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 Big Springs (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 Big Springs. 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.
Name Variations for Big Springs ...
When searching records, keep in mind that names and their spelling can change over time. Our sources include documents like maps, railroad schedules, Travel, Express and Shipping Guides. Many of these documents date from the 1800's and it's common to find spelling differences.
Although we can't give a definitive list, hopefully the following will give you a feel for the variations that might occur.
Another variation: Bigsprings.
- A typical abbreviation for Big Springs: Big Spgs. (or less commonly used: Big Spngs. or Big Sprngs.)
You might be interested in other communities that are also named Big Springs. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Big Springs.
If you have information about these names (such as the reason for the change, date of change, the origin of the name), please Contact Us.
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 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.
Big Springs 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 Big Springs. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Big Springs:
- Randolph County (The home county of Big Springs)
- The following are listed by their distance from Big Springs, with the one closest to Big Springs listed first.
- High Shoals
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- High Shoals is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for High Shoals
- Corbin
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Corbin is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Corbin
- West
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- West is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West
- Sewell
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Sewell is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sewell
- Woodland
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Rock Mills
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Rock Mills is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock Mills
- Roanoke
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Wedowee
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Cambridge
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Cambridge is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cambridge
- Graham
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Graham is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Graham
- Newell
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Newell is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newell
- Peavy
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Peavy is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peavy
- Chambers County
- The following are listed by their distance from Big Springs, with the one closest to Big Springs listed first.
- McCosh Mill ‑ Historic
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- McCosh Mill is located in Chambers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McCosh Mill
- Doublehead
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Doublehead is located in Chambers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Doublehead
- Standing Rock
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Standing Rock is located in Chambers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Standing Rock
- Evansville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Evansville is located in Chambers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Evansville
- Stroud
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Stroud is located in Chambers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stroud
- Clackville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Clackville is located in Chambers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clackville
- Red Level
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Red Level is located in Chambers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Level
- Abanda
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Abanda is located in Chambers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Abanda
- Five Points
(18 miles [29 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
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Milltown is located in Chambers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Milltown
- Fredonia
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Fredonia is located in Chambers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fredonia
- Chapel Hill
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Chapel Hill is located in Chambers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chapel Hill
- Clay County
- The following are listed by their distance from Big Springs, with the one closest to Big Springs listed first.
- Cragford
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Motley
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Motley is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Motley
- Delta
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Barfield
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Barfield is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barfield
- Lineville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Haynes Crossroad
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Haynes Crossroad is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Haynes Crossroad
- Mellow Valley
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Mellow Valley is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mellow Valley
- Elder
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Elder is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elder
- Ashland
(30 miles [48.3 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
- Cleburne County
- The following are listed by their distance from Big Springs, with the one closest to Big Springs listed first.
- Ranburne
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Hightower
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Hightower is located in Cleburne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hightower
- Micaville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Micaville is located in Cleburne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Micaville
- Hopewell
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Hopewell is located in Cleburne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hopewell
- Hollis Crossroads
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Hollis Crossroads is located in Cleburne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hollis Crossroads
- Ai
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Ai is located in Cleburne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ai
- Abel
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Abel is located in Cleburne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Abel
- Heflin
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Tallapoosa County
- The following are listed by their distance from Big Springs, with the one closest to Big Springs listed first.
- Truett
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Truett is located in Tallapoosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Truett
- Frog Eye
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Frog Eye is located in Tallapoosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frog Eye
- Daviston
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Emuckfaw
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Emuckfaw is located in Tallapoosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Emuckfaw
- Dudleyville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Dudleyville is located in Tallapoosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dudleyville
- Goldville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Goldville is located in Tallapoosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goldville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 54 people
- Matilda
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Matilda is located in Tallapoosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Matilda
- Carroll County (GA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Big Springs, with the one closest to Big Springs listed first.
- Tyus
(14 miles [22.5 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
- Roopville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Bowdon
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Jonesville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Jonesville is located in Carroll County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jonesville
- Bowers Ferry
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Bowers Ferry is located in Carroll County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bowers Ferry
- Estimated population in 2019: 485 people
- Lowell
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Lowell is located in Carroll County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lowell
- Fairlawn Estates
(21 miles [33.8 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
- Carrollton
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Jake
(25 miles [40.2 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
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Whitesburg
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Bowdon Junction
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Coweta County (GA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Big Springs, with the one closest to Big Springs listed first.
- Grantville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Sargent
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Smokey Acres
(28 miles [45.1 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
- 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
- Moreland
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Haralson County (GA)
- Waco
(29 miles [46.7 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>
- Heard County (GA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Big Springs, with the one closest to Big Springs listed first.
- Frolona
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Frolona is located in Heard County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frolona
- Yates Crossroads
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Yates Crossroads is located in Heard County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yates Crossroads
- Estimated population in 2019: 360 people
- O'Neals Crossroad
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- O'Neals Crossroad is located in Heard County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for O'Neals Crossroad
- Ephesus
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Ephesus is located in Heard County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ephesus
- Population from the 2020 Census: 459 people
- Roosterville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Roosterville is located in Heard County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roosterville
- Glenn
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Riverside
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Riverside is located in Heard County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riverside
- Franklin
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Houston
(12 miles [19.3 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
- Centralhatchee
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Centralhatchee is located in Heard County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Centralhatchee
- Population from the 2020 Census: 377 people
- Corinth
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Corinth is located in Heard County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Corinth
- Meriwether County (GA)
- Lone Oak
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Lone Oak is located in Meriwether County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lone Oak
- Population from the 2020 Census: 89 people
- Troup County (GA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Big Springs, with the one closest to Big Springs listed first.
- Evansville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Evansville is located in Troup County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Evansville
- Graysons Landing
(16 miles [25.7 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
- Abbottsford
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Abbottsford is located in Troup County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Abbottsford
- Vernon ‑ Historic
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Vernon is located in Troup County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vernon
- Sunny Point
(19 miles [30.6 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
- Sassafrass Hills
(20 miles [32.2 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
- West Lake Village
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- West Lake Village is located in Troup County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Lake Village
- Asta Village
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Asta Village is located in Troup County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Asta Village
- Brays Lakeview
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Brays Lakeview is located in Troup County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brays Lakeview
- Rockwell Estates
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Rockwell Estates is located in Troup County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rockwell Estates
- Hogansville
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- LaGrange
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Big Springs, see our County-by-County Page for Big Springs.
Cemeteries Near Big Springs ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Big Springs.
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 Big Springs - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Big Springs covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Big Springs, with the one closest to Big Springs listed first.
- Big Springs Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Beulah Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Beulah Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Beulah Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Highway Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Highway Ridge Memorial Gardens
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Ridgeway Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- High Point Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- East Napoleon Church of Christ Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Springfield Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Almon Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Cooper Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Continue List (495 more) ...
- Rooks - Lewis Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- New Hope Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Red Oak Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
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 Big Springs in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Big Springs.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Big Springs, with the one closest to Big Springs listed first.
- Omaha
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Omaha is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Omaha
- Potash
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Potash is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Potash
- High Shoals
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- High Shoals is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for High Shoals
- Wehadkee
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Wehadkee is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wehadkee
- Waldrep
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Waldrep is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waldrep
- Frolona
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Frolona is located in Heard County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frolona
- Haywood
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Haywood is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Haywood
- West
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- West is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West
- Texas
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Texas is located in Heard County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Texas
- Sewell
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Sewell is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sewell
- Rock Mills
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Rock Mills is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock Mills
- Simpson
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Simpson is located in Heard County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Simpson
- Continue List (13 more) ...
- Rockalo
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Rockalo is located in Heard County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rockalo
- Cornhouse
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Cornhouse is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cornhouse
- Roanoke
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Big Springs. See our List of 1890's Communities around Big Springs.
Newspapers Published in Big Springs ...
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 22 newspapers that have been published in the area around Big Springs.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Big Springs, there are papers which were published within 17 miles [27.4 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Big Springs.
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 websites either 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 Big Springs:
- Websites specific to Alabama
- Pages specific to Randolph County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Chambers County
- Clay County
- Cleburne County
- Tallapoosa County
- Carroll County
- Coweta County
- Haralson County
- Heard County
- Meriwether 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 'point-to-point' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Big Springs) 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 Big Springs, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |