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 Bethel (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 Bethel. 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 hospitals 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.
Bethel 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 Bethel. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Bethel:
- Randolph County (The home county of Bethel)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
- Sewell
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Sewell is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sewell
- Graham
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Graham is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Graham
- Woodland
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Newell
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Newell is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newell
- Cambridge
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Cambridge is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cambridge
- Corbin
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Corbin is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Corbin
- High Shoals
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- High Shoals is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for High Shoals
- Rockdale
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Rockdale is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rockdale
- Wedowee
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- West
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- West is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West
- Morrison Crossroad
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Morrison Crossroad is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morrison Crossroad
- Milner
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Milner is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Milner
- Calhoun County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
- Iron City
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Iron City is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Iron City
- Choccolocco
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Choccolocco is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Choccolocco
- De Armanville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- De Armanville is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for De Armanville
- Friendship
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Friendship is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Friendship
- Chambers County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
- McCosh Mill ‑ Historic
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- McCosh Mill is located in Chambers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McCosh Mill
- Doublehead
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Doublehead is located in Chambers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Doublehead
- Standing Rock
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Standing Rock is located in Chambers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Standing Rock
- Clackville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Clackville is located in Chambers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clackville
- Evansville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Evansville is located in Chambers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Evansville
- Stroud
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Stroud is located in Chambers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stroud
- Red Level
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Red Level is located in Chambers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Level
- Abanda
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Abanda is located in Chambers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Abanda
- Five Points
(25 miles [40.2 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
- Milltown
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Milltown is located in Chambers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Milltown
- Fredonia
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Fredonia is located in Chambers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fredonia
- Penton
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Penton is located in Chambers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Penton
- Clay County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
- Delta
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Cragford
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Barfield
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Barfield is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barfield
- Haynes Crossroad
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Haynes Crossroad is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Haynes Crossroad
- Lineville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Motley
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Motley is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Motley
- Elder
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Elder is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elder
- Mellow Valley
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Mellow Valley is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mellow Valley
- Cleburne County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
- Ranburne
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Hightower
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Hightower is located in Cleburne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hightower
- Micaville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Micaville is located in Cleburne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Micaville
- Hopewell
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Hopewell is located in Cleburne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hopewell
- Ai
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Ai is located in Cleburne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ai
- Hollis Crossroads
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Hollis Crossroads is located in Cleburne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hollis Crossroads
- Fruithurst
(24 miles [38.6 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
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Muscadine is located in Cleburne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Muscadine
- Heflin
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Edwardsville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Edwardsville is located in Cleburne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edwardsville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 201 people
- Abel
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Abel is located in Cleburne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Abel
- Tallapoosa County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
- Truett
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Truett is located in Tallapoosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Truett
- Frog Eye
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Frog Eye is located in Tallapoosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frog Eye
- Daviston
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Emuckfaw
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Emuckfaw is located in Tallapoosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Emuckfaw
- Carroll County (GA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
- Tyus
(8 miles [12.9 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
- Bowdon
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Roopville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Jonesville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Jonesville is located in Carroll County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jonesville
- Lowell
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Lowell is located in Carroll County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lowell
- Fairlawn Estates
(15 miles [24.1 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
- Bowers Ferry
(17 miles [27.4 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
- Jake
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Jake is located in Carroll County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jake
- Estimated population in 2019: 146 people
- Mount Zion
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Carrollton
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Bowdon Junction
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Whitesburg
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Coweta County (GA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
- Sargent
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Smokey Acres
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Smokey Acres is located in Coweta County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smokey Acres
- Estimated population in 2019: 56,666 people
- Grantville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Newnan
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- East Newnan
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- East Newnan is located in Coweta County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Newnan
- Douglas County (GA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
- Hannah
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Hannah is located in Douglas County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hannah
- Tyree
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Tyree is located in Douglas County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tyree
- Haralson County (GA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
- Waco
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- 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>
- Bremen
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Budapest
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Budapest is located in Haralson County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Budapest
- Tallapoosa
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Tabernacle
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Tabernacle is located in Haralson County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tabernacle
- Morgan
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Morgan is located in Haralson County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morgan
- Buchanan
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Heard County (GA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
- Ephesus
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Ephesus is located in Heard County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ephesus
- Population from the 2020 Census: 459 people
- Yates Crossroads
(4 miles [6.4 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
- Frolona
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Frolona is located in Heard County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frolona
- Roosterville
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Roosterville is located in Heard County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roosterville
- Centralhatchee
(11 miles [17.7 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
- Franklin
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Riverside
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Riverside is located in Heard County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riverside
- O'Neals Crossroad
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- O'Neals Crossroad is located in Heard County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for O'Neals Crossroad
- Glenn
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Houston
(18 miles [29 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
- Corinth
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Corinth is located in Heard County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Corinth
- Troup County (GA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
- Graysons Landing
(20 miles [32.2 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
- Evansville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Evansville is located in Troup County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Evansville
- Abbottsford
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Abbottsford is located in Troup County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Abbottsford
- Vernon ‑ Historic
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Vernon is located in Troup County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vernon
- Sunny Point
(24 miles [38.6 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
- Asta Village
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Asta Village is located in Troup County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Asta Village
- Brays Lakeview
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Brays Lakeview is located in Troup County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brays Lakeview
- Sassafrass Hills
(25 miles [40.2 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
- Hogansville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- West Lake Village
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- West Lake Village is located in Troup County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Lake Village
- Rockwell Estates
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Rockwell Estates is located in Troup County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rockwell Estates
- LaGrange
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Bethel, see our County-by-County Page for Bethel.
Cemeteries Near Bethel ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Bethel.
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 Bethel - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Bethel covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
- Coats Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Red Oak Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Ephesus Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Macedonia Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Zachry Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Hopewell Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Sardis Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- East Napoleon Church of Christ Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- High Point Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Bethena Church Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Lancaster Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Old Shiloh Church Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Continue List (475 more) ...
- Veal Community Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Buchanan Memorial Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Unity Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
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 Bethel in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Bethel.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
- Sewell
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Sewell is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sewell
- Waldrep
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Waldrep is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waldrep
- Graham
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Graham is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Graham
- Omaha
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Omaha is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Omaha
- Frolona
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Frolona is located in Heard County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frolona
- Rockalo
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Rockalo is located in Heard County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rockalo
- Lamar
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Lamar is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lamar
- Haywood
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Haywood is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Haywood
- Joel
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Joel is located in Carroll County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Joel
- Lofty
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Lofty is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lofty
- Potash
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Potash is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Potash
- Simpson
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Simpson is located in Heard County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Simpson
- Continue List (13 more) ...
- Newell
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Newell is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newell
- Cambridge
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Cambridge is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cambridge
- High Shoals
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- High Shoals is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for High Shoals
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Bethel. See our List of 1890's Communities around Bethel.
Newspapers Published in Bethel ...
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 40 newspapers that have been published in the area around Bethel.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Bethel, 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 Bethel.
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 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 Bethel:
- Websites specific to Alabama
- Pages specific to Randolph County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Calhoun County
- Chambers County
- Clay County
- Cleburne County
- Tallapoosa County
- Carroll County
- Coweta County
- Douglas 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> | 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 Bethel, 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' (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- Bethel) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |