Our Genealogy Helper
Introduction ...
So far, we found very little information about Bethel. The little that we've found leads us believe that the community is historic.<1>
We've added Bethel to our Gazetteer with the hope that we can develop more information. If you can help us with Bethel, 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 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 southeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most 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.
Although our information shows that the community of Bethel is historic, it would have been located within present day Sumter 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 Sumter County: Choctaw, Greene, Marengo, Pickens, Kemper (MS), Lauderdale (MS) & Noxubee (MS).
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:
- Sumter County (The home county of Bethel)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
- Sumterville
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Sumterville is located in Sumter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sumterville
- Sledge ‑ Historic
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Sledge is located in Sumter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sledge
- Emelle
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Emelle is located in Sumter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Emelle
- Population from the 2020 Census: 46 people
- Boyd
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Boyd is located in Sumter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boyd
- Epes
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Epes is located in Sumter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Epes
- Population from the 2020 Census: 326 people
- Geiger
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Geiger is located in Sumter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Geiger
- Population from the 2020 Census: 142 people
- Gainesville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Gainesville is located in Sumter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gainesville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 182 people
- Livingston
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Panola
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Panola is located in Sumter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Panola
- Moore Town
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Moore Town is located in Sumter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moore Town
- York
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- York is located in Sumter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for York
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,218 people
- Former names for York:
- New York Station
- York Station
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for York <2>
- Brewersville
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Brewersville is located in Sumter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brewersville
- Greene County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
- Miller
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Miller is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Miller
- Boligee
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Lizzieville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Lizzieville is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lizzieville
- West Greene
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- West Greene is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Greene
- Clinton
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Clinton is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clinton
- Eutaw
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Forkland
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Forkland is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forkland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 583 people
- Lewiston
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Lewiston is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lewiston
- Union
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Union is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union
- Population from the 2020 Census: 207 people
- Mantua
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Mantua is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mantua
- Marengo County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
- Demopolis
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Aigleville ‑ Historic
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Aigleville is located in Marengo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aigleville
- Pickens County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
- Aliceville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Memphis
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Memphis is located in Pickens County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Memphis
- Population from the 2020 Census: 26 people
- McMullen
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- McMullen is located in Pickens County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McMullen
- Population from the 2020 Census: 9 people
- Garden
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Garden is located in Pickens County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garden
- Kemper County (MS)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
- Giles
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Giles is located in Kemper County (MS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Giles
- Narkeeta ‑ Historic
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Narkeeta is located in Kemper County (MS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Narkeeta
- Electric Mills
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Electric Mills is located in Kemper County (MS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Electric Mills
- Porterville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Porterville is located in Kemper County (MS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Porterville
- Sucarnoochee
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Sucarnoochee is located in Kemper County (MS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sucarnoochee
- Scooba
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Binnsville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Binnsville is located in Kemper County (MS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Binnsville
- Wahalak
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Wahalak is located in Kemper County (MS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wahalak
- De Kalb
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Lauderdale County (MS)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
- Lockhart
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Lockhart is located in Lauderdale County (MS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lockhart
- Smith
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Smith is located in Lauderdale County (MS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smith
- Daleville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Daleville is located in Lauderdale County (MS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Daleville
- Russell
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Russell is located in Lauderdale County (MS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Russell
- Marion
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Marion is located in Lauderdale County (MS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marion
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,482 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Marion <2>
- Noxubee County (MS)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
- Cooksville
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Cooksville is located in Noxubee County (MS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cooksville
- Shuqualak
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Shuqualak is located in Noxubee County (MS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shuqualak
- Population from the 2020 Census: 422 people
- Harlan ‑ Historic
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Harlan is located in Noxubee County (MS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harlan
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.
- Roy Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Hutchenson Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Central Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Bell Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Old Side Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Brown Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Brown Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Boney Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Danner Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- New Bethel Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Shiloh Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- McCainville Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Continue List (316 more) ...
- Boyd Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Parker Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Souls Chapel Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 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.
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.
- Hamner
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Hamner is located in Sumter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hamner
- Sumterville
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Sumterville is located in Sumter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sumterville
- Boyd
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Boyd is located in Sumter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boyd
- Giles
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Giles is located in Kemper County (MS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Giles
- Livingston
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Porterville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Porterville is located in Kemper County (MS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Porterville
- Narkeeta ‑ Historic
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Narkeeta is located in Kemper County (MS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Narkeeta
- Miller
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Miller is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Miller
- Sucarnoochee
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Sucarnoochee is located in Kemper County (MS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sucarnoochee
- Enondale
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Enondale is located in Kemper County (MS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Enondale
- Scooba
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Binnsville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Binnsville is located in Kemper County (MS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Binnsville
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Boligee
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Tamola
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Tamola is located in Kemper County (MS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tamola
- Mount Hebron
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Mount Hebron is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Hebron
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 46 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 23 miles [37 km]<3>. 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 start with the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These helpful 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 Sumter County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Greene County
- Marengo County
- Pickens County
- Kemper County
- Lauderdale County
- Noxubee 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 Bethel, 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' (or point-to-point) distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Bethel) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |