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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 Russell (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 Russell. 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 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 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.

Russell is located in Mobile 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 Mobile County: Baldwin, Washington, George (MS), Greene (MS) & Jackson (MS).

Below are the counties that are near Russell. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Russell:

  • Mobile County     (The home county of Russell)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Russell, with the one closest to Russell listed first.
    • Citronelle
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
    • Gulfcrest
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
      • Gulfcrest is located in Mobile County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gulfcrest
    • Chunchula
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
      • Chunchula is located in Mobile County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chunchula
    • Barry Village
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
      • Barry Village is located in Mobile County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barry Village
    • Bucks
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
    • Chastang
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
      • Chastang is located in Mobile County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chastang
    • Movico
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
      • Movico is located in Mobile County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Movico
    • Mount Vernon
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
    • Calvert
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Axis
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Axis is located in Mobile County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Axis
    • Creola
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Creola is located in Mobile County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Creola
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,032 people
    • Saraland
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Baldwin County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Russell, with the one closest to Russell listed first.
    • Stockton
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
    • Latham
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
      • Latham is located in Baldwin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Latham
    • Tensaw
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
      • Tensaw is located in Baldwin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tensaw
    • Bay Minette
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Bromley
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Bromley is located in Baldwin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bromley
    • Whitehouse Forks
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Whitehouse Forks is located in Baldwin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whitehouse Forks
  • Clarke County
  • Washington County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Russell, with the one closest to Russell listed first.
    • Fairford
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Fairford is located in Washington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairford
    • Sims Chapel
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Sims Chapel is located in Washington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sims Chapel
    • Deer Park
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Deer Park is located in Washington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deer Park
    • Vinegar Bend
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Vinegar Bend is located in Washington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vinegar Bend
    • Malcolm
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Malcolm is located in Washington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Malcolm
    • Seaboard
      (18 miles [29 km] to the north)
      • Seaboard is located in Washington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seaboard
    • McIntosh
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
    • Escatawpa
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
      • Escatawpa is located in Washington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Escatawpa
    • Hawthorn
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Hawthorn is located in Washington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hawthorn
    • Tibbie
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
      • Tibbie is located in Washington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tibbie
    • Fruitdale
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Fruitdale is located in Washington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fruitdale
    • Sunflower
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Sunflower is located in Washington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sunflower
  • George County (MS)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Russell, with the one closest to Russell listed first.
    • Howell
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Howell is located in George County (MS)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Howell
    • Lucedale
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
    • Agricola
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Bexley
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
      • Bexley is located in George County (MS)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bexley
  • Greene County (MS)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Russell, with the one closest to Russell listed first.
    • Brown Town
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
      • Brown Town is located in Greene County (MS)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brown Town
    • Leakesville
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
    • Hillman
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
      • Hillman is located in Greene County (MS)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hillman
    • Clark
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Clark is located in Greene County (MS)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clark
    • State Line
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
      • State Line is located in Greene County (MS)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for State Line
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 545 people

For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Russell, see our County-by-County Page for Russell.

Cemeteries Near Russell ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Russell.

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 Russell - one of the links might be able to help.

If not found below, our Cemetery List for Russell covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.

The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Russell, with the one closest to Russell listed first.

  • Pilgrims Rest Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the north)
  • Mt. Nebo Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the north)
  • St. Annes Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
  • Lambert Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
  • Lambert Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
  • Pine Crest Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Crest Cemetery
    • The Pine Crest Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Pinecrest Cemetery
  • Citronelle Methodist Church Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
  • Whatley Holiness Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Brannon Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
  • Old Providence Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • Gulf Crest Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • Lott Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Continue List   (264 more) ...

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 Russell in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Russell.

These communities are listed based on their distance from Russell, with the one closest to Russell listed first.

  • Citronelle
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
  • Chunchula
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
    • Chunchula is located in Mobile County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chunchula
  • Deer Park
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Deer Park is located in Washington County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deer Park
  • Chastang
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
    • Chastang is located in Mobile County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chastang
  • Fairford
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Fairford is located in Washington County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairford
  • Sims Chapel
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Sims Chapel is located in Washington County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sims Chapel
  • Mount Vernon
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
  • Oak Grove
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
    • Oak Grove is located in Mobile County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Grove
  • Calvert
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
  • Vinegar Bend
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Vinegar Bend is located in Washington County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vinegar Bend
  • Kushla
    (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
    • Kushla is located in Mobile County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kushla
  • Creola
    (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Creola is located in Mobile County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Creola
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,032 people
  • Continue List   (13 more) ...
    • Escatawpa
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
      • Escatawpa is located in Washington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Escatawpa
    • McIntosh
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
    • Leakesville
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)

We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Russell. See our List of 1890's Communities around Russell.

Newspapers Published in Russell ...

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 10 newspapers that have been published in the area around Russell.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Russell, there are papers which were published within 23 miles [37 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Russell.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we start with 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 Russell:

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 Russell, 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' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Russell) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.