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 southeast 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 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.
Oak Grove is located in Jefferson 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 Jefferson County: Bibb, Blount, Saint Clair, Shelby, Tuscaloosa & Walker.
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:
- Jefferson 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.
- Ezra
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Ezra is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ezra
- Toadvine
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Toadvine is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Toadvine
- Rock Creek
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Rock Creek is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock Creek
- Adger
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- North Johns
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- North Johns is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Johns
- Population from the 2020 Census: 143 people
- Concord
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Concord is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Concord
- Hueytown
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Black Creek
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Black Creek is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Black Creek
- Short Creek
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Short Creek is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Short Creek
- Sylvan Springs
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Bullard Shoals ‑ Historic
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Bullard Shoals is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bullard Shoals
- Industrial City
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Industrial City is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Industrial City
- Maytown
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Maytown is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maytown
- Population from the 2020 Census: 364 people
- Bibb County
- The following are listed by their distance from Oak Grove, with the one closest to Oak Grove listed first.
- Green Pond
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Blocton Junction
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Blocton Junction is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blocton Junction
- Blocton Junction has also been known as:
- Blockton Junc
- North Bibb
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- North Bibb is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Bibb
- Woodstock
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Burmah ‑ Historic
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Burmah is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burmah
- Cane Creek ‑ Historic
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Cane Creek is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cane Creek
- Belle Ellen
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Belle Ellen is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belle Ellen
- Blocton ‑ Historic
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Blocton is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blocton
- Bucktown ‑ Historic
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Bucktown is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bucktown
- Corinne ‑ Historic
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Corinne is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Corinne
- Italian Town
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Italian Town is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Italian Town
- Nash Town ‑ Historic
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Nash Town is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nash Town
- West Blocton
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Blount County
- The following are listed by their distance from Oak Grove, with the one closest to Oak Grove listed first.
- Red Hill
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Red Hill is located in Blount County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Hill
- Dale ‑ Historic
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Dale is located in Blount County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dale
- Fayette County
- The following are listed by their distance from Oak Grove, with the one closest to Oak Grove listed first.
- Alta
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Alta is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alta
- Berry
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Shelby County
- The following are listed by their distance from Oak Grove, with the one closest to Oak Grove listed first.
- Bamford
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Bamford is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bamford
- Falliston
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Falliston is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Falliston
- Helena
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Tacoa
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Tacoa is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tacoa
- Tulse
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Tulse is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tulse
- Aden
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Aden is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aden
- Sawmill Town
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Sawmill Town is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sawmill Town
- Alabaster
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Brantleyville
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Brantleyville is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brantleyville
- Indian Springs Village
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- 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
- Maylene
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Pelham
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Siluria
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Siluria is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Siluria
- Tuscaloosa County
- The following are listed by their distance from Oak Grove, with the one closest to Oak Grove listed first.
- Bull City
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Bull City is located in Tuscaloosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bull City
- Abernant
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Abernant is located in Tuscaloosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Abernant
- Kellerman
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Kellerman is located in Tuscaloosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kellerman
- Lake View
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Lake View is located in Tuscaloosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake View
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,732 people
- Tannehill
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Tannehill is located in Tuscaloosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tannehill
- Brookwood
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Vance
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Peterson
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Peterson is located in Tuscaloosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peterson
- Coaling
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Coaling is located in Tuscaloosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coaling
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,633 people
- Holt
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Holt is located in Tuscaloosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holt
- Wood Village
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Wood Village is located in Tuscaloosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wood Village
- Cottondale
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Alberta City
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Alberta City is located in Tuscaloosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alberta City
- Walker County
- The following are listed by their distance from Oak Grove, with the one closest to Oak Grove listed first.
- Reeds Ferry
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Reeds Ferry is located in Walker County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reeds Ferry
- Twilley Town
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Twilley Town is located in Walker County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Twilley Town
- Goodsprings
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Goodsprings is located in Walker County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goodsprings
- Quinton
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Yerkwood
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Yerkwood is located in Walker County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yerkwood
- Burnwell
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Burnwell is located in Walker County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burnwell
- Red Star
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Red Star is located in Walker County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Star
- Wyatt
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Wyatt is located in Walker County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wyatt
- Barney
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Barney is located in Walker County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barney
- Oakahalla
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Oakahalla is located in Walker County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakahalla
- Dora
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Dovertown
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Dovertown is located in Walker County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dovertown
- America
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- America is located in Walker County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for America
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.
- Toadvine Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Weaver Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Dug Hill Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Virginia Mines Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Adger Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adger Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Adger Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the northeast of Adger.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #21198 <2>
- Valley Creek Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Liberty Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Liberty Cemetery
- The Liberty Cemetery has also been known as:
- Liberty Baptist Church Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2162604 <2>
- Prudes Creek Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Heard Shoal Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Pine Grove Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Liberty Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Continue List (409 more) ...
- Providence Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Prescott Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Salter Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
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.
- Ezra
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Ezra is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ezra
- Toadvine
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Toadvine is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Toadvine
- Adger
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Sumter
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Sumter is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sumter
- Short Creek
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Short Creek is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Short Creek
- Chinn
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Chinn is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chinn
- Bullard Shoals ‑ Historic
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Bullard Shoals is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bullard Shoals
- McAdory
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- McAdory is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McAdory
- Yolande
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Yolande is located in Tuscaloosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yolande
- McCalla
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Old Jonesboro
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Old Jonesboro is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Old Jonesboro
- Collins
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Collins is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Collins
- Continue List (18 more) ...
- Blue Creek Junction
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Blue Creek Junction is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blue Creek Junction
- Dolomite
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Sloss
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Sloss is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sloss
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 25 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 13 miles [20.9 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 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 Oak Grove:
- Websites specific to Alabama
- Pages specific to Jefferson County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Bibb County
- Blount County
- Fayette County
- Shelby County
- Tuscaloosa County
- Walker 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' distance. A straight line distance ignores things 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'. |