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 Nelson (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 Nelson. 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 northeast 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 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 east 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.
Nelson 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 Nelson. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Nelson:
- Shelby County (The home county of Nelson)
- The following are listed by their distance from Nelson, with the one closest to Nelson listed first.
- Columbiana
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Wilsonville
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Shelby
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Chelsea
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Merrell Beach
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Merrell Beach is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Merrell Beach
- Westover
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Westover is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westover
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,769 people
- Pine Grove Village
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Pine Grove Village is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Grove Village
- Harpersville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Pelham
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Calera
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Saginaw
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Saginaw is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saginaw
- Indian Springs Village
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Indian Springs Village is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Indian Springs Village
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,628 people
- Bibb County
- The following are listed by their distance from Nelson, with the one closest to Nelson listed first.
- Brierfield
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Ashby
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Ashby is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ashby
- Eddings
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Eddings is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eddings
- Oakley
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Oakley is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakley
- Cane Creek ‑ Historic
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Cane Creek is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cane Creek
- Seymour
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Seymour is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seymour
- Belle Ellen
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Belle Ellen is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belle Ellen
- Nash Town ‑ Historic
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Nash Town is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nash Town
- Randolph
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Randolph is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Randolph
- Tucker
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Tucker is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tucker
- Italian Town
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Italian Town is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Italian Town
- Blount County
- Dale ‑ Historic
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Dale is located in Blount County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dale
- Chilton County
- The following are listed by their distance from Nelson, with the one closest to Nelson listed first.
- Jumbo
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Jumbo is located in Chilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jumbo
- Jemison
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Thorsby
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Clanton
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Clay County
- Hollins
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Hollins is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hollins
- Coosa County
- The following are listed by their distance from Nelson, with the one closest to Nelson listed first.
- Aucheucaula ‑ Historic
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Aucheucaula is located in Coosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aucheucaula
- Weogufka
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Weogufka is located in Coosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weogufka
- Stewartville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Stewartville is located in Coosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stewartville
- Dollar
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Dollar is located in Coosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dollar
- Mount Olive
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Mount Olive is located in Coosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Olive
- Rockford
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Jefferson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Nelson, with the one closest to Nelson listed first.
- Cahaba Heights
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Hoover
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Cahaba Landing
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Cahaba Landing is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cahaba Landing
- Mountain Brook
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Vestavia Hills
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Cedar Grove ‑ Historic
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Cedar Grove is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar Grove
- Homewood
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Mountain Brook Village
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Oxmoor
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Oxmoor is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oxmoor
- Shannon
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Shannon is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shannon
- Greenwood
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Greenwood is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenwood
- English Village
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- English Village is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for English Village
- Saint Clair County
- The following are listed by their distance from Nelson, with the one closest to Nelson listed first.
- Vincent
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Woodland Village
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Woodland Village is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodland Village
- Fountainrun ‑ Historic
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Fountainrun is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fountainrun
- Brompton
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Brompton is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brompton
- Moody
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- 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>
- Easonville ‑ Historic
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Easonville is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Easonville
- Acmar
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Acmar is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Acmar
- Cook's Springs
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Cook's Springs is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cook's Springs
- Parsons
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Parsons is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parsons
- Cropwell
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Glen City
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Glen City is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glen City
- Pell City
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Talladega County
- The following are listed by their distance from Nelson, with the one closest to Nelson listed first.
- Talladega Springs
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Talladega Springs is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Talladega Springs
- Population from the 2020 Census: 156 people
- Fayetteville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Fayetteville is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fayetteville
- Childersburg
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Bon Air
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Bon Air is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bon Air
- Population from the 2020 Census: 109 people
- Comerdale
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Comerdale is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Comerdale
- Oak Grove
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Oak Grove is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Grove
- Population from the 2020 Census: 513 people
- Zubers
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Zubers is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zubers
- Gantts Quarry
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Gantts Quarry is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gantts Quarry
- Mignon
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Mignon is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mignon
- East Bend
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- East Bend is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Bend
- Sylacauga
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Logan Martin Dam
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Logan Martin Dam is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Logan Martin Dam
- Tuscaloosa County
- Tannehill
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Tannehill is located in Tuscaloosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tannehill
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Nelson, see our County-by-County Page for Nelson.
Cemeteries Near Nelson ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Nelson.
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 Nelson - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Nelson covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Nelson, with the one closest to Nelson listed first.
- Johnson Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Cedar Grove Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Farr Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Rocky Ridge Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Verchot Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Columbiana Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Pine Lawn Gardens Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Crumpton Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Old Chapel Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Whitfield Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Fourmile Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Florence Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Continue List (401 more) ...
- Foster Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Mose Davis Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Blackmon Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 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 Nelson in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Nelson.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Nelson, with the one closest to Nelson listed first.
- Columbiana
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Wilsonville
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Shelby
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Shelby Springs
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Shelby Springs is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shelby Springs
- Talladega Springs
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Talladega Springs is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Talladega Springs
- Population from the 2020 Census: 156 people
- Fayetteville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Fayetteville is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fayetteville
- Longview
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Longview is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Longview
- Calera
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Harpersville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Pelham
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- South Calera
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- South Calera is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Calera
- Marble Valley
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Marble Valley is located in Coosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marble Valley
- Continue List (18 more) ...
- Childersburg
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Siluria
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Siluria is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Siluria
- Vincent
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Nelson. See our List of 1890's Communities around Nelson.
Newspapers Published in Nelson ...
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 29 newspapers that have been published in the area around Nelson.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Nelson, there are papers which were published within 13 miles [20.9 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Nelson.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we first turn to 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 Nelson:
- Websites specific to Alabama
- Pages specific to Shelby County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Bibb County
- Blount County
- Chilton County
- Clay County
- Coosa County
- Jefferson County
- Saint Clair County
- Talladega County
- Tuscaloosa 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 Nelson, 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 things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Nelson) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |