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 Epes (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 Epes. 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 doctors and hospitals 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.
Epes is located in Sumter 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 Sumter County: Choctaw, Greene, Marengo, Pickens, Kemper (MS), Lauderdale (MS) & Noxubee (MS).
Below are the counties that are near Epes. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Epes:
- Sumter County (The home county of Epes)
- The following are listed by their distance from Epes, with the one closest to Epes listed first.
- Sumterville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Sumterville is located in Sumter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sumterville
- Livingston
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Gainesville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Gainesville is located in Sumter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gainesville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 182 people
- Moore Town
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Moore Town is located in Sumter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moore Town
- Bethel ‑ Historic
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Bethel is located in Sumter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bethel
- Sledge ‑ Historic
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Sledge is located in Sumter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sledge
- Boyd
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Boyd is located in Sumter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boyd
- Emelle
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Emelle is located in Sumter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Emelle
- Population from the 2020 Census: 46 people
- Brewersville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Brewersville is located in Sumter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brewersville
- Arrington
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Arrington is located in Sumter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arrington
- Coatopa
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Coatopa is located in Sumter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coatopa
- Bellamy
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Bellamy is located in Sumter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bellamy
- Choctaw County
- The following are listed by their distance from Epes, with the one closest to Epes listed first.
- Cedahoma ‑ Historic
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Cedahoma is located in Choctaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedahoma
- Pelham
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Pelham is located in Choctaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pelham
- Greene County
- The following are listed by their distance from Epes, with the one closest to Epes listed first.
- Miller
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Miller is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Miller
- Boligee
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Lizzieville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Lizzieville is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lizzieville
- Forkland
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Forkland is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forkland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 583 people
- West Greene
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- West Greene is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Greene
- Clinton
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Clinton is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clinton
- Eutaw
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Lewiston
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Lewiston is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lewiston
- Union
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Union is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union
- Population from the 2020 Census: 207 people
- Mantua
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Mantua is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mantua
- Knoxville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Knoxville is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Knoxville
- Hale County
- The following are listed by their distance from Epes, with the one closest to Epes listed first.
- Arcola
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Arcola is located in Hale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arcola
- Sawyerville
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Akron
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Oak Village
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Oak Village is located in Hale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Village
- Cedarville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Cedarville is located in Hale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedarville
- Gallion
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Gallion is located in Hale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gallion
- Prairieville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Prairieville is located in Hale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prairieville
- Greensboro
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Marengo County
- The following are listed by their distance from Epes, with the one closest to Epes listed first.
- Demopolis
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Aigleville ‑ Historic
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Aigleville is located in Marengo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aigleville
- Griffins ‑ Historic
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Griffins is located in Marengo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Griffins
- Pin Hook
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Pin Hook is located in Marengo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pin Hook
- Beckleys ‑ Historic
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Beckleys is located in Marengo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beckleys
- Pickens County
- The following are listed by their distance from Epes, with the one closest to Epes listed first.
- Aliceville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Benevola
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Benevola is located in Pickens County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Benevola
- Kemper County (MS)
- The following are listed by their distance from Epes, with the one closest to Epes listed first.
- Giles
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Giles is located in Kemper County (MS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Giles
- Narkeeta ‑ Historic
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Narkeeta is located in Kemper County (MS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Narkeeta
- Electric Mills
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Electric Mills is located in Kemper County (MS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Electric Mills
- Porterville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Porterville is located in Kemper County (MS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Porterville
- Sucarnoochee
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Sucarnoochee is located in Kemper County (MS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sucarnoochee
- Binnsville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Binnsville is located in Kemper County (MS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Binnsville
- Scooba
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Wahalak
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Wahalak is located in Kemper County (MS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wahalak
- De Kalb
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Lauderdale County (MS)
- The following are listed by their distance from Epes, with the one closest to Epes listed first.
- Smith
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Smith is located in Lauderdale County (MS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smith
- Lockhart
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Lockhart is located in Lauderdale County (MS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lockhart
- Noxubee County (MS)
- Cooksville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Cooksville is located in Noxubee County (MS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cooksville
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Epes, see our County-by-County Page for Epes.
Cemeteries Near Epes ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Epes.
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 Epes - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Epes covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Epes, with the one closest to Epes listed first.
- May Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Harris Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Henagan Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- McInnis Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Lewis Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Lee Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Hawkins Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Eskeridge Pettigrew Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Maye Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Mt. Zion Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Cook Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- McCainville Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Continue List (325 more) ...
- Houston Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Dallas Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Brown Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
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 Epes in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Epes.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Epes, with the one closest to Epes listed first.
- Miller
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Miller is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Miller
- Sumterville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Sumterville is located in Sumter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sumterville
- Livingston
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Boligee
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Tishabee
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Tishabee is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tishabee
- Hamner
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Hamner is located in Sumter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hamner
- Boyd
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Boyd is located in Sumter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boyd
- Mount Hebron
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Mount Hebron is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Hebron
- Coatopa
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Coatopa is located in Sumter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coatopa
- Belmont
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Belmont is located in Sumter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belmont
- Forkland
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Forkland is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forkland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 583 people
- McDowell
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- McDowell is located in Sumter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McDowell
- Continue List (13 more) ...
- West Greene
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- West Greene is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Greene
- Warsaw
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Warsaw is located in Sumter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Warsaw
- Eutaw
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Epes. See our List of 1890's Communities around Epes.
Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Epes ...
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 58 newspapers that have been published in the area around Epes.
We have organized these newspapers into two lists:
- A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Epes. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Epes and those printed in the larger area surrounding Epes.
- An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 22 miles [35.4 km]<3> of Epes.
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 Epes:
- Websites specific to Alabama
- Pages specific to Sumter County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Choctaw County
- Greene County
- Hale County
- Marengo County
- Pickens County
- Kemper County
- Lauderdale County
- Noxubee 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 Epes, 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 drawn from Point A (ie- Epes) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |