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 Silver Lake (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 Silver Lake. 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.
Name Variations for Silver Lake ...
When searching records, keep in mind that names and their spelling can change over time. Our sources include documents like maps, railroad schedules, Travel, Express and Shipping Guides. Many of these documents date from the 1800's and it's common to find spelling differences.
Although we can't give a definitive list, hopefully the following will give you a feel for the variations that might occur.
For example, a typical abbreviation for Silver Lake: Silver Lk.
You might be interested in other communities that are also named Silver Lake. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Silver Lake.
If you have information about these names (such as the reason for the change, date of change, the origin of the name), please Contact Us.
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 southwest 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 south.
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 south 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.
Silver Lake is located in Preston 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 Preston County: Garrett (MD), Fayette (PA), Barbour, Grant, Monongalia, Taylor & Tucker.
Below are the counties that are near Silver Lake. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Silver Lake:
- Preston County (The home county of Silver Lake)
- The following are listed by their distance from Silver Lake, with the one closest to Silver Lake listed first.
- Horse Shoe Run
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Horse Shoe Run is located in Preston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Horse Shoe Run
- Sell
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Sell is located in Preston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sell
- Aurora
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Carmel
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Carmel is located in Preston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carmel
- Salt Lick
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Salt Lick is located in Preston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Salt Lick
- Macomber
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Macomber is located in Preston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Macomber
- Rowlesburg
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Terra Alta
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Heathers Run
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Heathers Run is located in Preston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Heathers Run
- Tunnelton
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Albright
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Kingwood
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Barbour County
- The following are listed by their distance from Silver Lake, with the one closest to Silver Lake listed first.
- Kasson
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Kasson is located in Barbour County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kasson
- Valley Furnace
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Valley Furnace is located in Barbour County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Valley Furnace
- Kalamazoo
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Kalamazoo is located in Barbour County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kalamazoo
- Huffman ‑ Historic
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Huffman is located in Barbour County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Huffman
- Clemtown
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Clemtown is located in Barbour County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clemtown
- Arden
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Arden is located in Barbour County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arden
- Vannoys Mill
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Vannoys Mill is located in Barbour County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vannoys Mill
- Belington
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Calhoun
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Calhoun is located in Barbour County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Calhoun
- Valley Bend
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Meriden
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Meriden is located in Barbour County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meriden
- Pleasant Creek ‑ Historic
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Pleasant Creek is located in Barbour County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Creek
- Grant County
- The following are listed by their distance from Silver Lake, with the one closest to Silver Lake listed first.
- Dobbin
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Dobbin is located in Grant County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dobbin
- Wilson
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Wilson is located in Grant County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilson
- Bayard
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Bayard is located in Grant County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bayard
- Population from the 2020 Census: 258 people
- Greenland
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Greenland is located in Grant County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenland
- Maysville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Maysville is located in Grant County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maysville
- Hopeville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Hopeville is located in Grant County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hopeville
- Lahmansville
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Lahmansville is located in Grant County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lahmansville
- Medley
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Arthur
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Arthur is located in Grant County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arthur
- Seymourville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Seymourville is located in Grant County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seymourville
- Petersburg
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Pansy
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Pansy is located in Grant County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pansy
- Hardy County
- Durgon
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Durgon is located in Hardy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Durgon
- Marion County
- The following are listed by their distance from Silver Lake, with the one closest to Silver Lake listed first.
- Neel ‑ Historic
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Neel is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Neel
- Hebron
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Hebron is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hebron
- Mineral County
- The following are listed by their distance from Silver Lake, with the one closest to Silver Lake listed first.
- Schell
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Schell is located in Mineral County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Schell
- Harrison
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Harrison is located in Mineral County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harrison
- Hartmansville
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Hartmansville is located in Mineral County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hartmansville
- Sulphur City
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Sulphur City is located in Mineral County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sulphur City
- Elk Garden
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Shaw
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Shaw is located in Mineral County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shaw
- Windom ‑ Historic
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Windom is located in Mineral County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Windom
- New Creek
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Piedmont
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Keyser
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Pendleton County
- The following are listed by their distance from Silver Lake, with the one closest to Silver Lake listed first.
- Onego
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Onego is located in Pendleton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Onego
- Ketterman
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Ketterman is located in Pendleton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ketterman
- Randolph County
- The following are listed by their distance from Silver Lake, with the one closest to Silver Lake listed first.
- Dryfork
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Pettit ‑ Historic
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Pettit is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pettit
- Montrose
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Montrose is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Montrose
- Population from the 2020 Census: 151 people
- Harman
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Harperton
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Harperton is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harperton
- Wymer
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Wymer is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wymer
- Whyte
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Whyte is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whyte
- Evenwood
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Evenwood is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Evenwood
- Gilman
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Gilman is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gilman
- Canfield
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Canfield is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Canfield
- Leadsville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Leadsville is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leadsville
- Elkins
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Taylor County
- The following are listed by their distance from Silver Lake, with the one closest to Silver Lake listed first.
- Sandy ‑ Historic
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Sandy is located in Taylor County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sandy
- Thornton
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Thornton is located in Taylor County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thornton
- Knottsville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Knottsville is located in Taylor County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Knottsville
- Stone House ‑ Historic
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Stone House is located in Taylor County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stone House
- Grafton
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- West Grafton
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- West Grafton is located in Taylor County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Grafton
- Yates ‑ Historic
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Yates is located in Taylor County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yates
- Fetterman
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Fetterman is located in Taylor County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fetterman
- Webster
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Webster is located in Taylor County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Webster
- Brydon
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Brydon is located in Taylor County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brydon
- Tucker County
- The following are listed by their distance from Silver Lake, with the one closest to Silver Lake listed first.
- Pierce
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Pierce is located in Tucker County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pierce
- Thomas
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Coketon
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Coketon is located in Tucker County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coketon
- Davis
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Hambleton
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Hambleton is located in Tucker County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hambleton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 212 people
- Hendricks
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Hendricks is located in Tucker County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hendricks
- Population from the 2020 Census: 254 people
- Parsons
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Canaan Valley
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Elk
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Elk is located in Tucker County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elk
- Porterwood
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Porterwood is located in Tucker County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Porterwood
- Gladwin
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Gladwin is located in Tucker County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gladwin
- Pleasant Run
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Pleasant Run is located in Tucker County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Run
- Allegany County (MD)
- The following are listed by their distance from Silver Lake, with the one closest to Silver Lake listed first.
- Luke
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Luke is located in Allegany County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Luke
- Population from the 2020 Census: 60 people
- Westernport
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Garrett County (MD)
- The following are listed by their distance from Silver Lake, with the one closest to Silver Lake listed first.
- Red House
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Red House is located in Garrett County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red House
- Wilson
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Wilson is located in Garrett County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilson
- Fort Pendleton
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Fort Pendleton is located in Garrett County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fort Pendleton
- Hutton
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Hutton is located in Garrett County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hutton
- Loch Lynn Heights
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Loch Lynn Heights is located in Garrett County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Loch Lynn Heights
- Population from the 2020 Census: 525 people
- Oakland
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Oakland is located in Garrett County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,803 people
- Mountain Lake Park
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Mountain Lake Park is located in Garrett County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mountain Lake Park
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,065 people
- Deer Park
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Schell
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Schell is located in Garrett County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Schell
- Altamont
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Altamont is located in Garrett County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Altamont
- Kitzmiller
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Swanton
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Silver Lake, see our County-by-County Page for Silver Lake.
Cemeteries Near Silver Lake ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Silver Lake.
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 Silver Lake - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Silver Lake covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Silver Lake, with the one closest to Silver Lake listed first.
- Gnegy Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Kight Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Maple Spring Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Accident Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Fairview Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Red House Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Fike / Wolfe Family Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Beachy Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Knotts Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Rose Hill Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Nine Family Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Fairview Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Continue List (215 more) ...
- Hile Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Thomas Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Moreland Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
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 Silver Lake in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Silver Lake.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Silver Lake, with the one closest to Silver Lake listed first.
- Horse Shoe Run
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Horse Shoe Run is located in Preston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Horse Shoe Run
- Eglon
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Eglon is located in Preston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eglon
- Wilsonia
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Wilsonia is located in Grant County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilsonia
- Dobbin
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Dobbin is located in Grant County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dobbin
- Sell
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Sell is located in Preston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sell
- Brookside
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Brookside is located in Preston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brookside
- William
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- William is located in Tucker County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for William
- Wilson
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Wilson is located in Garrett County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilson
- Wilson
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Wilson is located in Grant County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilson
- Aurora
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Lead Mine
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Lead Mine is located in Tucker County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lead Mine
- Carmel
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Carmel is located in Preston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carmel
- Continue List (17 more) ...
- Sunnyside
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Sunnyside is located in Garrett County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sunnyside
- Thomas
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Bayard
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Bayard is located in Grant County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bayard
- Population from the 2020 Census: 258 people
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Silver Lake. See our List of 1890's Communities around Silver Lake.
Newspapers Published in Silver Lake ...
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 32 newspapers that have been published in the area around Silver Lake.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Silver Lake, there are papers which were published within 18 miles [29 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Silver Lake.
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 Silver Lake:
- Websites specific to West Virginia
- Pages specific to Preston County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Barbour County
- Grant County
- Hardy County
- Marion County
- Mineral County
- Pendleton County
- Randolph County
- Taylor County
- Tucker County
- Allegany County
- Garrett 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 Maryland Historical Trust (MHT) has created and maintains a database of historic properties that is called MIHP (for the Maryland Inventory of Historic Properties). More information about the MHT and MIHP can be found on their website: mht.maryland.gov. |
| <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 Silver Lake, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <4> | 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 from Point A (ie- Silver Lake) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |