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 McKinley (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 McKinley. 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 northwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors and hospitals were in the next county to the west. 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 west 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.
McKinley is located in Marengo 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 Marengo County: Choctaw, Clarke, Dallas, Greene, Hale, Perry, Sumter & Wilcox.
Below are the counties that are near McKinley. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to McKinley:
- Marengo County (The home county of McKinley)
- The following are listed by their distance from McKinley, with the one closest to McKinley listed first.
- Consul
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Consul is located in Marengo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Consul
- Crenshaw ‑ Historic
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Crenshaw is located in Marengo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crenshaw
- Thomaston
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Thomaston is located in Marengo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thomaston
- Population from the 2020 Census: 383 people
- Dayton
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Dayton is located in Marengo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dayton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 40 people
- Siddonsville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Siddonsville is located in Marengo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Siddonsville
- Flatwood
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Flatwood is located in Marengo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flatwood
- Hugo
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Hugo is located in Marengo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hugo
- Tombigbee ‑ Historic
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Tombigbee is located in Marengo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tombigbee
- Faunsdale
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Magnolia
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Magnolia is located in Marengo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Magnolia
- Providence
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Providence is located in Marengo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Providence
- Population from the 2020 Census: 198 people
- Linden
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Moss ‑ Historic
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Moss is located in Marengo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moss
- Choctaw County
- The following are listed by their distance from McKinley, with the one closest to McKinley listed first.
- Cedahoma ‑ Historic
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Cedahoma is located in Choctaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedahoma
- Tompkinsville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Tompkinsville is located in Choctaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tompkinsville
- Pennington
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Pennington is located in Choctaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pennington
- Population from the 2020 Census: 202 people
- Clarke County
- The following are listed by their distance from McKinley, with the one closest to McKinley listed first.
- Atkeison
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Atkeison is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Atkeison
- Thomasville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Glover
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Glover is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glover
- Dallas County
- The following are listed by their distance from McKinley, with the one closest to McKinley listed first.
- Central Mills
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Central Mills is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Central Mills
- Safford
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Browns
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Browns is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Browns
- Crumptonia
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Crumptonia is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crumptonia
- Orrville
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Massillon ‑ Historic
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Massillon is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Massillon
- Marion Junction
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Marion Junction is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marion Junction
- Harrell
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Harrell is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harrell
- Cahawba ‑ Historic
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Cahawba is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cahawba
- Sunset Mill Village
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Sunset Mill Village is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sunset Mill Village
- Selma
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Hale County
- The following are listed by their distance from McKinley, with the one closest to McKinley listed first.
- Gallion
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Gallion is located in Hale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gallion
- Prairieville
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Prairieville is located in Hale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prairieville
- Newbern
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Newbern is located in Hale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newbern
- Population from the 2020 Census: 174 people
- Cedarville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Cedarville is located in Hale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedarville
- Arcola
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Arcola is located in Hale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arcola
- Rosemary
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Rosemary is located in Hale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rosemary
- Greensboro
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Perry County
- The following are listed by their distance from McKinley, with the one closest to McKinley listed first.
- Freetown
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Freetown is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Freetown
- Ellawhite
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Ellawhite is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ellawhite
- Uniontown
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- The Village
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- The Village is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for The Village
- Vilula
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Vilula is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vilula
- Marion
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Suttle
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Suttle is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Suttle
- Augustin
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Augustin is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Augustin
- Sumter County
- McDowell
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- McDowell is located in Sumter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McDowell
- Wilcox County
- The following are listed by their distance from McKinley, with the one closest to McKinley listed first.
- Alberta
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Alberta is located in Wilcox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alberta
- Catherine
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Catherine is located in Wilcox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Catherine
- Gastonburg
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Gastonburg is located in Wilcox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gastonburg
- Bethel
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Bethel is located in Wilcox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bethel
- Rehoboth
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Rehoboth is located in Wilcox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rehoboth
- Lamison
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Lamison is located in Wilcox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lamison
- Prairie Bluff ‑ Historic
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Prairie Bluff is located in Wilcox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prairie Bluff
- Prairie Bluff has also been known as:
- Dale
- Daletown
- Millers Ferry
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Millers Ferry is located in Wilcox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millers Ferry
- Arlington
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Arlington is located in Wilcox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arlington
- Anne Manie
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Anne Manie is located in Wilcox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Anne Manie
- Kimbrough
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Kimbrough is located in Wilcox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kimbrough
- Pine Hill
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Pine Hill is located in Wilcox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Hill
- Population from the 2020 Census: 834 people
- Boykin
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Boykin is located in Wilcox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boykin
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to McKinley, see our County-by-County Page for McKinley.
Cemeteries Near McKinley ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of McKinley.
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 McKinley - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for McKinley covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from McKinley, with the one closest to McKinley listed first.
- Zion Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Bethel Hill Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Glovers Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Zion Campground Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Jericho Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Sidney Chapel Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- New Bethel Springs Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Kelly Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Creagh - Glover Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Boiling Spring Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Rivers Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Mt. Zion Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Continue List (314 more) ...
- Bethel Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Mt. Calvary Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Black Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
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>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that McKinley had a population of 126 people in 1895 with a post office and no railroad service.
These communities are listed based on their distance from McKinley, with the one closest to McKinley listed first.
- Crenshaw ‑ Historic
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Crenshaw is located in Marengo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crenshaw
- Central Mills
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Central Mills is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Central Mills
- Dayton
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Dayton is located in Marengo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dayton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 40 people
- Catherine
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Catherine is located in Wilcox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Catherine
- Gastonburg
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Gastonburg is located in Wilcox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gastonburg
- Safford
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Uniontown
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Tombigbee ‑ Historic
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Tombigbee is located in Marengo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tombigbee
- Faunsdale
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Bethel
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Bethel is located in Wilcox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bethel
- Rehoboth
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Rehoboth is located in Wilcox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rehoboth
- Williamsburg ‑ Historic
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Williamsburg is located in Marengo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Williamsburg
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Lamison
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Lamison is located in Wilcox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lamison
- Boiling Springs
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Boiling Springs is located in Wilcox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boiling Springs
- Magnolia
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Magnolia is located in Marengo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Magnolia
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around McKinley. See our List of 1890's Communities around McKinley.
Newspapers Published in McKinley ...
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 34 newspapers that have been published in the area around McKinley.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of McKinley, there are papers which were published within 22 miles [35.4 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for McKinley.
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 McKinley:
- Websites specific to Alabama
- Pages specific to Marengo County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Choctaw County
- Clarke County
- Dallas County
- Hale County
- Perry County
- Sumter 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> | 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 McKinley, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <4> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a '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- McKinley) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |