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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 Flatwood (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 Flatwood. 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 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.

Flatwood is located in Walker 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 Walker County: Blount, Cullman, Fayette, Jefferson, Marion, Tuscaloosa & Winston.

Below are the counties that are near Flatwood. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Flatwood:

  • Walker County     (The home county of Flatwood)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Flatwood, with the one closest to Flatwood listed first.
    • Slicklizzard
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
      • Slicklizzard is located in Walker County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Slicklizzard
    • Prospect
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
      • Prospect is located in Walker County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prospect
    • Nauvoo
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
    • Carbon Hill
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
    • Kansas
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Kansas is located in Walker County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kansas
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 214 people
    • Saragossa
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Saragossa is located in Walker County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saragossa
    • Eldridge
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
    • Edgil
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
      • Edgil is located in Walker County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edgil
    • Townley
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Townley is located in Walker County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Townley
    • Gamble
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Gamble is located in Walker County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gamble
    • Camak Mills ‑ Historic
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
      • Camak Mills is located in Walker County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Camak Mills
    • South Lowell
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
      • South Lowell is located in Walker County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Lowell
    • Coal Valley
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
      • Coal Valley is located in Walker County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coal Valley
  • Cullman County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Flatwood, with the one closest to Flatwood listed first.
    • Ardell
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
      • Ardell is located in Cullman County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ardell
    • Crane Hill
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Chances Crossroad
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Chances Crossroad is located in Cullman County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chances Crossroad
    • Bremen
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
  • Fayette County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Flatwood, with the one closest to Flatwood listed first.
    • Bazemore
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
      • Bazemore is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bazemore
    • Glen Allen
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
      • Glen Allen is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glen Allen
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 480 people
    • Alta
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
      • Alta is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alta
    • Berry
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
      • Berry is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Berry
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,086 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Berry <1>
    • Bankston
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Bankston is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bankston
    • Gu - Win
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
      • Gu - Win is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gu - Win
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 173 people
    • Kirkland
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Kirkland is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kirkland
    • Rossland City
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Rossland City is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rossland City
    • Bluff
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
      • Bluff is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bluff
    • Fayette
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Old Town
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Old Town is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Old Town
  • Franklin County
    • Phil Campbell
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Lamar County
    • Beaverton
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
  • Marion County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Flatwood, with the one closest to Flatwood listed first.
    • Rock City
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
      • Rock City is located in Marion County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock City
    • Brilliant
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
    • Thornhill
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Thornhill is located in Marion County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thornhill
    • Winfield
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
    • Twin
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
      • Twin is located in Marion County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Twin
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 386 people
    • Yampertown
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
      • Yampertown is located in Marion County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yampertown
    • Guin
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
      • Guin is located in Marion County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Guin
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,250 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Guin <1>
    • Stinson
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
      • Stinson is located in Marion County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stinson
    • Bear Creek
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Pikeville
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
      • Pikeville is located in Marion County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pikeville
    • Hackleburg
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Hackleburg is located in Marion County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hackleburg
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,249 people
    • Hamilton
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Tuscaloosa County
    • New Lexington
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
      • New Lexington is located in Tuscaloosa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Lexington
  • Winston County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Flatwood, with the one closest to Flatwood listed first.
    • Farriss
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Farriss is located in Winston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Farriss
    • Lynn
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
      • Lynn is located in Winston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lynn
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 632 people
    • Natural Bridge
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Falls City ‑ Historic
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
      • Falls City is located in Winston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Falls City
    • Glen Mary
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Glen Mary is located in Winston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glen Mary
    • Double Springs
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
    • Delmar
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
      • Delmar is located in Winston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Delmar
    • Slick Ford
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Slick Ford is located in Winston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Slick Ford
    • Boar Tush
      (18 miles [29 km] to the north)
      • Boar Tush is located in Winston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boar Tush
      • Boar Tush has also been known as:
      • Boar Tusk
      • Boartush
      • Boartusk
    • Arley
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
    • Houston
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
    • Ashridge
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
      • Ashridge is located in Winston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ashridge
    • Haleyville
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)

For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Flatwood, see our County-by-County Page for Flatwood.

Cemeteries Near Flatwood ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Flatwood.

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 Flatwood - one of the links might be able to help.

If not found below, our Cemetery List for Flatwood covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.

The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Flatwood, with the one closest to Flatwood listed first.

  • Liberty Grove Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the east)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Liberty Grove Cemetery
    • The Liberty Grove Cemetery has also been known as:
    • New Flatwoods Cemetery
  • Keeton Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
  • Sims Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
  • Pisgah Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pisgah Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Pisgah Cemetery is located in Carbon Hill.
  • Prospect Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
  • Walden Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
  • Coalbed Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
  • Shiloh Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Fergerson Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
  • Old Bethel Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • Ashbank Freewill Baptist Church Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
  • Ashbank Freewill Baptist Church Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
  • Continue List   (614 more) ...
    • Norris Cemetery
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Spring Hill Cemetery
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Sleepy Cemetery
      (5 miles [8 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.<3>

While we didn't find Flatwood in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Flatwood.

These communities are listed based on their distance from Flatwood, with the one closest to Flatwood listed first.

  • Carbon Hill
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
  • Prospect
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
    • Prospect is located in Walker County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prospect
  • Nauvoo
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
  • Kansas
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Kansas is located in Walker County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kansas
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 214 people
  • Ashbank
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
    • Ashbank is located in Winston County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ashbank
  • Eldridge
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
  • Saragossa
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Saragossa is located in Walker County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saragossa
  • Lynn
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
    • Lynn is located in Winston County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lynn
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 632 people
  • Edgil
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
    • Edgil is located in Walker County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edgil
  • Townley
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Townley is located in Walker County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Townley
  • Gamble
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Gamble is located in Walker County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gamble
  • Texas
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
    • Texas is located in Marion County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Texas
  • Continue List   (13 more) ...
    • Natural Bridge
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
    • South Lowell
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
      • South Lowell is located in Walker County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Lowell
    • Glen Allen
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
      • Glen Allen is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glen Allen
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 480 people

We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Flatwood. See our List of 1890's Communities around Flatwood.

Newspapers Published in Flatwood ...

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 62 newspapers that have been published in the area around Flatwood.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Flatwood, there are papers which were published within 22 miles [35.4 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Flatwood.

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 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 Flatwood:

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>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 Flatwood, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.
<4>Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' (or point-to-point) distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Flatwood) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.