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 Brooks (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 Brooks. 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 hospitals and 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.
Brooks is located in Covington 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 Covington County: Butler, Coffee, Conecuh, Crenshaw, Escambia, Geneva, Okaloosa (FL) & Walton (FL).
Below are the counties that are near Brooks. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Brooks:
- Covington County (The home county of Brooks)
- The following are listed by their distance from Brooks, with the one closest to Brooks listed first.
- Red Level
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Red Level is located in Covington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Level
- Population from the 2020 Census: 474 people
- Gantt
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Gantt is located in Covington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gantt
- Population from the 2020 Census: 214 people
- River Falls
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- River Falls is located in Covington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for River Falls
- Population from the 2020 Census: 528 people
- Heath
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Heath is located in Covington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Heath
- Population from the 2020 Census: 252 people
- Andalusia
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Antioch
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Antioch is located in Covington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Antioch
- Carolina
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Carolina is located in Covington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carolina
- Population from the 2020 Census: 294 people
- Rose Hill
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Rose Hill is located in Covington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rose Hill
- Libertyville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Libertyville is located in Covington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Libertyville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 110 people
- Sanford
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Sanford is located in Covington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sanford
- Population from the 2020 Census: 259 people
- Babbie
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Babbie is located in Covington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Babbie
- Population from the 2020 Census: 599 people
- Horn Hill
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Horn Hill is located in Covington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Horn Hill
- Population from the 2020 Census: 227 people
- Red Oak
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Red Oak is located in Covington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Oak
- Butler County
- The following are listed by their distance from Brooks, with the one closest to Brooks listed first.
- McKenzie
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Industry
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Industry is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Industry
- Garland
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Garland is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garland
- Oaky Streak
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Oaky Streak is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oaky Streak
- Georgiana
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Chapman
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Chapman is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chapman
- Starlington
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Starlington is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Starlington
- Bolling
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Bolling is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bolling
- Shacklesville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Shacklesville is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shacklesville
- Greenville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Forest Home
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Coffee County
- The following are listed by their distance from Brooks, with the one closest to Brooks listed first.
- Pine Level
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Pine Level is located in Coffee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Level
- Danleys Crossroads
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Danleys Crossroads is located in Coffee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Danleys Crossroads
- Conecuh County
- The following are listed by their distance from Brooks, with the one closest to Brooks listed first.
- Mount Union
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Mount Union is located in Conecuh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Union
- Old Town
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Old Town is located in Conecuh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Old Town
- Paul
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Paul is located in Conecuh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Paul
- Wilcox
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Wilcox is located in Conecuh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilcox
- Centerville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Centerville is located in Conecuh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Centerville
- Rabb
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Rabb is located in Conecuh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rabb
- Owassa
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Owassa is located in Conecuh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Owassa
- Brooklyn
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Brooklyn is located in Conecuh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brooklyn
- Evergreen
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Jay Villa ‑ Historic
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Jay Villa is located in Conecuh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jay Villa
- Johnsonville
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Johnsonville is located in Conecuh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Johnsonville
- Nymph
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Nymph is located in Conecuh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nymph
- Sparta ‑ Historic
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Sparta is located in Conecuh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sparta
- Sparta has also been known as:
- Old Sparta
- Crenshaw County
- The following are listed by their distance from Brooks, with the one closest to Brooks listed first.
- Leon
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Leon is located in Crenshaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leon
- Dozier
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Merrill Mill
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Merrill Mill is located in Crenshaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Merrill Mill
- Brantley
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Cherokee Village
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Cherokee Village is located in Crenshaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cherokee Village
- Rutledge
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Rutledge is located in Crenshaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rutledge
- Population from the 2020 Census: 449 people
- Peacock ‑ Historic
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Peacock is located in Crenshaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peacock
- Luverne
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Bullock
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Bullock is located in Crenshaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bullock
- Honoraville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Honoraville is located in Crenshaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Honoraville
- Vernledge
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Vernledge is located in Crenshaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vernledge
- Escambia County
- Roberts
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Roberts is located in Escambia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roberts
- Monroe County
- The following are listed by their distance from Brooks, with the one closest to Brooks listed first.
- Burnt Corn
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Burnt Corn is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burnt Corn
- Pine Orchard
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Pine Orchard is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Orchard
- Wilcox County
- Awin
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Awin is located in Wilcox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Awin
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Brooks, see our County-by-County Page for Brooks.
Cemeteries Near Brooks ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Brooks.
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 Brooks - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Brooks covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Brooks, with the one closest to Brooks listed first.
- Brooks Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Bushfield Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Kervin Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- South Butler Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Elizabeth Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Pleasant Hill Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Long Branch Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Mancill Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Mt. Carmel Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Walker Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Fairmount Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Macedonia Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Continue List (209 more) ...
- Riley Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Herbert Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Mt. Union Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
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.<2>
While we didn't find Brooks in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Brooks.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Brooks, with the one closest to Brooks listed first.
- Vera Cruz ‑ Historic
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Vera Cruz is located in Covington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vera Cruz
- Cohassett
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Cohassett is located in Conecuh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cohassett
- Red Level
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Red Level is located in Covington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Level
- Population from the 2020 Census: 474 people
- Mount Union
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Mount Union is located in Conecuh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Union
- Shell
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Shell is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shell
- Industry
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Industry is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Industry
- Garland
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Garland is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garland
- Loango
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Loango is located in Covington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Loango
- Oaky Streak
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Oaky Streak is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oaky Streak
- Georgiana
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Wilcox
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Wilcox is located in Conecuh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilcox
- River Falls
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- River Falls is located in Covington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for River Falls
- Population from the 2020 Census: 528 people
- Continue List (13 more) ...
- Chapman
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Chapman is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chapman
- Brooklyn
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Brooklyn is located in Conecuh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brooklyn
- Starlington
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Starlington is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Starlington
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Brooks. See our List of 1890's Communities around Brooks.
Newspapers Published in Brooks ...
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 73 newspapers that have been published in the area around Brooks.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Brooks, there are papers which were published within 29 miles [46.7 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Brooks.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we first turn to 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 Brooks:
- Websites specific to Alabama
- Pages specific to Covington County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Butler County
- Coffee County
- Conecuh County
- Crenshaw County
- Escambia County
- Monroe County
- Wilcox 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> | 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 Brooks, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <3> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Brooks) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |