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 Ryan (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 Ryan. 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 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.
Ryan is located in Shelby 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 Shelby County: Bibb, Chilton, Coosa, Jefferson, Saint Clair & Talladega.
Below are the counties that are near Ryan. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Ryan:
- Shelby County (The home county of Ryan)
- The following are listed by their distance from Ryan, with the one closest to Ryan listed first.
- Maylene
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Brantleyville
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Brantleyville is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brantleyville
- Siluria
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Siluria is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Siluria
- Montevallo
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Alabaster
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Tulse
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Tulse is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tulse
- Saginaw
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Saginaw is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saginaw
- Sawmill Town
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Sawmill Town is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sawmill Town
- Wilton
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Wilton is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 684 people
- Former names for Wilton:
- Birmingham Junction
- Bismarck
- Catoosa
- Woods
- Woodsborough
- Calera
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Aden
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Aden is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aden
- Bamford
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Bamford is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bamford
- Bibb County
- The following are listed by their distance from Ryan, with the one closest to Ryan listed first.
- Eddings
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Eddings is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eddings
- Brierfield
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Cane Creek ‑ Historic
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Cane Creek is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cane Creek
- Seymour
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Seymour is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seymour
- Ashby
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Ashby is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ashby
- Belle Ellen
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Belle Ellen is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belle Ellen
- Nash Town ‑ Historic
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Nash Town is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nash Town
- Oakley
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Oakley is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakley
- Italian Town
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Italian Town is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Italian Town
- Blocton ‑ Historic
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Blocton is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blocton
- Bucktown ‑ Historic
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Bucktown is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bucktown
- Corinne ‑ Historic
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Corinne is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Corinne
- Chilton County
- The following are listed by their distance from Ryan, with the one closest to Ryan listed first.
- Jemison
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Thorsby
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Jumbo
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Jumbo is located in Chilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jumbo
- Maplesville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Clanton
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Adams
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Adams is located in Chilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adams
- Stanton
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Stanton is located in Chilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stanton
- Coosa County
- Aucheucaula ‑ Historic
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Aucheucaula is located in Coosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aucheucaula
- Jefferson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Ryan, with the one closest to Ryan listed first.
- Greenwood
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Greenwood is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenwood
- Kimbrell
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Kimbrell is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kimbrell
- New Village
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- New Village is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Village
- McCalla
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Mobile Junction
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Mobile Junction is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mobile Junction
- Bessemer
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Hoover
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Shannon
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Shannon is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shannon
- Old Jonesboro
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Old Jonesboro is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Old Jonesboro
- Blue Creek Junction
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Blue Creek Junction is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blue Creek Junction
- Bullard Shoals ‑ Historic
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Bullard Shoals is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bullard Shoals
- Lipscomb
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Lipscomb is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lipscomb
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,110 people
- Perry County
- The following are listed by their distance from Ryan, with the one closest to Ryan listed first.
- Oakmulgee
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Oakmulgee is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakmulgee
- Bethlehem
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Bethlehem is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bethlehem
- Saint Clair County
- Vincent
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Talladega County
- The following are listed by their distance from Ryan, with the one closest to Ryan listed first.
- Talladega Springs
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Talladega Springs is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Talladega Springs
- Population from the 2020 Census: 156 people
- Fayetteville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Fayetteville is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fayetteville
- Childersburg
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Tuscaloosa County
- The following are listed by their distance from Ryan, with the one closest to Ryan listed first.
- Tannehill
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Tannehill is located in Tuscaloosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tannehill
- Lake View
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Lake View is located in Tuscaloosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake View
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,732 people
- Abernant
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Abernant is located in Tuscaloosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Abernant
- Vance
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Kellerman
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Kellerman is located in Tuscaloosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kellerman
- Brookwood
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Pearson
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Pearson is located in Tuscaloosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pearson
- Bull City
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Bull City is located in Tuscaloosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bull City
- Coaling
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Coaling is located in Tuscaloosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coaling
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,633 people
- Hagler
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Hagler is located in Tuscaloosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hagler
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Ryan, see our County-by-County Page for Ryan.
Cemeteries Near Ryan ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Ryan.
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 Ryan - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Ryan covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Ryan, with the one closest to Ryan listed first.
- Wildwood Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Ryan Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Maylene Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Macedonia Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Salem Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Alabama National Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Moores Crossroads Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Moores Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Harles Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Still Memorial Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Goodson Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Cedar Grove Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Continue List (433 more) ...
- Linholm Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- King Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Spring Creek Cumberland Presbyterian Church Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
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 Ryan in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Ryan.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Ryan, with the one closest to Ryan listed first.
- Dogwood
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Dogwood is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dogwood
- Maylene
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Montevallo
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Siluria
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Siluria is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Siluria
- Tulse
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Tulse is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tulse
- Longview
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Longview is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Longview
- Gurnee
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Gurnee is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gurnee
- Anita
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Anita is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Anita
- Calera
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Boothton
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Boothton is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boothton
- Helena
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Bamford
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Bamford is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bamford
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- Falliston
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Falliston is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Falliston
- Brierfield
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- South Calera
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- South Calera is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Calera
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Ryan. See our List of 1890's Communities around Ryan.
Newspapers Published in Ryan ...
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 23 newspapers that have been published in the area around Ryan.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Ryan, there are papers which were published within 11 miles [17.7 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Ryan.
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 Ryan:
- Websites specific to Alabama
- Pages specific to Shelby County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Bibb County
- Chilton County
- Coosa County
- Jefferson County
- Perry County
- Saint Clair County
- Talladega County
- Tuscaloosa 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' (or point-to-point) distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Ryan) 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 Ryan, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |