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 Isabella (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 Isabella. 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 and doctors 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.
Isabella is located in Chilton 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 Chilton County: Autauga, Bibb, Coosa, Dallas, Elmore & Shelby.
Below are the counties that are near Isabella. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Isabella:
- Chilton County (The home county of Isabella)
- The following are listed by their distance from Isabella, with the one closest to Isabella listed first.
- Maplesville
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Adams
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Adams is located in Chilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adams
- Thorsby
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Clanton
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Jemison
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Stanton
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Stanton is located in Chilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stanton
- Riderville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Riderville is located in Chilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riderville
- Jumbo
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Jumbo is located in Chilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jumbo
- Verbena
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Verbena is located in Chilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Verbena
- Mountain Creek
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Mountain Creek is located in Chilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mountain Creek
- Autauga County
- The following are listed by their distance from Isabella, with the one closest to Isabella listed first.
- Billingsley
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Haynes
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Haynes is located in Autauga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Haynes
- White City
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- White City is located in Autauga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White City
- Vine Hill
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Vine Hill is located in Autauga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vine Hill
- Jones
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Jones is located in Autauga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jones
- Fremont
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Fremont is located in Autauga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fremont
- Marbury
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Independence
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Independence is located in Autauga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Independence
- Gibbons ‑ Historic
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Gibbons is located in Autauga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gibbons
- Statesville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Statesville is located in Autauga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Statesville
- Booth
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Booth is located in Autauga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Booth
- Pine Level
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Pine Level is located in Autauga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Level
- Autaugaville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Autaugaville is located in Autauga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Autaugaville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 882 people
- Bibb County
- The following are listed by their distance from Isabella, with the one closest to Isabella listed first.
- Tucker
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Tucker is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tucker
- Randolph
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Randolph is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Randolph
- Lawley
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Lawley is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lawley
- Active
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Active is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Active
- Oakley
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Oakley is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakley
- Ashby
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Ashby is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ashby
- Brierfield
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Pratt Ferry ‑ Historic
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Pratt Ferry is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pratt Ferry
- Centreville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Centreville is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Centreville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,559 people
- East Town
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- East Town is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Town
- Brent
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Eddings
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Eddings is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eddings
- Seymour
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Seymour is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seymour
- Coosa County
- The following are listed by their distance from Isabella, with the one closest to Isabella listed first.
- Aucheucaula ‑ Historic
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Aucheucaula is located in Coosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aucheucaula
- Dollar
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Dollar is located in Coosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dollar
- Weogufka
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Weogufka is located in Coosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weogufka
- Dallas County
- The following are listed by their distance from Isabella, with the one closest to Isabella listed first.
- Plantersville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Plantersville is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plantersville
- Burnsville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Burnsville is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burnsville
- Valley Grande
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Valley Grande is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Valley Grande
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,468 people
- Elmore County
- The following are listed by their distance from Isabella, with the one closest to Isabella listed first.
- Lightwood
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Lightwood is located in Elmore County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lightwood
- Titus
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Deatsville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Holtville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Holtville is located in Elmore County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holtville
- Holtville has also been known as:
- Slapout
- Perry County
- The following are listed by their distance from Isabella, with the one closest to Isabella listed first.
- Oakmulgee
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Oakmulgee is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakmulgee
- Bethlehem
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Bethlehem is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bethlehem
- Sprott
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Sprott is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sprott
- Augustin
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Augustin is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Augustin
- Jericho
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Jericho is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jericho
- Suttle
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Suttle is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Suttle
- Shelby County
- The following are listed by their distance from Isabella, with the one closest to Isabella listed first.
- Wilton
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Wilton is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 684 people
- Former names for Wilton:
- Birmingham Junction
- Bismarck
- Catoosa
- Woods
- Woodsborough
- Calera
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Montevallo
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Shelby
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Merrell Beach
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Merrell Beach is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Merrell Beach
- Pine Grove Village
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Pine Grove Village is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Grove Village
- Aden
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Aden is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aden
- Maylene
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Saginaw
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Saginaw is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saginaw
- Columbiana
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Sawmill Town
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Sawmill Town is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sawmill Town
- Brantleyville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Brantleyville is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brantleyville
- Siluria
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Siluria is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Siluria
- Talladega County
- Talladega Springs
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Talladega Springs is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Talladega Springs
- Population from the 2020 Census: 156 people
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Isabella, see our County-by-County Page for Isabella.
Cemeteries Near Isabella ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Isabella.
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 Isabella - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Isabella covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Isabella, with the one closest to Isabella listed first.
- Isabella Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Old Raspberry Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Mulberry Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Reeds Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Old Maplesville Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Mt. Carmel Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- New Convert Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Old Mt. Nebo Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Old Liberty Hill Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Foshee Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Donavan Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Mt. Nebo Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Continue List (405 more) ...
- Pleasant Grove Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Liberty Hill Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Beulah Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
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 Isabella in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Isabella.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Isabella, with the one closest to Isabella listed first.
- Maplesville
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Kincheon
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Kincheon is located in Chilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kincheon
- Lomax
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Lomax is located in Chilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lomax
- Randolph
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Randolph is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Randolph
- Stanton
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Stanton is located in Chilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stanton
- Clanton
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Jemison
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Dixie
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Dixie is located in Chilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dixie
- Billingsley
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Plantersville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Plantersville is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plantersville
- Cooper
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Cooper is located in Chilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cooper
- Jumbo
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Jumbo is located in Chilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jumbo
- Continue List (13 more) ...
- Trio
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Trio is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trio
- Ashby
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Ashby is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ashby
- Oakmulgee
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Oakmulgee is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakmulgee
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Isabella. See our List of 1890's Communities around Isabella.
Newspapers Published in Isabella ...
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 52 newspapers that have been published in the area around Isabella.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Isabella, there are papers which were published within 22 miles [35.4 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Isabella.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we begin 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 Isabella:
- Websites specific to Alabama
- Pages specific to Chilton County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Autauga County
- Bibb County
- Coosa County
- Dallas County
- Elmore County
- Perry County
- Shelby County
- Talladega 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 Isabella, 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' (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- Isabella) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |