Cross Roads
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Orleans Cross Roads is located in Morgan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orleans Cross Roads
- Stotlers Crossroads
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Stotlers Crossroads is located in Morgan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stotlers Crossroads
- Woodmont
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Woodmont is located in Morgan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodmont
- Allegany County (MD)
- The following are listed by their distance from Shanks, with the one closest to Shanks listed first.
- Oldtown
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Spring Gap
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Spring Gap is located in Allegany County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spring Gap
- Rawlings
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Keifers
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Keifers is located in Allegany County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keifers
- Frost ‑ Historic
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Frost is located in Allegany County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frost
- Pinto
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Pinto is located in Allegany County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pinto
- Brady
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Brady is located in Allegany County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brady
- Cresaptown
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Cedar Cliff
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Cedar Cliff is located in Allegany County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar Cliff
- Town Creek ‑ Historic
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Town Creek is located in Allegany County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Town Creek
- Luke
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Luke is located in Allegany County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Luke
- Population from the 2020 Census: 60 people
- Westernport
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Barton
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Barton is located in Allegany County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 419 people
- Garrett County (MD)
- The following are listed by their distance from Shanks, with the one closest to Shanks listed first.
- Bloomington
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Bloomington is located in Garrett County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bloomington
- Kitzmiller
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Avilton
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Avilton is located in Garrett County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avilton
- Schell
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Schell is located in Garrett County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Schell
- Swanton
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Washington County (MD)
- Pearre
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Pearre is located in Washington County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pearre
- Bedford County (PA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Shanks, with the one closest to Shanks listed first.
- Cooks Mills
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Cooks Mills is located in Bedford County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cooks Mills
- Stringtown
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Stringtown is located in Bedford County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stringtown
- Somerset County (PA)
- Wellersburg
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Wellersburg is located in Somerset County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wellersburg
- Population from the 2020 Census: 169 people
- Frederick County (VA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Shanks, with the one closest to Shanks listed first.
- Lehew
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Lehew is located in Frederick County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lehew
- Good
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Good is located in Frederick County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Good
- Rock Enon Springs
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Rock Enon Springs is located in Frederick County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock Enon Springs
- Nordic Village
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Nordic Village is located in Frederick County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nordic Village
- Mountain Falls
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Mountain Falls is located in Frederick County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mountain Falls
- Collinsville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Collinsville is located in Frederick County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Collinsville
- Cross Junction
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Hayfield
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Hayfield is located in Frederick County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hayfield
- Rosenberger
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Rosenberger is located in Frederick County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rosenberger
- Fawcett Gap
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Fawcett Gap is located in Frederick County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fawcett Gap
- Shockeysville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Shockeysville is located in Frederick County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shockeysville
- Siler
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Siler is located in Frederick County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Siler
- Chambersville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Chambersville is located in Frederick County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chambersville
- Shenandoah County (VA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Shanks, with the one closest to Shanks listed first.
- Zepp
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Zepp is located in Shenandoah County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zepp
- Mount Olive
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Mount Olive is located in Shenandoah County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Olive
- Strasburg Junction
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Strasburg Junction is located in Shenandoah County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Strasburg Junction
- Strasburg
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Toms Brook
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Maurertown
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Columbia Furnace
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Columbia Furnace is located in Shenandoah County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Columbia Furnace
- Winchester City (VA)
- Winchester
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Shanks, see our County-by-County Page for Shanks.
Cemeteries Near Shanks ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Shanks.
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 Shanks - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Shanks covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Shanks, with the one closest to Shanks listed first.
- Ebenezer Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ebenezer Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Ebenezer Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located 2 miles [3.2 km]<2> to the east of Romney.
- The Ebenezer Cemetery has also been known as:
- Ebenezer UMC Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #1098821 <3>
- Bethel Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Mountaindale Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Indian Mound Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Hotts Chapel Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Green Lane Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Heare Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- St. James Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Green Mount Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Greenwall Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Miller McCarty Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Leatherman Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Continue List (253 more) ...
- Whip Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Bever Run Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Schoemaker Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 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.<4>
While we didn't find Shanks in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Shanks.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Shanks, with the one closest to Shanks listed first.
- Augusta
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Barnes Mill
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Barnes Mill is located in Hampshire County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barnes Mill
- Romney
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Ruckman
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Ruckman is located in Hampshire County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ruckman
- Pleasantdale
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Pleasantdale is located in Hampshire County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasantdale
- Wapocomo
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Wapocomo is located in Hampshire County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wapocomo
- Three Churches
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Three Churches is located in Hampshire County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Three Churches
- Sedan
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Sedan is located in Hampshire County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sedan
- Grace
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Grace is located in Hampshire County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grace
- Kirby
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Kirby is located in Hampshire County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kirby
- Springfield
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Delray
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- North River Mills
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- North River Mills is located in Hampshire County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North River Mills
- Slanesville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Slanesville is located in Hampshire County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Slanesville
- Higginsville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Higginsville is located in Hampshire County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Higginsville
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Shanks. See our List of 1890's Communities around Shanks.
Newspapers Published in Shanks ...
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 11 newspapers that have been published in the area around Shanks.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Shanks, there are papers which were published within 17 miles [27.4 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Shanks.
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 Shanks:
- Websites specific to West Virginia
- Pages specific to Hampshire County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Grant County
- Hardy County
- Mineral County
- Morgan County
- Allegany County
- Garrett County
- Washington County
- Bedford County
- Somerset County
- Frederick County
- Shenandoah County
- Winchester City
- 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> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Shanks) 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 Shanks, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |