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 Lawley (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 Lawley. 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 doctors and 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.
Lawley is located in Shelby 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 Shelby County: Bibb, Chilton, Coosa, Jefferson, Saint Clair & Talladega.
Below are the counties that are near Lawley. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Lawley:
- Shelby County (The home county of Lawley)
- The following are listed by their distance from Lawley, with the one closest to Lawley listed first.
- Sterrett
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Vandiver
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Calcis
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Calcis is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Calcis
- Dunavant
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Dunavant is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunavant
- Dunnavant
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Dunnavant is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunnavant
- Harpersville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Westover
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Westover is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westover
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,769 people
- Shoal Creek
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Shoal Creek is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shoal Creek
- Bridgeton
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Bridgeton is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bridgeton
- Lake Purdy
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Lake Purdy is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Purdy
- Chelsea
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Meadowbrook
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Meadowbrook is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meadowbrook
- Blount County
- The following are listed by their distance from Lawley, with the one closest to Lawley listed first.
- Dale ‑ Historic
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Dale is located in Blount County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dale
- Remlap
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Compton
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Compton is located in Blount County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Compton
- Appalachian
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Appalachian is located in Blount County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Appalachian
- Highland Lake
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Highland Lake is located in Blount County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Highland Lake
- Population from the 2020 Census: 410 people
- Straight Mountain
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Straight Mountain is located in Blount County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Straight Mountain
- Dallas
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Dallas is located in Blount County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dallas
- Selfville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Selfville is located in Blount County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Selfville
- County Line
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- County Line is located in Blount County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for County Line
- Population from the 2020 Census: 241 people
- Allgood
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Allgood is located in Blount County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Allgood
- Population from the 2020 Census: 638 people
- Adville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Adville is located in Blount County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adville
- Locust Fork
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Calhoun County
- The following are listed by their distance from Lawley, with the one closest to Lawley listed first.
- Bruner ‑ Historic
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Bruner is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bruner
- Eastaboga
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Blue Eye ‑ Historic
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Blue Eye is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blue Eye
- Boozer ‑ Historic
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Boozer is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boozer
- Macon
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Macon is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Macon
- Bynum
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Bynum is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bynum
- Bynum has also been known as:
- Bynum's
- Cane Creek ‑ Historic
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Cane Creek is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cane Creek
- Ohatchee
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Clay County
- Chambers Springs
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Chambers Springs is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chambers Springs
- Jefferson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Lawley, with the one closest to Lawley listed first.
- Leeds
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Cedar Grove ‑ Historic
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Cedar Grove is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar Grove
- Scott City
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Scott City is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Scott City
- Lola City
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Lola City is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lola City
- McCombs
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- McCombs is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McCombs
- Roper
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Roper is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roper
- Breakstone Village
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Breakstone Village is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Breakstone Village
- East Trussville ‑ Historic
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- East Trussville is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Trussville
- Alton
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Cahaba Village
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Cahaba Village is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cahaba Village
- Trussville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Rock Ridge
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Rock Ridge is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock Ridge
- Saint Clair County
- The following are listed by their distance from Lawley, with the one closest to Lawley listed first.
- Brompton
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Brompton is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brompton
- Cook's Springs
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Cook's Springs is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cook's Springs
- Moody
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Moody is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moody
- Population from the 2020 Census: 13,292 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Moody <1>
- Woodland Village
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Woodland Village is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodland Village
- Fountainrun ‑ Historic
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Fountainrun is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fountainrun
- Acmar
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Acmar is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Acmar
- Vincent
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Easonville ‑ Historic
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Easonville is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Easonville
- Parsons
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Parsons is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parsons
- Cropwell
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Glen City
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Glen City is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glen City
- Avondale Village
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Avondale Village is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avondale Village
- Talladega County
- The following are listed by their distance from Lawley, with the one closest to Lawley listed first.
- Logan Martin Dam
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Logan Martin Dam is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Logan Martin Dam
- East Bend
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- East Bend is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Bend
- Colony
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Colony is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colony
- Windsong Island
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Windsong Island is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Windsong Island
- Childersburg
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Alpine
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Nottingham ‑ Historic
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Nottingham is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nottingham
- Former name for Nottingham:
- Jones Camp Ground
- Bon Air
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Bon Air is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bon Air
- Population from the 2020 Census: 109 people
- Lincoln
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Winterboro
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Winterboro is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winterboro
- Talladega
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Rendalia
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Rendalia is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rendalia
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Lawley, see our County-by-County Page for Lawley.
Cemeteries Near Lawley ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Lawley.
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 Lawley - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Lawley covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Lawley, with the one closest to Lawley listed first.
- Lawleys Chapel Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Hollis Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Stewarts Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Old Sterrett Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Sand Ridge Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Pleasant Grove Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Union Hill Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Vandiver Negro Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Weldon Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Beulah Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Sterrett Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Allen Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Allen Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Allen Cemetery is located in the vicinity of Calcis
- Continue List (315 more) ...
- Mt. Pleasant Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Hollis Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Macedonia North 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 Lawley in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Lawley.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Lawley, with the one closest to Lawley listed first.
- Lowery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Lowery is located in Blount County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lowery
- Vandiver
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Sterrett
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Wolf Creek
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Wolf Creek is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wolf Creek
- Brompton
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Brompton is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brompton
- Dunnavant
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Dunnavant is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunnavant
- Moody
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Moody is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moody
- Population from the 2020 Census: 13,292 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Moody <1>
- Cook's Springs
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Cook's Springs is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cook's Springs
- Leeds
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Vincent
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- East Bend
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- East Bend is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Bend
- Easonville ‑ Historic
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Easonville is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Easonville
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- Harpersville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Cropwell
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Eden
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Eden is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eden
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Lawley. See our List of 1890's Communities around Lawley.
Newspapers Published in Lawley ...
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 18 newspapers that have been published in the area around Lawley.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Lawley, there are papers which were published within 12 miles [19.3 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Lawley.
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 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 Lawley:
- Websites specific to Alabama
- Pages specific to Shelby County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Blount County
- Calhoun County
- Clay County
- Jefferson County
- Saint Clair 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> | 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 Lawley, 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- Lawley) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |