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 Oak Grove (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 Oak Grove. 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 Oak Grove ...
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.
Another variation: Oakgrove.
- A typical abbreviation for Oak Grove: Oak Grv.
You might be interested in other communities that are also named Oak Grove. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Oak Grove.
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 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.
Oak Grove is located in Hale 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 Hale County: Bibb, Greene, Marengo, Perry & Tuscaloosa.
Below are the counties that are near Oak Grove. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Oak Grove:
- Hale County (The home county of Oak Grove)
- The following are listed by their distance from Oak Grove, with the one closest to Oak Grove listed first.
- Prairieville
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Prairieville is located in Hale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prairieville
- Gallion
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Gallion is located in Hale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gallion
- Cedarville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Cedarville is located in Hale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedarville
- Arcola
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Arcola is located in Hale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arcola
- Newbern
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Newbern is located in Hale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newbern
- Population from the 2020 Census: 174 people
- Rosemary
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Rosemary is located in Hale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rosemary
- Greensboro
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Sawyerville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Akron
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Oak Village
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Oak Village is located in Hale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Village
- Phipps ‑ Historic
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Phipps is located in Hale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Phipps
- Powers
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Powers is located in Hale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Powers
- Choctaw County
- The following are listed by their distance from Oak Grove, with the one closest to Oak Grove listed first.
- Cedahoma ‑ Historic
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Cedahoma is located in Choctaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedahoma
- Tompkinsville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Tompkinsville is located in Choctaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tompkinsville
- Dallas County
- The following are listed by their distance from Oak Grove, with the one closest to Oak Grove listed first.
- Browns
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Browns is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Browns
- Central Mills
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Central Mills is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Central Mills
- Massillon ‑ Historic
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Massillon is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Massillon
- Safford
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Marion Junction
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Marion Junction is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marion Junction
- Harrell
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Harrell is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harrell
- Orrville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Greene County
- The following are listed by their distance from Oak Grove, with the one closest to Oak Grove listed first.
- Forkland
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Forkland is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forkland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 583 people
- Eutaw
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Boligee
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Lizzieville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Lizzieville is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lizzieville
- Miller
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Miller is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Miller
- Marengo County
- The following are listed by their distance from Oak Grove, with the one closest to Oak Grove listed first.
- Faunsdale
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Aigleville ‑ Historic
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Aigleville is located in Marengo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aigleville
- Tombigbee ‑ Historic
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Tombigbee is located in Marengo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tombigbee
- Demopolis
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Siddonsville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Siddonsville is located in Marengo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Siddonsville
- Dayton
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Dayton is located in Marengo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dayton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 40 people
- Providence
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Providence is located in Marengo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Providence
- Population from the 2020 Census: 198 people
- Pin Hook
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Pin Hook is located in Marengo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pin Hook
- Crenshaw ‑ Historic
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Crenshaw is located in Marengo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crenshaw
- Linden
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Hugo
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Hugo is located in Marengo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hugo
- Thomaston
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Thomaston is located in Marengo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thomaston
- Population from the 2020 Census: 383 people
- Blue Lock ‑ Historic
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Blue Lock is located in Marengo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blue Lock
- Perry County
- The following are listed by their distance from Oak Grove, with the one closest to Oak Grove listed first.
- Uniontown
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Ellawhite
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Ellawhite is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ellawhite
- The Village
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- The Village is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for The Village
- Freetown
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Freetown is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Freetown
- Brush Creek
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Brush Creek is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brush Creek
- Morgan Springs
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Morgan Springs is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morgan Springs
- Marion
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Vilula
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Vilula is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vilula
- Sprott
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Sprott is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sprott
- Jericho
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Jericho is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jericho
- Suttle
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Suttle is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Suttle
- Sumter County
- The following are listed by their distance from Oak Grove, with the one closest to Oak Grove listed first.
- McDowell
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- McDowell is located in Sumter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McDowell
- Coatopa
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Coatopa is located in Sumter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coatopa
- Brewersville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Brewersville is located in Sumter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brewersville
- Moore Town
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Moore Town is located in Sumter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moore Town
- Arrington
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Arrington is located in Sumter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arrington
- Whitfield
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Whitfield is located in Sumter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whitfield
- Bellamy
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Bellamy is located in Sumter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bellamy
- Epes
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Epes is located in Sumter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Epes
- Population from the 2020 Census: 326 people
- Livingston
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Wilcox County
- The following are listed by their distance from Oak Grove, with the one closest to Oak Grove listed first.
- Alberta
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Alberta is located in Wilcox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alberta
- Catherine
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Catherine is located in Wilcox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Catherine
- Gastonburg
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Gastonburg is located in Wilcox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gastonburg
- Rehoboth
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Rehoboth is located in Wilcox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rehoboth
- Lamison
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Lamison is located in Wilcox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lamison
- Bethel
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Bethel is located in Wilcox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bethel
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Oak Grove, see our County-by-County Page for Oak Grove.
Cemeteries Near Oak Grove ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Oak Grove.
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 Oak Grove - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Oak Grove covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Oak Grove, with the one closest to Oak Grove listed first.
- Willis - Scott Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Oak Grove Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Casemore Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- St. Andrews Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Mt. Olive Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Allenville Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Washington Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Micken Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Eaton Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Hunter Chapel Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Alexander Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Alex Chapel Church Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Continue List (353 more) ...
- Pine Grove Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Evening Star Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- John the Baptist Cemetery
(5 miles [8 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 Oak Grove in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Oak Grove.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Oak Grove, with the one closest to Oak Grove listed first.
- Gallion
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Gallion is located in Hale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gallion
- Laneville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Laneville is located in Hale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Laneville
- Cedarville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Cedarville is located in Hale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedarville
- Arcola
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Arcola is located in Hale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arcola
- Whitsitt
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Whitsitt is located in Hale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whitsitt
- Faunsdale
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Sunshine
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Sunshine is located in Hale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sunshine
- Newbern
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Newbern is located in Hale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newbern
- Population from the 2020 Census: 174 people
- Demopolis
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Old Spring Hill
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Old Spring Hill is located in Marengo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Old Spring Hill
- Tombigbee ‑ Historic
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Tombigbee is located in Marengo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tombigbee
- Uniontown
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Continue List (13 more) ...
- Greensboro
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Dayton
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Dayton is located in Marengo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dayton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 40 people
- Forkland
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Forkland is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forkland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 583 people
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Oak Grove. See our List of 1890's Communities around Oak Grove.
Newspapers Published in Oak Grove ...
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 76 newspapers that have been published in the area around Oak Grove.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Oak Grove, there are papers which were published within 23 miles [37 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Oak Grove.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we first visit the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These websites either 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 Oak Grove:
- Websites specific to Alabama
- Pages specific to Hale County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Choctaw County
- Dallas County
- Greene County
- Marengo 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 Oak Grove, 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' (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- Oak Grove) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |