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 Hobson (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 Hobson. 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 southwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors were in the next county to the west. 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 west 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.
Hobson is located in Randolph 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 Randolph County: Chambers, Clay, Cleburne, Tallapoosa, Carroll (GA), Heard (GA) & Troup (GA).
Below are the counties that are near Hobson. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Hobson:
- Randolph County (The home county of Hobson)
- The following are listed by their distance from Hobson, with the one closest to Hobson listed first.
- Corbin
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Corbin is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Corbin
- West
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- West is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West
- Wedowee
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- High Shoals
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- High Shoals is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for High Shoals
- Woodland
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Cambridge
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Cambridge is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cambridge
- Rockdale
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Rockdale is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rockdale
- Sewell
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Sewell is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sewell
- Roanoke
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Newell
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Newell is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newell
- Peavy
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Peavy is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peavy
- Rock Mills
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Rock Mills is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock Mills
- Calhoun County
- The following are listed by their distance from Hobson, with the one closest to Hobson listed first.
- Friendship
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Friendship is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Friendship
- Iron City
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Iron City is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Iron City
- Chambers County
- The following are listed by their distance from Hobson, with the one closest to Hobson listed first.
- Doublehead
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Doublehead is located in Chambers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Doublehead
- Clackville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Clackville is located in Chambers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clackville
- Red Level
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Red Level is located in Chambers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Level
- Abanda
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Abanda is located in Chambers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Abanda
- McCosh Mill ‑ Historic
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- McCosh Mill is located in Chambers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McCosh Mill
- Milltown
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Milltown is located in Chambers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Milltown
- Stroud
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Stroud is located in Chambers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stroud
- Standing Rock
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Standing Rock is located in Chambers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Standing Rock
- Five Points
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Five Points is located in Chambers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Five Points
- Population from the 2020 Census: 137 people
- Evansville
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Evansville is located in Chambers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Evansville
- Chapel Hill
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Chapel Hill is located in Chambers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chapel Hill
- Penton
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Penton is located in Chambers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Penton
- Clay County
- The following are listed by their distance from Hobson, with the one closest to Hobson listed first.
- Cragford
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Motley
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Motley is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Motley
- Barfield
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Barfield is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barfield
- Delta
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Lineville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Mellow Valley
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Mellow Valley is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mellow Valley
- Haynes Crossroad
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Haynes Crossroad is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Haynes Crossroad
- Elder
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Elder is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elder
- Ashland
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Ashland is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ashland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,872 people
- Harkins Crossroads
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Harkins Crossroads is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harkins Crossroads
- Erin
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Erin is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Erin
- Millerville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Millerville is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millerville
- Cleburne County
- The following are listed by their distance from Hobson, with the one closest to Hobson listed first.
- Micaville
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Micaville is located in Cleburne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Micaville
- Hightower
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Hightower is located in Cleburne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hightower
- Ranburne
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Hollis Crossroads
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Hollis Crossroads is located in Cleburne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hollis Crossroads
- Hopewell
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Hopewell is located in Cleburne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hopewell
- Ai
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Ai is located in Cleburne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ai
- Abel
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Abel is located in Cleburne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Abel
- Heflin
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Edwardsville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Edwardsville is located in Cleburne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edwardsville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 201 people
- Talladega County
- Kentuck
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Kentuck is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kentuck
- Tallapoosa County
- The following are listed by their distance from Hobson, with the one closest to Hobson listed first.
- Truett
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Truett is located in Tallapoosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Truett
- Daviston
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Emuckfaw
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Emuckfaw is located in Tallapoosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Emuckfaw
- Frog Eye
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Frog Eye is located in Tallapoosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frog Eye
- Goldville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Goldville is located in Tallapoosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goldville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 54 people
- Matilda
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Matilda is located in Tallapoosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Matilda
- Dudleyville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Dudleyville is located in Tallapoosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dudleyville
- New Site
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- New Site is located in Tallapoosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Site
- Population from the 2020 Census: 755 people
- Cowpens
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Cowpens is located in Tallapoosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cowpens
- Carroll County (GA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Hobson, with the one closest to Hobson listed first.
- Tyus
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Tyus is located in Carroll County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tyus
- Estimated population in 2019: 3,525 people
- Bowdon
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Roopville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Jonesville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Jonesville is located in Carroll County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jonesville
- Lowell
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Lowell is located in Carroll County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lowell
- Bowers Ferry
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Bowers Ferry is located in Carroll County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bowers Ferry
- Estimated population in 2019: 485 people
- Fairlawn Estates
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Fairlawn Estates is located in Carroll County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairlawn Estates
- Estimated population in 2019: 736 people
- Jake
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Jake is located in Carroll County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jake
- Estimated population in 2019: 146 people
- Mount Zion
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Carrollton
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Bowdon Junction
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Heard County (GA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Hobson, with the one closest to Hobson listed first.
- Frolona
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Frolona is located in Heard County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frolona
- Yates Crossroads
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Yates Crossroads is located in Heard County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yates Crossroads
- Estimated population in 2019: 360 people
- Ephesus
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Ephesus is located in Heard County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ephesus
- Population from the 2020 Census: 459 people
- O'Neals Crossroad
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- O'Neals Crossroad is located in Heard County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for O'Neals Crossroad
- Glenn
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Roosterville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Roosterville is located in Heard County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roosterville
- Franklin
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Riverside
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Riverside is located in Heard County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riverside
- Houston
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Houston is located in Heard County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Houston
- Population from the 2010 Census: 110 people
- Centralhatchee
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Centralhatchee is located in Heard County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Centralhatchee
- Population from the 2020 Census: 377 people
- Corinth
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Corinth is located in Heard County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Corinth
- Troup County (GA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Hobson, with the one closest to Hobson listed first.
- Evansville
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Evansville is located in Troup County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Evansville
- Abbottsford
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Abbottsford is located in Troup County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Abbottsford
- Vernon ‑ Historic
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Vernon is located in Troup County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vernon
- Graysons Landing
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Graysons Landing is located in Troup County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Graysons Landing
- Estimated population in 2019: 4,452 people
- Sunny Point
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Sunny Point is located in Troup County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sunny Point
- Population from the 2010 Census: 1,303 people
- West Lake Village
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- West Lake Village is located in Troup County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Lake Village
- Rockwell Estates
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Rockwell Estates is located in Troup County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rockwell Estates
- Sassafrass Hills
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Sassafrass Hills is located in Troup County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sassafrass Hills
- Estimated population in 2019: 255 people
- Brays Lakeview
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Brays Lakeview is located in Troup County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brays Lakeview
- Asta Village
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Asta Village is located in Troup County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Asta Village
- LaGrange
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Hogansville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Hobson, see our County-by-County Page for Hobson.
Cemeteries Near Hobson ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Hobson.
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 Hobson - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Hobson covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Hobson, with the one closest to Hobson listed first.
- Old Rocky Branch Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Highway Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Highway Ridge Memorial Gardens
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Midway Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- East Napoleon Church of Christ Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Wildcat Creek Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Liberty Grove Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Big Springs Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Boozer Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Union Hill Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Bear Creek Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Springfield Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Continue List (444 more) ...
- Gay Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Swan Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Friendship Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 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 Hobson in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Hobson.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Hobson, with the one closest to Hobson listed first.
- West
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- West is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West
- Haywood
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Haywood is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Haywood
- Potash
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Potash is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Potash
- Cornhouse
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Cornhouse is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cornhouse
- Wedowee
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- High Shoals
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- High Shoals is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for High Shoals
- Omaha
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Omaha is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Omaha
- Waldrep
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Waldrep is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waldrep
- Cambridge
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Cambridge is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cambridge
- Wehadkee
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Wehadkee is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wehadkee
- Rockdale
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Rockdale is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rockdale
- Lamar
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Lamar is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lamar
- Continue List (16 more) ...
- Roanoke
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Sewell
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Sewell is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sewell
- Rock Mills
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Rock Mills is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock Mills
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Hobson. See our List of 1890's Communities around Hobson.
Newspapers Published in Hobson ...
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 20 newspapers that have been published in the area around Hobson.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Hobson, there are papers which were published within 17 miles [27.4 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Hobson.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we start with the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These professional and volunteer 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 Hobson:
- Websites specific to Alabama
- Pages specific to Randolph County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Calhoun County
- Chambers County
- Clay County
- Cleburne County
- Talladega County
- Tallapoosa County
- Carroll County
- Heard County
- Troup 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> | 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 Hobson, 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' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Hobson) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |