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 Old Salem (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 Old Salem. 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 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.
Old Salem is located in Monroe 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 Monroe County: Baldwin, Butler, Clarke, Conecuh, Escambia & Wilcox.
Below are the counties that are near Old Salem. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Old Salem:
- Monroe County (The home county of Old Salem)
- The following are listed by their distance from Old Salem, with the one closest to Old Salem listed first.
- Mexia
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Mexia is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mexia
- Monroeville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Perdue Hill
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Perdue Hill is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Perdue Hill
- Ollie
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Ollie is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ollie
- Claiborne
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Claiborne is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Claiborne
- Frisco City
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Scratch Ankle
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Scratch Ankle is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Scratch Ankle
- Excel
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Excel is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Excel
- Population from the 2020 Census: 619 people
- Peterman
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Peterman is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peterman
- Finchburg ‑ Historic
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Finchburg is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Finchburg
- Megargel
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Megargel is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Megargel
- Franklin
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Franklin is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Franklin
- Tunnel Springs
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Tunnel Springs is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tunnel Springs
- Former name for Tunnel Springs:
- Kempsville
- Baldwin County
- The following are listed by their distance from Old Salem, with the one closest to Old Salem listed first.
- Little River
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Blacksher
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Blacksher is located in Baldwin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blacksher
- Clarke County
- The following are listed by their distance from Old Salem, with the one closest to Old Salem listed first.
- Barlow Bend
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Barlow Bend is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barlow Bend
- Suggsville
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Suggsville is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Suggsville
- Gainestown
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Gainestown is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gainestown
- Whatley
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Whatley is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whatley
- Nettleboro
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Nettleboro is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nettleboro
- Alma
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Alma is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alma
- Walker Springs
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Dickinson
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Dickinson is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dickinson
- Grove Hill
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Fulton
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Fulton is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fulton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 242 people
- Rockville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Rockville is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rockville
- Jackson
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Toddtown
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Toddtown is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Toddtown
- Conecuh County
- The following are listed by their distance from Old Salem, with the one closest to Old Salem listed first.
- Bermuda
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Bermuda is located in Conecuh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bermuda
- Repton
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Ramah
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Ramah is located in Conecuh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ramah
- Range
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Range is located in Conecuh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Range
- Belleville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Belleville is located in Conecuh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belleville
- Lenox
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Commerce
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Commerce is located in Conecuh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Commerce
- Evergreen
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Sparta ‑ Historic
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Sparta is located in Conecuh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sparta
- Sparta has also been known as:
- Old Sparta
- Owassa
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Owassa is located in Conecuh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Owassa
- Castleberry
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Castleberry is located in Conecuh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Castleberry
- Population from the 2020 Census: 527 people
- Mixonville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Mixonville is located in Conecuh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mixonville
- Jay Villa ‑ Historic
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Jay Villa is located in Conecuh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jay Villa
- Escambia County
- The following are listed by their distance from Old Salem, with the one closest to Old Salem listed first.
- Huxford
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Huxford is located in Escambia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Huxford
- Hammac
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Hammac is located in Escambia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hammac
- Wilcox County
- The following are listed by their distance from Old Salem, with the one closest to Old Salem listed first.
- Asahel
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Asahel is located in Wilcox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Asahel
- Lower Peach Tree
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Lower Peach Tree is located in Wilcox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lower Peach Tree
- Coy
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Coy is located in Wilcox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coy
- Nellie
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Nellie is located in Wilcox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nellie
- McWilliams
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- McWilliams is located in Wilcox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McWilliams
- Yellow Bluff
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Yellow Bluff is located in Wilcox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yellow Bluff
- Population from the 2020 Census: 200 people
- Caledonia
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Caledonia is located in Wilcox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caledonia
- Schuster
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Schuster is located in Wilcox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Schuster
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Old Salem, see our County-by-County Page for Old Salem.
Cemeteries Near Old Salem ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Old Salem.
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 Old Salem - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Old Salem covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Old Salem, with the one closest to Old Salem listed first.
- Old Salem Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Mexia Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Wiggins Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Carry Mt. Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Bethel Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Hillcrest Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Ridge Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- McConnico Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Shiloh Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Bryant Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Claiborne Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Forehand Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Continue List (225 more) ...
- Bryant - Deer Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Baas Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Mt. Pisgah Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
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 Old Salem in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Old Salem.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Old Salem, with the one closest to Old Salem listed first.
- Monroeville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Perdue Hill
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Perdue Hill is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Perdue Hill
- Axle
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Axle is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Axle
- Claiborne
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Claiborne is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Claiborne
- Finchburg ‑ Historic
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Finchburg is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Finchburg
- Gosport
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Gosport is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gosport
- Repton
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Bermuda
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Bermuda is located in Conecuh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bermuda
- River Ridge ‑ Historic
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- River Ridge is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for River Ridge
- Barlow Bend
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Barlow Bend is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barlow Bend
- Burnt Corn
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Burnt Corn is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burnt Corn
- Natchez
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Natchez is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Natchez
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- Lovan ‑ Historic
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Lovan is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lovan
- Vashti
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Vashti is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vashti
- Suggsville
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Suggsville is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Suggsville
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Old Salem. See our List of 1890's Communities around Old Salem.
Newspapers Published in Old Salem ...
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 32 newspapers that have been published in the area around Old Salem.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Old Salem, there are papers which were published within 27 miles [43.5 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Old Salem.
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 Old Salem:
- Websites specific to Alabama
- Pages specific to Monroe County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Baldwin County
- Clarke County
- Conecuh County
- Escambia 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> | 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 Old Salem, 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 drawn from Point A (ie- Old Salem) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |