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 Bluff 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 Bluff 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 Bluff 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.
For example, a typical abbreviation for Bluff Springs: Bluff Spgs. (or less commonly used: Bluff Spngs. or Bluff Sprngs.)
You might be interested in other communities that are also named Bluff Springs. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Bluff 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 doctors 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.
Bluff Springs is located in Clay 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 Clay County: Cleburne, Coosa, Randolph, Talladega & Tallapoosa.
Below are the counties that are near Bluff Springs. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Bluff Springs:
- Clay County (The home county of Bluff Springs)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bluff Springs, with the one closest to Bluff Springs listed first.
- Mellow Valley
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Mellow Valley is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mellow Valley
- Harkins Crossroads
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Harkins Crossroads is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harkins Crossroads
- Millerville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Millerville is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millerville
- Ashland
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Ashland is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ashland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,872 people
- Motley
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Motley is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Motley
- Cragford
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Lineville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Erin
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Erin is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Erin
- Barfield
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Barfield is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barfield
- Chambers Springs
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Chambers Springs is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chambers Springs
- Hollins
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Hollins is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hollins
- Haynes Crossroad
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Haynes Crossroad is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Haynes Crossroad
- Calhoun County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bluff Springs, with the one closest to Bluff Springs listed first.
- Chinnabee ‑ Historic
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Chinnabee is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chinnabee
- Friendship
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Friendship is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Friendship
- Oxford
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Chambers County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bluff Springs, with the one closest to Bluff Springs listed first.
- Abanda
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Abanda is located in Chambers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Abanda
- Red Level
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Red Level is located in Chambers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Level
- Milltown
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Milltown is located in Chambers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Milltown
- Clackville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Clackville is located in Chambers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clackville
- Penton
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Penton is located in Chambers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Penton
- Doublehead
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Doublehead is located in Chambers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Doublehead
- Chapel Hill
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Chapel Hill is located in Chambers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chapel Hill
- Blackman
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Blackman is located in Chambers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blackman
- Five Points
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Five Points is located in Chambers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Five Points
- Population from the 2020 Census: 137 people
- Stroud
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Stroud is located in Chambers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stroud
- LaFayette
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Cleburne County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bluff Springs, with the one closest to Bluff Springs listed first.
- Abel
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Abel is located in Cleburne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Abel
- Hollis Crossroads
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Hollis Crossroads is located in Cleburne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hollis Crossroads
- Micaville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Micaville is located in Cleburne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Micaville
- Coosa County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bluff Springs, with the one closest to Bluff Springs listed first.
- Goodwater
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Kellyton
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Kellyton is located in Coosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kellyton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 208 people
- Mount Olive
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Mount Olive is located in Coosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Olive
- Ray
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Ray is located in Coosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ray
- Fishpond
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Fishpond is located in Coosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fishpond
- Stewartville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Stewartville is located in Coosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stewartville
- Hissop
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Hissop is located in Coosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hissop
- Cottage Grove
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Cottage Grove is located in Coosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cottage Grove
- Nixburg
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Nixburg is located in Coosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nixburg
- Rockford
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Weogufka
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Weogufka is located in Coosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weogufka
- Hale County
- Erie ‑ Historic
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Erie is located in Hale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Erie
- Randolph County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bluff Springs, with the one closest to Bluff Springs listed first.
- Almond
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Almond is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Almond
- Malone Ferry
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Malone Ferry is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Malone Ferry
- Wadley
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Forester Chapel
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Forester Chapel is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forester Chapel
- Ofelia
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Ofelia is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ofelia
- Christiana
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Christiana is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Christiana
- Peavy
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Peavy is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peavy
- Wedowee
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Milner
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Milner is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Milner
- West
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- West is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West
- Rockdale
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Rockdale is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rockdale
- Corbin
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Corbin is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Corbin
- Talladega County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bluff Springs, with the one closest to Bluff Springs listed first.
- Chandler Springs
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Chandler Springs is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chandler Springs
- Waldo
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Waldo is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waldo
- Population from the 2020 Census: 272 people
- Ironaton
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Ironaton is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ironaton
- Abihka ‑ Historic
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Abihka is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Abihka
- Rendalia
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Rendalia is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rendalia
- Oldfield
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Oldfield is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oldfield
- Sycamore
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Sycamore is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sycamore
- McElderry
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- McElderry is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McElderry
- Winterboro
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Winterboro is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winterboro
- Talladega
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Sylacauga
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Kentuck
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Kentuck is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kentuck
- Tallapoosa County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bluff Springs, with the one closest to Bluff Springs listed first.
- Goldville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Goldville is located in Tallapoosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goldville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 54 people
- Cowpens
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Cowpens is located in Tallapoosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cowpens
- New Site
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- New Site is located in Tallapoosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Site
- Population from the 2020 Census: 755 people
- Emuckfaw
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Emuckfaw is located in Tallapoosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Emuckfaw
- Hackneyville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Hackneyville is located in Tallapoosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hackneyville
- Daviston
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Truett
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Truett is located in Tallapoosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Truett
- Matilda
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Matilda is located in Tallapoosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Matilda
- Frog Eye
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Frog Eye is located in Tallapoosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frog Eye
- Alexander City
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Jacksons' Gap
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Alkehatchee ‑ Historic
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Alkehatchee is located in Tallapoosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alkehatchee
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Bluff Springs, see our County-by-County Page for Bluff Springs.
Cemeteries Near Bluff Springs ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Bluff 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 Bluff Springs - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Bluff Springs covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Bluff Springs, with the one closest to Bluff Springs listed first.
- Mt. Ararat Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Patterson Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Brown Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Mt. Carmel Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Mt. Zion Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Sardis Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- New Prospect Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Bethel Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Gutherie Chapel Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Valley Grove Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Old Liberty Hill Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- County Line Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Continue List (330 more) ...
- Big Springs Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Bethel Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- New Hope 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.<4>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Bluff Springs had a population of 39 people in 1895 with a post office and no railroad service.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Bluff Springs, with the one closest to Bluff Springs listed first.
- Gibsonville
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Gibsonville is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gibsonville
- Mellow Valley
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Mellow Valley is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mellow Valley
- Goldville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Goldville is located in Tallapoosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goldville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 54 people
- Millerville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Millerville is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millerville
- Ashland
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Ashland is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ashland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,872 people
- Cowpens
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Cowpens is located in Tallapoosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cowpens
- Hackneyville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Hackneyville is located in Tallapoosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hackneyville
- New Site
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- New Site is located in Tallapoosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Site
- Population from the 2020 Census: 755 people
- Emuckfaw
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Emuckfaw is located in Tallapoosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Emuckfaw
- Zana ‑ Historic
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Zana is located in Tallapoosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zana
- Almond
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Almond is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Almond
- Lineville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Continue List (16 more) ...
- Daviston
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Hatchet Creek
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Hatchet Creek is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hatchet Creek
- Goodwater
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Bluff Springs. See our List of 1890's Communities around Bluff Springs.
Newspapers Published in Bluff 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 29 newspapers that have been published in the area around Bluff Springs.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Bluff Springs, there are papers which were published within 17 miles [27.4 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Bluff Springs.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we like to 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 Bluff Springs:
- Websites specific to Alabama
- Pages specific to Clay County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Calhoun County
- Chambers County
- Cleburne County
- Coosa County
- Hale County
- Randolph County
- Talladega County
- Tallapoosa 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> | 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- Bluff Springs) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |
| <3> | 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. |
| <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 Bluff Springs, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |