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 Centerville (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 Centerville. 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 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.
Centerville is located in Conecuh 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 Conecuh County: Butler, Covington, Escambia & Monroe.
Below are the counties that are near Centerville. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Centerville:
- Conecuh County (The home county of Centerville)
- The following are listed by their distance from Centerville, with the one closest to Centerville listed first.
- Rabb
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Rabb is also located in Conecuh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rabb
- Old Town
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Old Town is also located in Conecuh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Old Town
- Jay Villa ‑ Historic
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Jay Villa was located in Conecuh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jay Villa
- Evergreen
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Nymph
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Nymph is also located in Conecuh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nymph
- Mount Union
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Mount Union is also located in Conecuh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Union
- Sparta ‑ Historic
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Sparta was located in Conecuh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sparta
- Sparta has also been known as:
- Old Sparta
- Owassa
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Owassa is also located in Conecuh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Owassa
- Wilcox
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Wilcox is also located in Conecuh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilcox
- Johnsonville
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Johnsonville is also located in Conecuh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Johnsonville
- Paul
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Paul is also located in Conecuh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Paul
- Castleberry
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Castleberry is also located in Conecuh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Castleberry
- Population from the 2020 Census: 527 people
- Brooklyn
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Brooklyn is also located in Conecuh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brooklyn
- Butler County
- The following are listed by their distance from Centerville, with the one closest to Centerville listed first.
- Garland
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Garland is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garland
- McKenzie
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Georgiana
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Starlington
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Starlington is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Starlington
- Chapman
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Chapman is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chapman
- Industry
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Industry is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Industry
- Oaky Streak
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Oaky Streak is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oaky Streak
- Bolling
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Bolling is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bolling
- Shacklesville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Shacklesville is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shacklesville
- Covington County
- The following are listed by their distance from Centerville, with the one closest to Centerville listed first.
- Red Level
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Red Level is located in Covington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Level
- Population from the 2020 Census: 474 people
- River Falls
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- River Falls is located in Covington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for River Falls
- Population from the 2020 Census: 528 people
- Gantt
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Gantt is located in Covington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gantt
- Population from the 2020 Census: 214 people
- Carolina
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Carolina is located in Covington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carolina
- Population from the 2020 Census: 294 people
- Andalusia
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Heath
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Heath is located in Covington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Heath
- Population from the 2020 Census: 252 people
- Libertyville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Libertyville is located in Covington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Libertyville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 110 people
- Falco
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Falco is located in Covington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Falco
- Antioch
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Antioch is located in Covington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Antioch
- Sanford
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Sanford is located in Covington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sanford
- Population from the 2020 Census: 259 people
- Red Oak
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Red Oak is located in Covington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Oak
- Wing
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Wing is located in Covington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wing
- Crenshaw County
- The following are listed by their distance from Centerville, with the one closest to Centerville listed first.
- Dozier
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Leon
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Leon is located in Crenshaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leon
- Escambia County
- The following are listed by their distance from Centerville, with the one closest to Centerville listed first.
- Roberts
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Roberts is located in Escambia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roberts
- Brewton
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- East Brewton
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Riverview
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Riverview is located in Escambia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riverview
- Population from the 2020 Census: 181 people
- Bradley
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Bradley is located in Escambia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bradley
- Hammac
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Hammac is located in Escambia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hammac
- Monroe County
- The following are listed by their distance from Centerville, with the one closest to Centerville listed first.
- Burnt Corn
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Burnt Corn is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burnt Corn
- Pine Orchard
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Pine Orchard is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Orchard
- Peterman
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Peterman is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peterman
- Tunnel Springs
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Tunnel Springs is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tunnel Springs
- Excel
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Excel is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Excel
- Population from the 2020 Census: 619 people
- Monroeville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Ollie
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Ollie is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ollie
- Pineville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Pineville is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pineville
- Beatrice
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Frisco City
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Mexia
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Mexia is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mexia
- Wilcox County
- Awin
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Awin is located in Wilcox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Awin
- Santa Rosa County (FL)
- Belandville ‑ Historic
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Belandville was located in Santa Rosa County (FL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belandville
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Centerville, see our County-by-County Page for Centerville.
Cemeteries Near Centerville ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Centerville.
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 Centerville - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Centerville covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Centerville, with the one closest to Centerville listed first.
- Rabb Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Spence Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Old Beulah Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Herbert Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Greater Nazarene Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Hall Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Brown Beasley Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- New Hope Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Davison Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Horton Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Mt. Union Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Hall Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Continue List (218 more) ...
- Jones Chapel Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Sparta Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Sparta Hill Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 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 Centerville in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Centerville.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Centerville, with the one closest to Centerville listed first.
- Jay Villa ‑ Historic
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Jay Villa was located in Conecuh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jay Villa
- Evergreen
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Sparta ‑ Historic
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Sparta was located in Conecuh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sparta
- Sparta has also been known as:
- Old Sparta
- Mount Union
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Mount Union is also located in Conecuh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Union
- Wilcox
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Wilcox is also located in Conecuh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilcox
- Castleberry
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Castleberry is also located in Conecuh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Castleberry
- Population from the 2020 Census: 527 people
- Cohassett
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Cohassett is also located in Conecuh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cohassett
- Brooklyn
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Brooklyn is also located in Conecuh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brooklyn
- Garland
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Garland is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garland
- Bowles
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Bowles is also located in Conecuh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bowles
- Belleville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Belleville is also located in Conecuh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belleville
- Loango
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Loango is located in Covington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Loango
- Continue List (19 more) ...
- Red Level
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Red Level is located in Covington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Level
- Population from the 2020 Census: 474 people
- Kirkland
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Kirkland is located in Escambia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kirkland
- Boykin
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Boykin is located in Escambia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boykin
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Centerville. See our List of 1890's Communities around Centerville.
Newspapers Published in Centerville ...
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 51 newspapers that have been published in the area around Centerville.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Centerville, there are papers which were published within 27 miles [43.5 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Centerville.
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 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 Centerville:
- Websites specific to Alabama
- Pages specific to Conecuh County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Butler County
- Covington County
- Crenshaw County
- Escambia County
- Monroe County
- Wilcox County
- Santa Rosa 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 Centerville, 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- Centerville) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |