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 Rudders Ferry (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 Rudders Ferry. 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 southwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most hospitals were in the next county to the west. 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 west 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.
Rudders Ferry is located in Jackson 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 Jackson County: DeKalb, Madison, Marshall, Dade (GA), Franklin (TN) & Marion (TN).
Below are the counties that are near Rudders Ferry. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Rudders Ferry:
- Jackson County (The home county of Rudders Ferry)
- The following are listed by their distance from Rudders Ferry, with the one closest to Rudders Ferry listed first.
- Haynes Crossing
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Haynes Crossing is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Haynes Crossing
- New Town
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- New Town is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Town
- Browns Valley ‑ Historic
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Browns Valley is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Browns Valley
- Stevenson
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Rash
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Rash is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rash
- Bridgeport
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Bridgeport is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bridgeport
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,272 people
- Former name for Bridgeport:
- Jonesville
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Bridgeport <1>
- Flat Rock
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Fackler
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Fackler is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fackler
- Eliza
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Eliza is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eliza
- Higdon
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Copenhagen ‑ Historic
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Copenhagen is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Copenhagen
- Long Island
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Long Island is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Long Island
- Bryant
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- DeKalb County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rudders Ferry, with the one closest to Rudders Ferry listed first.
- Cartersville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Cartersville is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cartersville
- Beaty Crossroads
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Beaty Crossroads is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beaty Crossroads
- Ider
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Henagar
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Snake Creek ‑ Historic
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Snake Creek is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Snake Creek
- Kaolin
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Kaolin is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kaolin
- Sylvania
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Sylvania is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sylvania
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,860 people
- Hammondville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Hammondville is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hammondville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 485 people
- Mentone
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Valley Head
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Powell
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Powell is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Powell
- Population from the 2020 Census: 908 people
- Cordell ‑ Historic
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Cordell is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cordell
- Bankhead
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Bankhead is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bankhead
- Catoosa County (GA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Rudders Ferry, with the one closest to Rudders Ferry listed first.
- Fort Oglethorpe
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Lakeview
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Lakeview is located in Catoosa County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakeview
- Midway
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Midway is located in Catoosa County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Midway
- Chattooga County (GA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Rudders Ferry, with the one closest to Rudders Ferry listed first.
- Cloudland
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Euthtilloga ‑ Historic
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Euthtilloga is located in Chattooga County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Euthtilloga
- Population from the 2010 Census: 29,011 people
- Menlo
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Menlo is located in Chattooga County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Menlo
- Population from the 2020 Census: 454 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Menlo <1>
- Dade County (GA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Rudders Ferry, with the one closest to Rudders Ferry listed first.
- Stewart Town
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Stewart Town is located in Dade County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stewart Town
- Cole City
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Cole City is located in Dade County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cole City
- Population from the 2010 Census: 127 people
- Trenton
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Rising Fawn
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Morganville
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Morganville is located in Dade County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morganville
- Estimated population in 2019: 1,835 people
- Wildwood
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Walker County (GA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Rudders Ferry, with the one closest to Rudders Ferry listed first.
- Durham
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Durham is located in Walker County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Durham
- Population from the 2010 Census: 1,257 people
- Thompsonville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Thompsonville is located in Walker County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thompsonville
- Estimated population in 2019: 6,528 people
- Cassandra
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Cassandra is located in Walker County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cassandra
- Kensington
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Chattanooga Valley
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Chattanooga Valley is located in Walker County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chattanooga Valley
- Lookout Mountain
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Moons
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Moons is located in Walker County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moons
- Fantasy Hills
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Fantasy Hills is located in Walker County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fantasy Hills
- Estimated population in 2019: 316 people
- Flintstone
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Rock City
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Rock City is located in Walker County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock City
- Happy Valley
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Happy Valley is located in Walker County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Happy Valley
- Estimated population in 2019: 192 people
- Chickamauga
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Bronco
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Bronco is located in Walker County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bronco
- Estimated population in 2019: 367 people
- Franklin County (TN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Rudders Ferry, with the one closest to Rudders Ferry listed first.
- Anderson
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Anderson is located in Franklin County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Anderson
- Sal City
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Sal City is located in Franklin County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sal City
- Saint Marys
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Saint Marys is located in Franklin County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Marys
- Estimated population in 2014: 785 people
- Cowan
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Cowan is located in Franklin County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cowan
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,668 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Cowan <1>
- Sand Switch
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Sand Switch is located in Franklin County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sand Switch
- Sewanee
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Liberty
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Liberty is located in Franklin County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Liberty
- Estimated population in 2014: 318 people
- Greenhaw
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Greenhaw is located in Franklin County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenhaw
- Decherd
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Winchester
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Beans Creek
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Beans Creek is located in Franklin County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beans Creek
- Grundy County (TN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Rudders Ferry, with the one closest to Rudders Ferry listed first.
- Monteagle
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Lankford Town
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Lankford Town is located in Grundy County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lankford Town
- Tracy City
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- White City
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- White City is located in Grundy County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White City
- Sartain Springs
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Sartain Springs is located in Grundy County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sartain Springs
- Estimated population in 2014: 380 people
- Hamilton County (TN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Rudders Ferry, with the one closest to Rudders Ferry listed first.
- Lookout Mountain
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Tiftonia
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Tiftonia is located in Hamilton County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tiftonia
- Saint Elmo
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Saint Elmo is located in Hamilton County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Elmo
- Lake Village
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Lake Village is located in Hamilton County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Village
- Valley Village
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Valley Village is located in Hamilton County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Valley Village
- Chattanooga
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Milbro Heights
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Milbro Heights is located in Hamilton County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Milbro Heights
- Estimated population in 2014: 7,834 people
- Ridgedale
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Ridgedale is located in Hamilton County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ridgedale
- Midvale
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Midvale is located in Hamilton County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Midvale
- Orchard Knob
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Orchard Knob is located in Hamilton County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orchard Knob
- Signal Hills
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Signal Hills is located in Hamilton County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Signal Hills
- Signal Mountain
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Marion County (TN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Rudders Ferry, with the one closest to Rudders Ferry listed first.
- Richard City
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Richard City is located in Marion County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Richard City
- Orme
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Orme is located in Marion County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orme
- Population from the 2020 Census: 107 people
- South Pittsburg
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- New Hope
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- New Hope is located in Marion County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Hope
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,047 people
- Ketchall ‑ Historic
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Ketchall is located in Marion County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ketchall
- Kimball
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Jasper
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Vulcan
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Vulcan is located in Marion County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vulcan
- Comfort
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Comfort is located in Marion County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Comfort
- Whiteside
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Whiteside is located in Marion County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whiteside
- Whitwell
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Powells Crossroads
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Powells Crossroads is located in Marion County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Powells Crossroads
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,352 people
- Greentown
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Greentown is located in Marion County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greentown
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Rudders Ferry, see our County-by-County Page for Rudders Ferry.
Cemeteries Near Rudders Ferry ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Rudders Ferry.
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 Rudders Ferry - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Rudders Ferry covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Rudders Ferry, with the one closest to Rudders Ferry listed first.
- Ridley Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Cawlfield Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Caperton Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Swafford Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Maxwell Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Potts Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Greer Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Wimberley Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Foshee Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Hackworth Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Williams Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Brown - Cox Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Continue List (629 more) ...
- Cargile Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Wilson Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Cross 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.<4>
While we didn't find Rudders Ferry in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Rudders Ferry.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Rudders Ferry, with the one closest to Rudders Ferry listed first.
- Fabius
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Fabius is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fabius
- Stevenson
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Bridgeport
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Bridgeport is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bridgeport
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,272 people
- Former name for Bridgeport:
- Jonesville
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Bridgeport <1>
- Fackler
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Fackler is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fackler
- Wannville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Wannville is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wannville
- Higdon
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Long Island
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Long Island is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Long Island
- Rosalie
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Rosalie is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rosalie
- Kirby Creek ‑ Historic
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Kirby Creek is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kirby Creek
- South Pittsburg
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Anderson
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Anderson is located in Franklin County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Anderson
- Pisgah
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Continue List (13 more) ...
- Ider
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Kyles
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Kyles is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kyles
- Cole City
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Cole City is located in Dade County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cole City
- Population from the 2010 Census: 127 people
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Rudders Ferry. See our List of 1890's Communities around Rudders Ferry.
Newspapers Published in Rudders Ferry ...
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 Rudders Ferry.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Rudders Ferry, there are papers which were published within 17 miles [27.4 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Rudders Ferry.
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 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 Rudders Ferry:
- Websites specific to Alabama
- Pages specific to Jackson County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- DeKalb County
- Catoosa County
- Chattooga County
- Dade County
- Walker County
- Franklin County
- Grundy County
- Hamilton County
- Marion 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> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Rudders Ferry) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |
| <3> | 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. |
| <4> | 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 Rudders Ferry, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |