Our Genealogy Helper
Introduction ...
So far, we found very little information about Benson. The little that we've found leads us believe that the community is historic.<1>
We've added Benson to our Gazetteer with the hope that we can develop more information. If you can help us with Benson, please Contact Us.
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 Benson (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 Benson. While we don't have information that is specific to any given person or family, we intend to expand our understanding about where and how people lived.
Neighboring Counties ...
When searching for family records, we have frequently made the mistake of not checking the neighboring counties.
For example, we have great-grandparents who lived in the northeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors and hospitals were in the next county to the east. Almost all of the nearby churches and cemeteries were in the county to the north.
So when searching for records, we had our best success by looking in neighboring counties instead of the county in which they lived: their home county contained property and probate records; the county to the east contained birth and death records; the county to the north contained their burial records. If we hadn't included the neighboring counties, we would have missed many valuable sources of information.
If you're in a similar situation, we hope that the following information helps.
Although our information shows that the community of Benson is historic, it would have been located within present day Etowah 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 Etowah County: Blount, Calhoun, Cherokee, DeKalb, Marshall & Saint Clair.
Below are the counties that are near Benson. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Benson:
- Etowah County (The home county of Benson)
- The following are listed by their distance from Benson, with the one closest to Benson listed first.
- Egypt
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Egypt is located in Etowah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Egypt
- Ivalee
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Ivalee is located in Etowah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ivalee
- Howelton
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Howelton is located in Etowah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Howelton
- Ridgeville
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Ridgeville is located in Etowah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ridgeville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 109 people
- Bennettsville ‑ Historic
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Bennettsville is located in Etowah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bennettsville
- Aurora
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Aurora is located in Etowah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aurora
- Carlisle
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Carlisle is located in Etowah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carlisle
- Attalla
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Gallant
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Gallant is located in Etowah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gallant
- Alabama City
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Alabama City is located in Etowah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alabama City
- Greer ‑ Historic
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Greer is located in Etowah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greer
- Mountainboro
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Mountainboro is located in Etowah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mountainboro
- Blount County
- The following are listed by their distance from Benson, with the one closest to Benson listed first.
- Bird ‑ Historic
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Bird is located in Blount County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bird
- Wynnville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Wynnville is located in Blount County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wynnville
- Highmound
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Highmound is located in Blount County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Highmound
- Snead
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Taits Gap
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Taits Gap is located in Blount County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Taits Gap
- Clarence
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Clarence is located in Blount County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clarence
- Fridays Crossing
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Fridays Crossing is located in Blount County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fridays Crossing
- Hoods Crossroads
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Hoods Crossroads is located in Blount County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hoods Crossroads
- Susan Moore
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Susan Moore is located in Blount County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Susan Moore
- Population from the 2020 Census: 797 people
- McLarty
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- McLarty is located in Blount County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McLarty
- Craig
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Craig is located in Blount County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Craig
- Appalachian
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Appalachian is located in Blount County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Appalachian
- Calhoun County
- The following are listed by their distance from Benson, with the one closest to Benson listed first.
- Southside
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Oak Level
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Oak Level is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Level
- Cochran Springs
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Cochran Springs is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cochran Springs
- Douthrittville ‑ Historic
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Douthrittville is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Douthrittville
- Ohatchee
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Hebron ‑ Historic
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Hebron is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hebron
- Grayton
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Grayton is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grayton
- Mack ‑ Historic
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Mack is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mack
- Colvins Gap
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Colvins Gap is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colvins Gap
- Chigger Ridge ‑ Historic
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Chigger Ridge is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chigger Ridge
- Wellington
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Wellington is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wellington
- Beasley ‑ Historic
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Beasley is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beasley
- Cherokee County
- The following are listed by their distance from Benson, with the one closest to Benson listed first.
- Ball Flat
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Ball Flat is located in Cherokee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ball Flat
- Leesburg
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Anderson
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Sand Rock
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Sand Rock is located in Cherokee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sand Rock
- Population from the 2020 Census: 674 people
- Ricks ‑ Historic
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Ricks is located in Cherokee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ricks
- Turkey Town ‑ Historic
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Turkey Town is located in Cherokee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Turkey Town
- Centre
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Coloma ‑ Historic
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Coloma is located in Cherokee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coloma
- Cullman County
- The following are listed by their distance from Benson, with the one closest to Benson listed first.
- Holly Pond
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Joppa
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Baileyton
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Baileytown
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Baileytown is located in Cullman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Baileytown
- DeKalb County
- The following are listed by their distance from Benson, with the one closest to Benson listed first.
- Mount Zion ‑ Historic
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Mount Zion is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Zion
- Rains ‑ Historic
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Rains is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rains
- Marcus ‑ Historic
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Marcus is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marcus
- Rodentown
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Rodentown is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rodentown
- Cotnam
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Cotnam is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cotnam
- Crossville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Rogers
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Rogers is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rogers
- Whiton
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Whiton is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whiton
- Collinsville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Dawson
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Dawson is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dawson
- Geraldine
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Chigger Hill
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Chigger Hill is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chigger Hill
- Marshall County
- The following are listed by their distance from Benson, with the one closest to Benson listed first.
- Whitesville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Whitesville is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whitesville
- Boaz
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Bartlett ‑ Historic
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Bartlett is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bartlett
- Reedbrake ‑ Historic
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Reedbrake is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reedbrake
- Douglas
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Douglas is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Douglas
- Population from the 2020 Census: 780 people
- Horton
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Horton is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Horton
- Albertville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Hyatt
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Hyatt is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hyatt
- Rabbit Town
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Rabbit Town is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rabbit Town
- Bowen ‑ Historic
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Bowen is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bowen
- Big Spring ‑ Historic
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Big Spring is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Big Spring
- Gregory
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Gregory is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gregory
- Saint Clair County
- The following are listed by their distance from Benson, with the one closest to Benson listed first.
- Steele
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Whitney Junction
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Whitney Junction is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whitney Junction
- Ashville
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Ragland
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Saint Clair Springs
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Saint Clair Springs is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Clair Springs
- Wattsville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Wattsville is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wattsville
- Springville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Coal City
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Coal City is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coal City
- Branchville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Branchville is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Branchville
- Odenville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Riverside
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Benson, see our County-by-County Page for Benson.
Cemeteries Near Benson ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Benson.
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 Benson - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Benson covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Benson, with the one closest to Benson listed first.
- Carnes Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Ivalee Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Dillard Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Red Hill Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Howelton Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Brasher Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Lee Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Conn Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Armstrong Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Macedonia Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Noble Hill Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Webb Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Continue List (400 more) ...
- Butler Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Gallant Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Shiloh Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
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.
While we didn't find Benson in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Benson.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Benson, with the one closest to Benson listed first.
- Littleton
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Littleton is located in Etowah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Littleton
- Howelton
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Howelton is located in Etowah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Howelton
- Stanfield ‑ Historic
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Stanfield is located in Etowah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stanfield
- Norton
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Norton is located in Etowah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Norton
- Gallant
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Gallant is located in Etowah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gallant
- Aurora
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Aurora is located in Etowah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aurora
- Attalla
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Redbud
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Redbud is located in Etowah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Redbud
- Mountainboro
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Mountainboro is located in Etowah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mountainboro
- Clear Springs ‑ Historic
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Clear Springs is located in Etowah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clear Springs
- Alice
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Alice is located in Etowah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alice
- Steele
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Continue List (18 more) ...
- Gadsden
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Avery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Avery is located in Etowah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avery
- Haworth ‑ Historic
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Haworth is located in Etowah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Haworth
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Benson. See our List of 1890's Communities around Benson.
Newspapers Published in Benson ...
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 37 newspapers that have been published in the area around Benson.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Benson, there are papers which were published within 10 miles [16.1 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Benson.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we 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 Benson:
- Websites specific to Alabama
- Pages specific to Etowah County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Blount County
- Calhoun County
- Cherokee County
- Cullman County
- DeKalb County
- Marshall County
- Saint Clair County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Alabama
Footnotes ...
| <1> | 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 Benson, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <2> | While we're fans and frequent users of TripAdvisor, you should know that we're also members of the TripAdvisor affiliate program. |
| <3> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Benson) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |