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 Whitby (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 Whitby. 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 southeast 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 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 east 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.
Whitby is located in Raleigh 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 Raleigh County: Boone, Fayette, Kanawha, Mercer, Summers & Wyoming.
Below are the counties that are near Whitby. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Whitby:
- Raleigh County (The home county of Whitby)
- The following are listed by their distance from Whitby, with the one closest to Whitby listed first.
- Coal City
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Coal City is located in Raleigh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coal City
- Sullivan
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Sullivan is located in Raleigh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sullivan
- Princewick
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Princewick is located in Raleigh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Princewick
- Tilden
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Tilden is located in Raleigh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tilden
- Pemberton
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Pemberton is located in Raleigh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pemberton
- Sophia
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Shady Spring
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Crab Orchard
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Stotesbury
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Stotesbury is located in Raleigh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stotesbury
- Beaver
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Daniels
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Glen White
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Glen White is located in Raleigh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glen White
- Eastgulf
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Eastgulf is located in Raleigh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eastgulf
- Boone County
- The following are listed by their distance from Whitby, with the one closest to Whitby listed first.
- Greenwood
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Greenwood is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenwood
- Rocklick
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Rocklick is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rocklick
- Bald Knob
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Bald Knob is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bald Knob
- Lindytown ‑ Historic
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Lindytown is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lindytown
- Whitesville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Whitesville is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whitesville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 416 people
- Former names for Whitesville:
- Jarrods Valley
- Pritchard City
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Whitesville <1>
- Elk Run Junction
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Elk Run Junction is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elk Run Junction
- Janie
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Janie is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Janie
- Former name for Janie:
- Mordue
- Twilight
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Twilight is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Twilight
- Barrett
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Barrett is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barrett
- Fayette County
- The following are listed by their distance from Whitby, with the one closest to Whitby listed first.
- Prince
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Kilsyth
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Kilsyth is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kilsyth
- Mount Hope
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Quinnimont
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Quinnimont is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Quinnimont
- McKendree
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- McKendree is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McKendree
- Pax
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Pax is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pax
- Population from the 2020 Census: 150 people
- White Oak Junction
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- White Oak Junction is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White Oak Junction
- Harvey
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Harvey is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harvey
- Redstar
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Redstar is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Redstar
- Roseville ‑ Historic
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Roseville is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roseville
- Alaska ‑ Historic
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Alaska is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alaska
- Newlyn ‑ Historic
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Newlyn is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newlyn
- Sewell Knob ‑ Historic
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Sewell Knob is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sewell Knob
- Sewell Knob has also been known as:
- Swell Knob
- Greenbrier County
- The following are listed by their distance from Whitby, with the one closest to Whitby listed first.
- Alderson
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Vale
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Vale is located in Greenbrier County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vale
- Kanawha County
- The following are listed by their distance from Whitby, with the one closest to Whitby listed first.
- Carbon
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Carbon is located in Kanawha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carbon
- Acme
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Acme is located in Kanawha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Acme
- Logan County
- Rich Creek
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Rich Creek is located in Logan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rich Creek
- McDowell County
- The following are listed by their distance from Whitby, with the one closest to Whitby listed first.
- Northfork
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Elkhorn
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Elkhorn is located in McDowell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elkhorn
- Keystone
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Kyle
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Kyle is located in McDowell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kyle
- Kimball
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Big Four
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Big Four is located in McDowell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Big Four
- Anawalt
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Anawalt is located in McDowell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Anawalt
- Population from the 2020 Census: 172 people
- Thorpe
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Thorpe is located in McDowell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thorpe
- Welch
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Davy
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Davy is located in McDowell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Davy
- Population from the 2020 Census: 324 people
- Gary
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Gary is located in McDowell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gary
- Population from the 2020 Census: 759 people
- Mercer County
- The following are listed by their distance from Whitby, with the one closest to Whitby listed first.
- Lashmeet
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Lashmeet is located in Mercer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lashmeet
- Matoaka
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Matoaka is located in Mercer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Matoaka
- Population from the 2020 Census: 193 people
- Weyanoke
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Weyanoke is located in Mercer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weyanoke
- Athens
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Oak Grove
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Oak Grove is located in Mercer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Grove
- Johnston Town
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Johnston Town is located in Mercer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Johnston Town
- Montcalm
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Montcalm is located in Mercer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Montcalm
- Princeton
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Coaldale
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Coaldale is located in Mercer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coaldale
- Flipping
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Flipping is located in Mercer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flipping
- El Centro ‑ Historic
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- El Centro is located in Mercer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for El Centro
- Littlesburg
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Littlesburg is located in Mercer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Littlesburg
- Elgood
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Elgood is located in Mercer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elgood
- Monroe County
- The following are listed by their distance from Whitby, with the one closest to Whitby listed first.
- Ballard
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Ballard is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ballard
- Creamery
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Creamery is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Creamery
- Wayside
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Wayside is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wayside
- Peterstown
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Assurance
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Assurance is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Assurance
- Wolfcreek
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Wolfcreek is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wolfcreek
- Summers County
- The following are listed by their distance from Whitby, with the one closest to Whitby listed first.
- Jumping Branch
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Jumping Branch is located in Summers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jumping Branch
- Nimitz
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Nimitz is located in Summers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nimitz
- Pipestem
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- True
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- True is located in Summers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for True
- Brooklin
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Brooklin is located in Summers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brooklin
- Packs Ferry
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Packs Ferry is located in Summers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Packs Ferry
- Bellepoint
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Bellepoint is located in Summers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bellepoint
- Hinton
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- New Richmond ‑ Historic
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- New Richmond is located in Summers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Richmond
- Sandstone
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Buck
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Buck is located in Summers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buck
- Mercers Saltworks ‑ Historic
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Mercers Saltworks is located in Summers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mercers Saltworks
- Hilldale
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Hilldale is located in Summers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hilldale
- Wyoming County
- The following are listed by their distance from Whitby, with the one closest to Whitby listed first.
- Mullens
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Bud
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Bud is located in Wyoming County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bud
- Keyrock
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Keyrock is located in Wyoming County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keyrock
- Rock View
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Rock View is located in Wyoming County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock View
- Pineville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Kopperston
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Kopperston is located in Wyoming County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kopperston
- Mullensville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Mullensville is located in Wyoming County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mullensville
- Turkey
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Turkey is located in Wyoming County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Turkey
- Wyoming
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Wyoming is located in Wyoming County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wyoming
- Woosley
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Woosley is located in Wyoming County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woosley
- Oceana
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Fanny
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Fanny is located in Wyoming County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fanny
- Stoneville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Stoneville is located in Wyoming County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stoneville
- Bland County (VA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Whitby, with the one closest to Whitby listed first.
- Rocky Gap
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Rocky Gap is located in Bland County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rocky Gap
- Round Bottom
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Round Bottom is located in Bland County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Round Bottom
- Giles County (VA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Whitby, with the one closest to Whitby listed first.
- Glen Lyn
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Glen Lyn is located in Giles County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glen Lyn
- Population from the 2020 Census: 97 people
- Lurich
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Lurich is located in Giles County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lurich
- Rich Creek
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Narrows
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Shumate
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Shumate is located in Giles County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shumate
- Tazewell County (VA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Whitby, with the one closest to Whitby listed first.
- Pocahontas
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Pocahontas is located in Tazewell County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pocahontas
- Population from the 2020 Census: 348 people
- Yards
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Yards is located in Tazewell County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yards
- Falls Mills
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Falls Mills is located in Tazewell County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Falls Mills
- Bluefield
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Boissevain
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Boissevain is located in Tazewell County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boissevain
- Saint Clair
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Saint Clair is located in Tazewell County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Clair
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Whitby, see our County-by-County Page for Whitby.
Cemeteries Near Whitby ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Whitby.
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 Whitby - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Whitby covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Whitby, with the one closest to Whitby listed first.
- Pemberton Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Crook Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Russ Lilly Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Brammer Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Lilly Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Camp Creek Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Williams Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Hall Family Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hall Family Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Hall Family Cemetery is located less than 2 miles<3> to the north of Shady Spring.
- Wright Hunter Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Cannaday Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Slab Fork Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Oak Grove Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Continue List (438 more) ...
- Greenwood Memorial Park
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Wildwood Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Miller Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
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 Whitby in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Whitby.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Whitby, with the one closest to Whitby listed first.
- Pemberton
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Pemberton is located in Raleigh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pemberton
- Odd
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Odd is located in Raleigh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Odd
- Shady Spring
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Flat Top
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Daniels
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Lester
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Lester is located in Raleigh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lester
- Population from the 2020 Census: 312 people
- Egeria
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Egeria is located in Mercer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Egeria
- Crow
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Crow is located in Raleigh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crow
- Dunns
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Dunns is located in Mercer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunns
- Ellison
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Ellison is located in Summers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ellison
- Jumping Branch
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Jumping Branch is located in Summers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jumping Branch
- Prosperity
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Prosperity is located in Raleigh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prosperity
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Grandview
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Grandview is located in Raleigh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grandview
- Matville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Matville is located in Raleigh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Matville
- Pipestem
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Whitby. See our List of 1890's Communities around Whitby.
Newspapers Published in Whitby ...
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 14 newspapers that have been published in the area around Whitby.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Whitby, there are papers which were published within 12 miles [19.3 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Whitby.
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 professional and volunteer 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 Whitby:
- Websites specific to West Virginia
- Pages specific to Raleigh County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Boone County
- Fayette County
- Greenbrier County
- Kanawha County
- Logan County
- McDowell County
- Mercer County
- Monroe County
- Summers County
- Wyoming County
- Bland County
- Giles County
- Tazewell 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> | 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- Whitby) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |
| <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 Whitby, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |