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 Ava (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 Ava. 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.
Ava is located in Randolph County.
To see how the shape of Alabama's counties may have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.
The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Randolph County: Chambers, Clay, Cleburne, Tallapoosa, Carroll (GA), Heard (GA) & Troup (GA).
Below are the counties that are near Ava. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Ava:
- Randolph County (The home county of Ava)
- The following are listed by their distance from Ava, with the one closest to Ava listed first.
- Rockdale
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Rockdale is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rockdale
- Wedowee
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Cambridge
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Cambridge is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cambridge
- Corbin
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Corbin is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Corbin
- Morrison Crossroad
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Morrison Crossroad is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morrison Crossroad
- Woodland
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Milner
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Milner is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Milner
- Newell
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Newell is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newell
- West
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- West is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West
- Ofelia
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Ofelia is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ofelia
- Christiana
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Christiana is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Christiana
- High Shoals
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- High Shoals is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for High Shoals
- Calhoun County
- The following are listed by their distance from Ava, with the one closest to Ava listed first.
- Friendship
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Friendship is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Friendship
- Iron City
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Iron City is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Iron City
- Choccolocco
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Choccolocco is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Choccolocco
- De Armanville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- De Armanville is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for De Armanville
- Chinnabee ‑ Historic
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Chinnabee is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chinnabee
- Oxford
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Hobson City
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Hobson City is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hobson City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 749 people
- Anniston
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Fort McClellan ‑ Historic
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Fort McClellan is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fort McClellan
- Oxanna
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Oxanna is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oxanna
- White Plains
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- White Plains is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White Plains
- Chambers County
- The following are listed by their distance from Ava, with the one closest to Ava listed first.
- Abanda
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Abanda is located in Chambers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Abanda
- Clackville
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Clackville is located in Chambers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clackville
- Doublehead
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Doublehead is located in Chambers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Doublehead
- Red Level
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Red Level is located in Chambers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Level
- Milltown
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Milltown is located in Chambers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Milltown
- McCosh Mill ‑ Historic
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- McCosh Mill is located in Chambers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McCosh Mill
- Stroud
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Stroud is located in Chambers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stroud
- Standing Rock
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Standing Rock is located in Chambers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Standing Rock
- Five Points
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Five Points is located in Chambers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Five Points
- Population from the 2020 Census: 137 people
- Penton
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Penton is located in Chambers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Penton
- Chapel Hill
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Chapel Hill is located in Chambers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chapel Hill
- Evansville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Evansville is located in Chambers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Evansville
- Clay County
- The following are listed by their distance from Ava, with the one closest to Ava listed first.
- Cragford
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Delta
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Barfield
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Barfield is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barfield
- Haynes Crossroad
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Haynes Crossroad is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Haynes Crossroad
- Lineville
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Elder
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Elder is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elder
- Motley
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Motley is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Motley
- Mellow Valley
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Mellow Valley is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mellow Valley
- Ashland
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Ashland is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ashland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,872 people
- Harkins Crossroads
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Harkins Crossroads is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harkins Crossroads
- Erin
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Erin is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Erin
- Millerville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Millerville is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millerville
- Cleburne County
- The following are listed by their distance from Ava, with the one closest to Ava listed first.
- Micaville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Micaville is located in Cleburne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Micaville
- Hightower
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Hightower is located in Cleburne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hightower
- Ranburne
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Hollis Crossroads
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Hollis Crossroads is located in Cleburne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hollis Crossroads
- Abel
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Abel is located in Cleburne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Abel
- Hopewell
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Hopewell is located in Cleburne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hopewell
- Ai
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Ai is located in Cleburne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ai
- Heflin
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Edwardsville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Edwardsville is located in Cleburne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edwardsville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 201 people
- Fruithurst
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Fruithurst is located in Cleburne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fruithurst
- Population from the 2020 Census: 284 people
- Muscadine
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Muscadine is located in Cleburne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Muscadine
- Talladega County
- The following are listed by their distance from Ava, with the one closest to Ava listed first.
- Kentuck
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Kentuck is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kentuck
- Silver Run
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Silver Run is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Silver Run
- Ironaton
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Ironaton is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ironaton
- McElderry
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- McElderry is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McElderry
- Coldwater
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Coldwater is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coldwater
- Grant Town
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Grant Town is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grant Town
- Munford
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Chandler Springs
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Chandler Springs is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chandler Springs
- Tallapoosa County
- The following are listed by their distance from Ava, with the one closest to Ava listed first.
- Truett
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Truett is located in Tallapoosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Truett
- Emuckfaw
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Emuckfaw is located in Tallapoosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Emuckfaw
- Frog Eye
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Frog Eye is located in Tallapoosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frog Eye
- Daviston
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Goldville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Goldville is located in Tallapoosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goldville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 54 people
- New Site
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- New Site is located in Tallapoosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Site
- Population from the 2020 Census: 755 people
- Matilda
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Matilda is located in Tallapoosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Matilda
- Cowpens
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Cowpens is located in Tallapoosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cowpens
- Dudleyville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Dudleyville is located in Tallapoosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dudleyville
- Carroll County (GA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Ava, with the one closest to Ava listed first.
- Bowdon
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Tyus
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Tyus is located in Carroll County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tyus
- Estimated population in 2019: 3,525 people
- Jonesville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Jonesville is located in Carroll County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jonesville
- Roopville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Fairlawn Estates
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Fairlawn Estates is located in Carroll County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairlawn Estates
- Estimated population in 2019: 736 people
- Jake
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Jake is located in Carroll County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jake
- Estimated population in 2019: 146 people
- Lowell
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Lowell is located in Carroll County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lowell
- Mount Zion
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Bowers Ferry
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Bowers Ferry is located in Carroll County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bowers Ferry
- Estimated population in 2019: 485 people
- Carrollton
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Bowdon Junction
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Haralson County (GA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Ava, with the one closest to Ava listed first.
- Tallapoosa
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Budapest
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Budapest is located in Haralson County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Budapest
- Waco
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Waco is located in Haralson County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waco
- Population from the 2020 Census: 532 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Waco <1>
- Heard County (GA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Ava, with the one closest to Ava listed first.
- Ephesus
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Ephesus is located in Heard County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ephesus
- Population from the 2020 Census: 459 people
- Frolona
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Frolona is located in Heard County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frolona
- Yates Crossroads
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Yates Crossroads is located in Heard County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yates Crossroads
- Estimated population in 2019: 360 people
- Roosterville
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Roosterville is located in Heard County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roosterville
- O'Neals Crossroad
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- O'Neals Crossroad is located in Heard County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for O'Neals Crossroad
- Glenn
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Centralhatchee
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Centralhatchee is located in Heard County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Centralhatchee
- Population from the 2020 Census: 377 people
- Riverside
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Riverside is located in Heard County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riverside
- Franklin
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Houston
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Houston is located in Heard County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Houston
- Population from the 2010 Census: 110 people
- Troup County (GA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Ava, with the one closest to Ava listed first.
- Evansville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Evansville is located in Troup County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Evansville
- Abbottsford
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Abbottsford is located in Troup County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Abbottsford
- Graysons Landing
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Graysons Landing is located in Troup County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Graysons Landing
- Estimated population in 2019: 4,452 people
- Vernon ‑ Historic
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Vernon is located in Troup County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vernon
- Sunny Point
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Sunny Point is located in Troup County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sunny Point
- Population from the 2010 Census: 1,303 people
- Sassafrass Hills
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Sassafrass Hills is located in Troup County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sassafrass Hills
- Estimated population in 2019: 255 people
- West Lake Village
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- West Lake Village is located in Troup County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Lake Village
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Ava, see our County-by-County Page for Ava.
Cemeteries Near Ava ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Ava.
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 Ava - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Ava covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Ava, with the one closest to Ava listed first.
- Boozer Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Liberty Grove Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Old Cool Spring Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Midway Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Old Rocky Branch Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Bear Creek Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Wildcat Creek Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Union Baptist Church Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Mt. Gilead Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Mt. Gilread Baptist Church Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Antioch Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Valley Grove Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Continue List (430 more) ...
- East Napoleon Church of Christ Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Williams Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Fowler Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fowler Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Fowler Cemetery is located 9 miles [14.5 km]<3> to the northwest of Wedowee.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #22867 <2>
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 Ava in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Ava.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Ava, with the one closest to Ava listed first.
- Wedowee
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Rockdale
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Rockdale is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rockdale
- Cambridge
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Cambridge is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cambridge
- Haywood
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Haywood is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Haywood
- Milner
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Milner is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Milner
- West
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- West is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West
- Lamar
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Lamar is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lamar
- Newell
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Newell is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newell
- Ofelia
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Ofelia is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ofelia
- Cornhouse
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Cornhouse is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cornhouse
- Potash
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Potash is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Potash
- Dingler
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Dingler is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dingler
- Continue List (13 more) ...
- Waldrep
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Waldrep is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waldrep
- Lofty
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Lofty is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lofty
- Christiana
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Christiana is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Christiana
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Ava. See our List of 1890's Communities around Ava.
Newspapers Published in Ava ...
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 24 newspapers that have been published in the area around Ava.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Ava, there are papers which were published within 18 miles [29 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Ava.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we first visit 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 Ava:
- Websites specific to Alabama
- Pages specific to Randolph County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Calhoun County
- Chambers County
- Clay County
- Cleburne County
- Talladega County
- Tallapoosa County
- Carroll County
- Haralson County
- Heard County
- Troup County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Alabama
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 'straight-line' (or point-to-point) distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Ava) 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 Ava, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |