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 Franklin (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 Franklin. 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.
Franklin is located in Monroe 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 Monroe County: Baldwin, Butler, Clarke, Conecuh, Escambia & Wilcox.
Below are the counties that are near Franklin. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Franklin:
- Monroe County (The home county of Franklin)
- The following are listed by their distance from Franklin, with the one closest to Franklin listed first.
- Scratch Ankle
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Scratch Ankle is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Scratch Ankle
- Hybart
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Hybart is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hybart
- Finchburg ‑ Historic
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Finchburg is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Finchburg
- Lovan ‑ Historic
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Lovan is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lovan
- Natchez
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Natchez is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Natchez
- Vredenburgh
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Vredenburgh is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vredenburgh
- Population from the 2020 Census: 284 people
- Buena Vista
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Buena Vista is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buena Vista
- Beatrice
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Tunnel Springs
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Tunnel Springs is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tunnel Springs
- Former name for Tunnel Springs:
- Kempsville
- Peterman
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Peterman is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peterman
- Pineville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Pineville is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pineville
- Monroeville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Claiborne
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Claiborne is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Claiborne
- Clarke County
- The following are listed by their distance from Franklin, with the one closest to Franklin listed first.
- Nettleboro
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Nettleboro is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nettleboro
- Dickinson
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Dickinson is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dickinson
- Suggsville
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Suggsville is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Suggsville
- Whatley
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Whatley is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whatley
- Fulton
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Fulton is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fulton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 242 people
- Grove Hill
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Barlow Bend
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Barlow Bend is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barlow Bend
- Atkeison
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Atkeison is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Atkeison
- Thomasville
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Gainestown
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Gainestown is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gainestown
- Walker Springs
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Alma
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Alma is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alma
- Zimco
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Zimco is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zimco
- Conecuh County
- The following are listed by their distance from Franklin, with the one closest to Franklin listed first.
- Ramah
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Ramah is located in Conecuh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ramah
- Bermuda
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Bermuda is located in Conecuh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bermuda
- Repton
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Commerce
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Commerce is located in Conecuh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Commerce
- Belleville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Belleville is located in Conecuh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belleville
- Mixonville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Mixonville is located in Conecuh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mixonville
- Range
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Range is located in Conecuh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Range
- Lenox
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Marengo County
- The following are listed by their distance from Franklin, with the one closest to Franklin listed first.
- Vineland
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Vineland is located in Marengo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vineland
- Ellison ‑ Historic
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Ellison is located in Marengo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ellison
- Wilcox County
- The following are listed by their distance from Franklin, with the one closest to Franklin listed first.
- Asahel
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Asahel is located in Wilcox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Asahel
- Lower Peach Tree
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Lower Peach Tree is located in Wilcox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lower Peach Tree
- Coy
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Coy is located in Wilcox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coy
- Nellie
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Nellie is located in Wilcox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nellie
- Yellow Bluff
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Yellow Bluff is located in Wilcox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yellow Bluff
- Population from the 2020 Census: 200 people
- Rockwest
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Rockwest is located in Wilcox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rockwest
- Camden
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- McWilliams
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- McWilliams is located in Wilcox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McWilliams
- Estelle
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Estelle is located in Wilcox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Estelle
- Pine Hill
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Pine Hill is located in Wilcox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Hill
- Population from the 2020 Census: 834 people
- Caledonia
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Caledonia is located in Wilcox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caledonia
- Oak Hill
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Oak Hill is located in Wilcox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Hill
- Population from the 2020 Census: 23 people
- Kimbrough
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Kimbrough is located in Wilcox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kimbrough
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Franklin, see our County-by-County Page for Franklin.
Cemeteries Near Franklin ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Franklin.
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 Franklin - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Franklin covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Franklin, with the one closest to Franklin listed first.
- Springhill First Baptist Church Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- St. Peter Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- York Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Bryant - Deer Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Red Hills Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Powell Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Forehand Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Bryant Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- New Liberty Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Tinela Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Williams Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Davidson Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Continue List (230 more) ...
- Shiloh Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Pine Flat Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Hybart Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
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.<4>
While we didn't find Franklin in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Franklin.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Franklin, with the one closest to Franklin listed first.
- River Ridge ‑ Historic
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- River Ridge is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for River Ridge
- Tinela
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Tinela is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tinela
- Finchburg ‑ Historic
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Finchburg is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Finchburg
- Lovan ‑ Historic
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Lovan is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lovan
- Axle
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Axle is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Axle
- Natchez
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Natchez is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Natchez
- Buena Vista
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Buena Vista is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buena Vista
- Lower Peach Tree
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Lower Peach Tree is located in Wilcox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lower Peach Tree
- Coy
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Coy is located in Wilcox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coy
- Chestnut
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Chestnut is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chestnut
- Gosport
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Gosport is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gosport
- Claiborne
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Claiborne is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Claiborne
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- Monroeville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Pineville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Pineville is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pineville
- Nellie
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Nellie is located in Wilcox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nellie
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Franklin. See our List of 1890's Communities around Franklin.
Newspapers Published in Franklin ...
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 39 newspapers that have been published in the area around Franklin.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Franklin, there are papers which were published within 23 miles [37 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Franklin.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we like to start with 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 Franklin:
- Websites specific to Alabama
- Pages specific to Monroe County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Clarke County
- Conecuh County
- Marengo 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> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Franklin) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |
| <3> | 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. |
| <4> | 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 Franklin, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |