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 Mountain Star (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 Mountain Star. 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 Mountain Star ...
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.
For example, a typical abbreviation for Mountain Star: Mtn. Star
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 northwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most 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.
Mountain Star is located in Franklin 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 Franklin County: Colbert, Lawrence, Marion, Winston, Itawamba (MS) & Tishomingo (MS).
Below are the counties that are near Mountain Star. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Mountain Star:
- Franklin County (The home county of Mountain Star)
- The following are listed by their distance from Mountain Star, with the one closest to Mountain Star listed first.
- Russellville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Churntown
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Churntown is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Churntown
- Rockwood
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Rockwood is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rockwood
- Spruce Pine
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Spruce Pine is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spruce Pine
- Belgreen
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Belgreen is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belgreen
- Phil Campbell
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Slickrock Ford ‑ Historic
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Slickrock Ford is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Slickrock Ford
- Hodges
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Burntout
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Burntout is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burntout
- Burntout has also been known as:
- Burn Out
- Burnout
- Burnt Out
- Pleasant Site
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Pleasant Site is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Site
- Vina
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Vina is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vina
- Population from the 2020 Census: 358 people
- Red Bay
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Colbert County
- The following are listed by their distance from Mountain Star, with the one closest to Mountain Star listed first.
- Littleville
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Littleville is located in Colbert County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Littleville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 992 people
- White House Springs
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- White House Springs is located in Colbert County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White House Springs
- Spring Valley
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Spring Valley is located in Colbert County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spring Valley
- Campbell Settlement ‑ Historic
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Campbell Settlement is located in Colbert County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Campbell Settlement
- Leighton
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Muscle Shoals
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Tuscumbia
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Furnace Hill ‑ Historic
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Furnace Hill is located in Colbert County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Furnace Hill
- Nitrate City
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Nitrate City is located in Colbert County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nitrate City
- Sheffield
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Gatesville ‑ Historic
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Gatesville is located in Colbert County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gatesville
- Red Rock
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Red Rock is located in Colbert County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Rock
- Lauderdale County
- The following are listed by their distance from Mountain Star, with the one closest to Mountain Star listed first.
- Canaan ‑ Historic
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Canaan is located in Lauderdale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Canaan
- Florence
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Bainbridge ‑ Historic
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Bainbridge is located in Lauderdale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bainbridge
- Cypress Creek
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Cypress Creek is located in Lauderdale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cypress Creek
- Green Tree ‑ Historic
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Green Tree is located in Lauderdale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Green Tree
- Mars Hill
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Mars Hill is located in Lauderdale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mars Hill
- McGee Town
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- McGee Town is located in Lauderdale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McGee Town
- Saint Florian
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Saint Florian is located in Lauderdale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Florian
- Population from the 2020 Census: 780 people
- Killen
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Beach Grove ‑ Historic
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Beach Grove is located in Lauderdale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beach Grove
- Belleview ‑ Historic
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Belleview is located in Lauderdale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belleview
- Bailey Springs
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Bailey Springs is located in Lauderdale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bailey Springs
- Lawrence County
- The following are listed by their distance from Mountain Star, with the one closest to Mountain Star listed first.
- Mehama ‑ Historic
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Mehama is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mehama
- Avoca ‑ Historic
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Avoca is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avoca
- Concord
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Concord is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Concord
- Mount Hope
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Mount Hope is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Hope
- Edmond
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Edmond is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edmond
- Hatton
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Hatton is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hatton
- Camp Spring ‑ Historic
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Camp Spring is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Camp Spring
- Muck City
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Muck City is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Muck City
- Town Creek
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Moulton
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Courtland
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- North Courtland
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- North Courtland is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Courtland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 621 people
- Marion County
- The following are listed by their distance from Mountain Star, with the one closest to Mountain Star listed first.
- Bear Creek
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Hackleburg
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Hackleburg is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hackleburg
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,249 people
- Thornhill
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Thornhill is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thornhill
- Winston County
- The following are listed by their distance from Mountain Star, with the one closest to Mountain Star listed first.
- Pebble
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Pebble is located in Winston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pebble
- Prebble ‑ Historic
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Prebble is located in Winston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prebble
- Littleville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Littleville is located in Winston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Littleville
- Haleyville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Ashridge
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Ashridge is located in Winston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ashridge
- Boar Tush
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- 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
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Delmar is located in Winston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Delmar
- Grayson
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Grayson is located in Winston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grayson
- Ellaville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Ellaville is located in Winston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ellaville
- Glen Mary
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Glen Mary is located in Winston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glen Mary
- Double Springs
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Tishomingo County (MS)
- Golden
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Mountain Star, see our County-by-County Page for Mountain Star.
Cemeteries Near Mountain Star ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Mountain Star.
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 Mountain Star - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Mountain Star covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Mountain Star, with the one closest to Mountain Star listed first.
- Kirkland Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Gravel Hill Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Bobo Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Tharptown Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Bethlehem Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Mt. Nebo Baptist Church Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Number 6 Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Osborn Hill Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Pennington Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Hyde Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Ramsey Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Friendship MB Church Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Continue List (701 more) ...
- Counts Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Bob Saint Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bob Saint Cemetery
- The Bob Saint Cemetery has also been known as:
- Bob Saints Cemetery
- St. Cemetery
- Aycock Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 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 Mountain Star in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Mountain Star.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Mountain Star, with the one closest to Mountain Star listed first.
- Littleville
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Littleville is located in Colbert County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Littleville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 992 people
- Russellville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Waco
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Waco is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waco
- Newburg
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Newburg is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newburg
- Hunter ‑ Historic
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Hunter is located in Colbert County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hunter
- Isbell
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Isbell is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Isbell
- Avoca ‑ Historic
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Avoca is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avoca
- Spring Valley
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Spring Valley is located in Colbert County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spring Valley
- Rockwood
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Rockwood is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rockwood
- Frankfort
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Frankfort is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frankfort
- Spruce Pine
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Spruce Pine is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spruce Pine
- Mount Hope
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Mount Hope is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Hope
- Continue List (17 more) ...
- Concord
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Concord is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Concord
- Bingham
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Bingham is located in Colbert County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bingham
- Belgreen
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Belgreen is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belgreen
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Mountain Star. See our List of 1890's Communities around Mountain Star.
Newspapers Published in Mountain Star ...
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 40 newspapers that have been published in the area around Mountain Star.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Mountain Star, there are papers which were published within 17 miles [27.4 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Mountain Star.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we like to start with the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These helpful 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 Mountain Star:
- Websites specific to Alabama
- Pages specific to Franklin County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Colbert County
- Lauderdale County
- Lawrence County
- Marion County
- Winston County
- Tishomingo 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 Mountain Star, 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 things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Mountain Star) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |