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 Browns Crossroad (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 Browns Crossroad. 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 Browns Crossroad ...
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.
- A typical abbreviation for Browns Crossroad: Browns Xrd.
- While the name of this community is Browns Crossroad, be aware that it's the common practice of mapmakers to remove the apostrophe from possessive names<1>. So Browns Crossroad may originally have been Brown's Crossroad.
Sometimes the trailing 's' might be dropped altogether, in which case Browns Crossroad might be written as Brown Crossroad.
You might be interested in other communities that are also named Browns Crossroad. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Browns Crossroad.
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 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.
Browns Crossroad is located in Henry 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 Henry County: Barbour, Dale, Houston, Clay (GA) & Early (GA).
Below are the counties that are near Browns Crossroad. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Browns Crossroad:
- Henry County (The home county of Browns Crossroad)
- The following are listed by their distance from Browns Crossroad, with the one closest to Browns Crossroad listed first.
- Haleburg
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Haleburg is located in Henry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Haleburg
- Population from the 2020 Census: 98 people
- Oakey Grove
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Oakey Grove is located in Henry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakey Grove
- Capps
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Capps is located in Henry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Capps
- Newville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Newville is located in Henry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 510 people
- Headland
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Abbeville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Graball
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Graball is located in Henry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Graball
- Former names for Graball:
- Hart's Crossroads
- Hudspeth's Crossroads
- Shorterville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Shorterville is located in Henry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shorterville
- Screamer
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Screamer is located in Henry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Screamer
- Barbour County
- The following are listed by their distance from Browns Crossroad, with the one closest to Browns Crossroad listed first.
- Blue Springs
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Blue Springs is located in Barbour County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blue Springs
- Population from the 2020 Census: 86 people
- Bakerhill
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Bakerhill is located in Barbour County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bakerhill
- Population from the 2020 Census: 229 people
- Cotton Hill
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Cotton Hill is located in Barbour County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cotton Hill
- Clio
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Dale County
- The following are listed by their distance from Browns Crossroad, with the one closest to Browns Crossroad listed first.
- Bertha
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Bertha is located in Dale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bertha
- Grimes
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Grimes is located in Dale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grimes
- Population from the 2020 Census: 556 people
- Napier Field
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Napier Field is located in Dale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Napier Field
- Population from the 2020 Census: 344 people
- Clopton
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Clopton is located in Dale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clopton
- Midland City
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Mabson
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Mabson is located in Dale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mabson
- Pinckard
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Skipperville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Skipperville is located in Dale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Skipperville
- Ewell
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Ewell is located in Dale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ewell
- Newton
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Newton is located in Dale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,451 people
- Arguta
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Arguta is located in Dale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arguta
- Ozark
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Phillips Crossroads
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Phillips Crossroads is located in Dale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Phillips Crossroads
- Geneva County
- Malvern
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Houston County
- The following are listed by their distance from Browns Crossroad, with the one closest to Browns Crossroad listed first.
- Williams
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Williams is located in Houston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Williams
- Columbia
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Kinsey
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Kinsey is located in Houston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kinsey
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,293 people
- Webb
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Barber
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Barber is located in Houston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barber
- Ashford
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Cowarts
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Avon
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Avon is located in Houston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avon
- Population from the 2020 Census: 510 people
- Tidwell
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Tidwell is located in Houston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tidwell
- Dothan
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Parish
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Gordon
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Gordon is located in Houston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gordon
- Population from the 2020 Census: 328 people
- Keyton's
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Keyton's is located in Houston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keyton's
- Calhoun County (GA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Browns Crossroad, with the one closest to Browns Crossroad listed first.
- Arlington
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Edison
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Clay County (GA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Browns Crossroad, with the one closest to Browns Crossroad listed first.
- Fort Gaines
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Oketeyeconne ‑ Historic
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Oketeyeconne is located in Clay County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oketeyeconne
- Bluffton
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Bellville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Bellville is located in Clay County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bellville
- Estimated population in 2019: 118 people
- Early County (GA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Browns Crossroad, with the one closest to Browns Crossroad listed first.
- Rock Hill
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Rock Hill is located in Early County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock Hill
- Population from the 2010 Census: 248 people
- Sawhatchee
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Sawhatchee is located in Early County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sawhatchee
- Blakely
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Cedar Springs
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Centerville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Centerville is located in Early County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Centerville
- Bancroft
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Bancroft is located in Early County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bancroft
- Hentown
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Hentown is located in Early County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hentown
- Estimated population in 2019: 3,944 people
- Springfield
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Springfield is located in Early County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Springfield
- Estimated population in 2019: 4,084 people
- Jakin
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Damascus
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Miller County (GA)
- Mayhaw
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Mayhaw is located in Miller County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mayhaw
- Quitman County (GA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Browns Crossroad, with the one closest to Browns Crossroad listed first.
- Hatcher
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Hatcher is located in Quitman County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hatcher
- Morris
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Randolph County (GA)
- Coleman
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Browns Crossroad, see our County-by-County Page for Browns Crossroad.
Cemeteries Near Browns Crossroad ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Browns Crossroad.
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 Browns Crossroad - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Browns Crossroad covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Browns Crossroad, with the one closest to Browns Crossroad listed first.
- Balkum Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Pilgrims Rest Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Granberry Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Culpepper Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Haleburg Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Zion Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Hebron Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Camp Springs Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Union Freewill Baptist Church Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Armstrong - Old Union Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Tolbert Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Sardis Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Continue List (221 more) ...
- Adoniram Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Oakey Grove Baptist Church Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakey Grove Baptist Church Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Oakey Grove Baptist Church Cemetery is located 5 miles [8 km]<3> to the south of Abbeville.
- The Oakey Grove Baptist Church Cemetery has also been known as:
- Oakey Grove Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #25090 <4>
- Oaky Grove Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
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.<5>
While we didn't find Browns Crossroad in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Browns Crossroad.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Browns Crossroad, with the one closest to Browns Crossroad listed first.
- Balkum
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Balkum is located in Henry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Balkum
- Hardwickburg
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Hardwickburg is located in Henry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hardwickburg
- Headland
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Abbeville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Shorterville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Shorterville is located in Henry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shorterville
- Barber
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Barber is located in Houston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barber
- Fort Gaines
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Bertha
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Bertha is located in Dale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bertha
- Echo
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Echo is located in Dale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Echo
- Lawrenceville
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Lawrenceville is located in Henry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lawrenceville
- Ashford
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Blakely
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Continue List (13 more) ...
- Tidwell
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Tidwell is located in Houston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tidwell
- Midland City
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Otho
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Otho is located in Henry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Otho
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Browns Crossroad. See our List of 1890's Communities around Browns Crossroad.
Newspapers Published in Browns Crossroad ...
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 66 newspapers that have been published in the area around Browns Crossroad.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Browns Crossroad, there are papers which were published within 21 miles [33.8 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Browns Crossroad.
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 professional and volunteer 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 Browns Crossroad:
- Websites specific to Alabama
- Pages specific to Henry County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Barbour County
- Dale County
- Geneva County
- Houston County
- Calhoun County
- Clay County
- Early County
- Miller County
- Quitman County
- Randolph County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Alabama
Footnotes ...
| <1> | It's generally believed that possessive apostrophes are removed to prevent confusion on maps where the apostrophe may be confused with a cartographic symbol. While this is generally true, it's not uncommon to find possessive apostrophes in administrative names (such as towns or counties). |
| <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 '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- Browns Crossroad) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |
| <4> | 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. |
| <5> | 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 Browns Crossroad, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |