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 Hays Ford (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 Hays Ford. 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 Hays Ford ...
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 Hays Ford: Hays Frd.
- While the name of this community is Hays Ford, be aware that it's the common practice of mapmakers to remove the apostrophe from possessive names<1>. So Hays Ford may originally have been Hay's Ford.
Sometimes the trailing 's' might be dropped altogether, in which case Hays Ford might be written as Hay Ford.
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 northeast 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 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.
Hays Ford is located in Lamar 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 Lamar County: Fayette, Marion, Pickens, Lowndes (MS) & Monroe (MS).
Below are the counties that are near Hays Ford. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Hays Ford:
- Lamar County (The home county of Hays Ford)
- The following are listed by their distance from Hays Ford, with the one closest to Hays Ford listed first.
- Beaverton
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Detroit
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Sulligent
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Vernon
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Bedford
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Bedford is located in Lamar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bedford
- Hightogy
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Hightogy is located in Lamar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hightogy
- Kennedy
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Kennedy is located in Lamar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kennedy
- Population from the 2020 Census: 421 people
- Fernbank
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Fernbank is located in Lamar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fernbank
- Millport
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Fayette County
- The following are listed by their distance from Hays Ford, with the one closest to Hays Ford listed first.
- Gu - Win
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Gu - Win is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gu - Win
- Population from the 2020 Census: 173 people
- Bluff
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Bluff is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bluff
- Kirkland
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Kirkland is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kirkland
- Glen Allen
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Glen Allen is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glen Allen
- Population from the 2020 Census: 480 people
- Bazemore
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Bazemore is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bazemore
- Belk
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Belk is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belk
- Population from the 2020 Census: 206 people
- Fayette
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Old Town
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Old Town is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Old Town
- Rossland City
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Rossland City is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rossland City
- Franklin County
- The following are listed by their distance from Hays Ford, with the one closest to Hays Ford listed first.
- Hodges
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Vina
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Vina is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vina
- Population from the 2020 Census: 358 people
- Marion County
- The following are listed by their distance from Hays Ford, with the one closest to Hays Ford listed first.
- Pikeville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Pikeville is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pikeville
- Guin
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Stinson
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Stinson is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stinson
- Hamilton
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Twin
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Twin is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Twin
- Population from the 2020 Census: 386 people
- Yampertown
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Yampertown is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yampertown
- Weston
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Weston is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weston
- Winfield
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Brilliant
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Rock City
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Rock City is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock City
- Hackleburg
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Hackleburg is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hackleburg
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,249 people
- Thornhill
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Thornhill is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thornhill
- Bear Creek
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Walker County
- The following are listed by their distance from Hays Ford, with the one closest to Hays Ford listed first.
- Eldridge
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Kansas
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Kansas is located in Walker County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kansas
- Population from the 2020 Census: 214 people
- Carbon Hill
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Winston County
- The following are listed by their distance from Hays Ford, with the one closest to Hays Ford listed first.
- Farriss
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Farriss is located in Winston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Farriss
- Glen Mary
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Glen Mary is located in Winston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glen Mary
- Natural Bridge
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Boar Tush
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- 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
- Delmar
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Delmar is located in Winston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Delmar
- Lynn
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Lynn is located in Winston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lynn
- Population from the 2020 Census: 632 people
- Haleyville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Itawamba County (MS)
- The following are listed by their distance from Hays Ford, with the one closest to Hays Ford listed first.
- Tremont
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Oakland
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Oakland is located in Itawamba County (MS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakland
- Bounds Crossroads
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Bounds Crossroads is located in Itawamba County (MS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bounds Crossroads
- Clay
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Clay is located in Itawamba County (MS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clay
- Eastman
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Eastman is located in Itawamba County (MS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eastman
- Carolina
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Carolina is located in Itawamba County (MS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carolina
- Fulton
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Abney
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Abney is located in Itawamba County (MS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Abney
- Greenwood
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Greenwood is located in Itawamba County (MS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenwood
- Lowndes County (MS)
- Caledonia
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Monroe County (MS)
- The following are listed by their distance from Hays Ford, with the one closest to Hays Ford listed first.
- Gattman
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Gattman is located in Monroe County (MS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gattman
- Population from the 2020 Census: 89 people
- Riggins
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Riggins is located in Monroe County (MS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riggins
- Splunge
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Splunge is located in Monroe County (MS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Splunge
- Greenwood Springs
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Ales ‑ Historic
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Ales is located in Monroe County (MS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ales
- Floyton ‑ Historic
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Floyton is located in Monroe County (MS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Floyton
- Hatley
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Hatley is located in Monroe County (MS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hatley
- Population from the 2020 Census: 458 people
- Smithville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Acker ‑ Historic
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Acker is located in Monroe County (MS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Acker
- Amory
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Hamilton
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Cotton Gin Port ‑ Historic
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Cotton Gin Port is located in Monroe County (MS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cotton Gin Port
- Aberdeen
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Hays Ford, see our County-by-County Page for Hays Ford.
Cemeteries Near Hays Ford ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Hays Ford.
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 Hays Ford - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Hays Ford covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Hays Ford, with the one closest to Hays Ford listed first.
- Henson Springs Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Crump Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Henson Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Spruiell Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Cantrell Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Pope Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Mt. Hebron Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Stanford Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Olive Hill Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Liberty Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Stanford Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Cantrell Family Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Continue List (595 more) ...
- Hollis Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Beaverton Memorial Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Sizemore Memorial Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
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 Hays Ford in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Hays Ford.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Hays Ford, with the one closest to Hays Ford listed first.
- Beaverton
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Pine Springs
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Pine Springs is located in Lamar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Springs
- Pikeville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Pikeville is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pikeville
- Detroit
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Sulligent
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Guin
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Stinson
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Stinson is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stinson
- Moscow
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Moscow is located in Lamar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moscow
- Hamilton
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Barnesville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Barnesville is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barnesville
- Gattman
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Gattman is located in Monroe County (MS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gattman
- Population from the 2020 Census: 89 people
- Wayside
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Wayside is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wayside
- Continue List (16 more) ...
- Riggins
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Riggins is located in Monroe County (MS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riggins
- Splunge
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Splunge is located in Monroe County (MS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Splunge
- Bexar
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Bexar is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bexar
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Hays Ford. See our List of 1890's Communities around Hays Ford.
Newspapers Published in Hays Ford ...
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 Hays Ford.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Hays Ford, there are papers which were published within 28 miles [45.1 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Hays Ford.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we first visit 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 Hays Ford:
- Websites specific to Alabama
- Pages specific to Lamar County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Fayette County
- Franklin County
- Marion County
- Walker County
- Winston County
- Itawamba County
- Lowndes County
- Monroe 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> | 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 Hays Ford, 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 from Point A (ie- Hays Ford) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |