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 Brake Ferry (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 Brake Ferry. 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 southwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors and hospitals were in the next county to the west. 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 west 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.
Brake Ferry is located in Jefferson 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 Jefferson County: Bibb, Blount, Saint Clair, Shelby, Tuscaloosa & Walker.
Below are the counties that are near Brake Ferry. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Brake Ferry:
- Jefferson County (The home county of Brake Ferry)
- The following are listed by their distance from Brake Ferry, with the one closest to Brake Ferry listed first.
- Kimberly
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Morris
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Morris is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morris
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,182 people
- Majestic
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Majestic is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Majestic
- Trafford
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Crosston
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Crosston is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crosston
- Bradford
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Bradford is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bradford
- Masseyline
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Masseyline is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Masseyline
- Gardendale
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Mount Olive
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Corner
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Corner is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Corner
- New Castle
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- New Castle is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Castle
- Pinson
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Blount County
- The following are listed by their distance from Brake Ferry, with the one closest to Brake Ferry listed first.
- Warrior
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- County Line
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- County Line is located in Blount County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for County Line
- Population from the 2020 Census: 241 people
- Reid's
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Reid's is located in Blount County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reid's
- Red Hill
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Red Hill is located in Blount County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Hill
- Smoke Rise
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Smoke Rise is located in Blount County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smoke Rise
- Hayden
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Selfville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Selfville is located in Blount County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Selfville
- Dallas
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Dallas is located in Blount County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dallas
- Compton
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Compton is located in Blount County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Compton
- Blount Springs
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Blount Springs is located in Blount County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blount Springs
- Adville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Adville is located in Blount County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adville
- Locust Fork
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Cullman County
- The following are listed by their distance from Brake Ferry, with the one closest to Brake Ferry listed first.
- Baltimore ‑ Historic
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Baltimore is located in Cullman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Baltimore
- Black Bottom
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Black Bottom is located in Cullman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Black Bottom
- Colony
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Colony is located in Cullman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colony
- Estimated population in 2015: 273 people
- The Colony
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- The Colony is located in Cullman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for The Colony
- Population from the 2020 Census: 291 people
- Arkadelphia
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Arkadelphia is located in Cullman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arkadelphia
- Damascus
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Damascus is located in Cullman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Damascus
- Garden City
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Garden City is located in Cullman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garden City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 506 people
- Bremen
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Dodge City
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Dodge City is located in Cullman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dodge City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 621 people
- Hanceville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Ardell
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Ardell is located in Cullman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ardell
- White City
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- White City is located in Cullman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White City
- Saint Clair County
- The following are listed by their distance from Brake Ferry, with the one closest to Brake Ferry listed first.
- Argo
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Argo is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Argo
- Population from the 2020 Census: 4,278 people
- Springville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Margaret
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Turnbough Town
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Turnbough Town is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Turnbough Town
- Acmar
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Acmar is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Acmar
- Parsons
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Parsons is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parsons
- Moody
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Moody is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moody
- Population from the 2020 Census: 13,292 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Moody <1>
- Woodland Village
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Woodland Village is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodland Village
- Branchville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Branchville is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Branchville
- Saint Clair Springs
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Saint Clair Springs is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Clair Springs
- Brompton
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Brompton is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brompton
- Odenville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Shelby County
- The following are listed by their distance from Brake Ferry, with the one closest to Brake Ferry listed first.
- Bridgeton
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Bridgeton is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bridgeton
- Dunnavant
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Dunnavant is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunnavant
- Lake Purdy
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Lake Purdy is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Purdy
- Dunavant
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Dunavant is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunavant
- Inverness
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Inverness is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Inverness
- Meadowbrook
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Meadowbrook is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meadowbrook
- Shoal Creek
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Shoal Creek is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shoal Creek
- Vandiver
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Indian Springs Village
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Indian Springs Village is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Indian Springs Village
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,628 people
- Sterrett
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Walker County
- The following are listed by their distance from Brake Ferry, with the one closest to Brake Ferry listed first.
- Creel
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Creel is located in Walker County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Creel
- Empire
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Empire is located in Walker County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Empire
- Black Warrior Town ‑ Historic
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Black Warrior Town is located in Walker County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Black Warrior Town
- Sumiton
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Sumiton is located in Walker County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sumiton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,330 people
- Former names for Sumiton:
- Commercial
- Democrat
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Sumiton <1>
- Quinton
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Yerkwood
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Yerkwood is located in Walker County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yerkwood
- Burnwell
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Burnwell is located in Walker County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burnwell
- Dora
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Oakahalla
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Oakahalla is located in Walker County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakahalla
- Sipsey
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Sipsey is located in Walker County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sipsey
- Population from the 2020 Census: 396 people
- Wyatt
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Wyatt is located in Walker County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wyatt
- Twilley Town
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Twilley Town is located in Walker County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Twilley Town
- Winston County
- Arley
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Brake Ferry, see our County-by-County Page for Brake Ferry.
Cemeteries Near Brake Ferry ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Brake Ferry.
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 Brake Ferry - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Brake Ferry covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Brake Ferry, with the one closest to Brake Ferry listed first.
- Morris Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Cain Creek Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Warrior Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Crooked Creek Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Liberty - Minter Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Liberty - Minter Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Liberty - Minter Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located 2 miles [3.2 km]<3> to the northeast of Morris.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #190975 <2>
- Enon Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Brewer Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Bibb Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Creel Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Narl Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Edward Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Hughes Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Continue List (337 more) ...
- Elvester Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Mt. Olive Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Castle Heights Memorial Gardens
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
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 Brake Ferry in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Brake Ferry.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Brake Ferry, with the one closest to Brake Ferry listed first.
- Morris
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Morris is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morris
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,182 people
- Warrior
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Coaldale
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Coaldale is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coaldale
- Linton
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Linton is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Linton
- Reid's
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Reid's is located in Blount County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reid's
- Cunningham
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Cunningham is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cunningham
- Bradford
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Bradford is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bradford
- New Castle
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- New Castle is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Castle
- Selfville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Selfville is located in Blount County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Selfville
- Sloan
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Sloan is located in Blount County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sloan
- Robbins Crossroads
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Robbins Crossroads is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Robbins Crossroads
- Linn Crossing
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Linn Crossing is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Linn Crossing
- Continue List (16 more) ...
- Cardiff
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Cardiff is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cardiff
- Population from the 2020 Census: 55 people
- Brookside
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Brookside is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brookside
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,323 people
- Compton
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Compton is located in Blount County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Compton
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Brake Ferry. See our List of 1890's Communities around Brake Ferry.
Newspapers Published in Brake Ferry ...
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 5 newspapers that have been published in the area around Brake Ferry.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Brake Ferry, there are papers which were published within 13 miles [20.9 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Brake Ferry.
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 Brake Ferry:
- Websites specific to Alabama
- Pages specific to Jefferson County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Blount County
- Cullman County
- Saint Clair County
- Shelby County
- Walker County
- Winston 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 things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Brake Ferry) 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 Brake Ferry, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |