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 Rock Springs (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 Rock Springs. 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 Rock Springs ...
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 Rock Springs: Rock Spgs. (or less commonly used: Rock Spngs. or Rock Sprngs.)
You might be interested in other communities that are also named Rock Springs. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Rock Springs.
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 doctors and 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.
Rock Springs is located in Clarke 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 Clarke County: Baldwin, Choctaw, Marengo, Mobile, Monroe, Washington & Wilcox.
Below are the counties that are near Rock Springs. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Rock Springs:
- Clarke County (The home county of Rock Springs)
- The following are listed by their distance from Rock Springs, with the one closest to Rock Springs listed first.
- Morvin
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Morvin is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morvin
- Campbell
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Campbell is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Campbell
- West Bend
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- West Bend is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Bend
- Coffeeville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Fakit Chipunta ‑ Historic
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Fakit Chipunta is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fakit Chipunta
- Glover
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Glover is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glover
- Thomasville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Zimco
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Zimco is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zimco
- Atkeison
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Atkeison is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Atkeison
- Salitpa
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Salitpa is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Salitpa
- Winn
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Winn is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winn
- Fulton
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Fulton is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fulton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 242 people
- Choctaw County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rock Springs, with the one closest to Rock Springs listed first.
- Womack Hill
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Womack Hill is located in Choctaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Womack Hill
- Butler
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Red Springs
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Red Springs is located in Choctaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Springs
- Lavaca
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Lavaca is located in Choctaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lavaca
- Toxey
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Toxey is located in Choctaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Toxey
- Population from the 2020 Census: 121 people
- Gilbertown
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Needham
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Needham is located in Choctaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Needham
- Population from the 2020 Census: 79 people
- Bladon Springs
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Bladon Springs is located in Choctaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bladon Springs
- Choctaw City
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Choctaw City is located in Choctaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Choctaw City
- Pennington
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Pennington is located in Choctaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pennington
- Population from the 2020 Census: 202 people
- Tompkinsville
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Tompkinsville is located in Choctaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tompkinsville
- Souwilpa
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Souwilpa is located in Choctaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Souwilpa
- Marengo County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rock Springs, with the one closest to Rock Springs listed first.
- Putnam
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Putnam is located in Marengo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Putnam
- Nanafalia
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Nanafalia is located in Marengo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nanafalia
- Barrons ‑ Historic
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Barrons is located in Marengo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barrons
- Aimwell
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Aimwell is located in Marengo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aimwell
- Sweet Water
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Sweet Water is located in Marengo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sweet Water
- Population from the 2020 Census: 243 people
- Dixon's Mills
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Dixon's Mills is located in Marengo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dixon's Mills
- Half Acre
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Half Acre is located in Marengo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Half Acre
- Former names for Half Acre:
- Hell's Half Acre
- Luther's Store
- Moss ‑ Historic
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Moss is located in Marengo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moss
- Ellison ‑ Historic
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Ellison is located in Marengo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ellison
- Myrtlewood
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Myrtlewood is located in Marengo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Myrtlewood
- Population from the 2020 Census: 115 people
- Beckleys ‑ Historic
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Beckleys is located in Marengo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beckleys
- Blue Lock ‑ Historic
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Blue Lock is located in Marengo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blue Lock
- Sumter County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rock Springs, with the one closest to Rock Springs listed first.
- Derby
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Derby is located in Sumter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Derby
- Whitfield
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Whitfield is located in Sumter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whitfield
- Kinterbish
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Kinterbish is located in Sumter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kinterbish
- Ward
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Ward is located in Sumter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ward
- Washington County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rock Springs, with the one closest to Rock Springs listed first.
- Frankville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Frankville is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frankville
- Bigbee
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Bigbee is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bigbee
- Healing Springs
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Healing Springs is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Healing Springs
- Millry
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Saint Stephen's
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Mehaffey ‑ Historic
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Mehaffey is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mehaffey
- Barlow
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Barlow is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barlow
- Wilcox County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rock Springs, with the one closest to Rock Springs listed first.
- Arlington
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Arlington is located in Wilcox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arlington
- Pine Hill
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Pine Hill is located in Wilcox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Hill
- Population from the 2020 Census: 834 people
- Anne Manie
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Anne Manie is located in Wilcox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Anne Manie
- Kimbrough
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Kimbrough is located in Wilcox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kimbrough
- Clarke County (MS)
- Junction City
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Junction City is located in Clarke County (MS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Junction City
- Wayne County (MS)
- Matherville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Matherville is located in Wayne County (MS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Matherville
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Rock Springs, see our County-by-County Page for Rock Springs.
Cemeteries Near Rock Springs ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Rock Springs.
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 Rock Springs - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Rock Springs covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Rock Springs, with the one closest to Rock Springs listed first.
- Hatchet Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Putnam Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Trotter Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Wilson Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Campbell Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Gibson Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Bush Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Little Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Tallahatta Cemetery for Blacks
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Wesley Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Turner Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Anderson Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Continue List (260 more) ...
- Bashan Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Luker Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Lily Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
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 Rock Springs in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Rock Springs.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Rock Springs, with the one closest to Rock Springs listed first.
- Cunningham
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Cunningham is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cunningham
- Ararat
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Ararat is located in Choctaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ararat
- Morvin
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Morvin is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morvin
- Putnam
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Putnam is located in Marengo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Putnam
- Campbell
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Campbell is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Campbell
- Womack Hill
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Womack Hill is located in Choctaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Womack Hill
- West Bend
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- West Bend is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Bend
- McEntyre
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- McEntyre is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McEntyre
- Mount Sterling
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Mount Sterling is located in Choctaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Sterling
- Nicholsville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Nicholsville is located in Marengo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nicholsville
- Coffeeville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Tallahatta Springs
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Tallahatta Springs is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tallahatta Springs
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- Bashi
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Bashi is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bashi
- Nanafalia
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Nanafalia is located in Marengo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nanafalia
- Butler
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Rock Springs. See our List of 1890's Communities around Rock Springs.
Newspapers Published in Rock Springs ...
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 19 newspapers that have been published in the area around Rock Springs.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Rock Springs, there are papers which were published within 20 miles [32.2 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Rock Springs.
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 professional and volunteer 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 Rock Springs:
- Websites specific to Alabama
- Pages specific to Clarke County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Choctaw County
- Marengo County
- Sumter County
- Washington County
- Wilcox County
- Clarke County
- Wayne 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 Rock Springs, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <3> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a '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- Rock Springs) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |