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 Sanford (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 Sanford. 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 and hospitals 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.
Sanford is located in Covington 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 Covington County: Butler, Coffee, Conecuh, Crenshaw, Escambia, Geneva, Okaloosa (FL) & Walton (FL).
Below are the counties that are near Sanford. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Sanford:
- Covington County (The home county of Sanford)
- The following are listed by their distance from Sanford, with the one closest to Sanford listed first.
- Babbie
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Babbie is located in Covington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Babbie
- Population from the 2020 Census: 599 people
- Heath
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Heath is located in Covington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Heath
- Population from the 2020 Census: 252 people
- Libertyville
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Libertyville is located in Covington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Libertyville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 110 people
- Andalusia
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Antioch
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Antioch is located in Covington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Antioch
- Horn Hill
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Horn Hill is located in Covington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Horn Hill
- Population from the 2020 Census: 227 people
- Opp
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Opp is located in Covington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Opp
- Population from the 2020 Census: 6,313 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Opp <1>
- Onycha
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Onycha is located in Covington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Onycha
- Population from the 2020 Census: 180 people
- Carolina
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Carolina is located in Covington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carolina
- Population from the 2020 Census: 294 people
- Gantt
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Gantt is located in Covington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gantt
- Population from the 2020 Census: 214 people
- River Falls
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- River Falls is located in Covington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for River Falls
- Population from the 2020 Census: 528 people
- Beulah
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Beulah is located in Covington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beulah
- Butler County
- The following are listed by their distance from Sanford, with the one closest to Sanford listed first.
- Oaky Streak
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Oaky Streak is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oaky Streak
- Industry
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Industry is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Industry
- McKenzie
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Garland
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Garland is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garland
- Georgiana
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Coffee County
- The following are listed by their distance from Sanford, with the one closest to Sanford listed first.
- Kinston
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Curtis
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Curtis is located in Coffee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Curtis
- Danleys Crossroads
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Danleys Crossroads is located in Coffee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Danleys Crossroads
- Alberton
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Alberton is located in Coffee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alberton
- Pine Level
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Pine Level is located in Coffee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Level
- Elba
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Goodman
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Goodman is located in Coffee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goodman
- Zoar
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Zoar is located in Coffee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zoar
- New Brockton
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Battens Crossroads
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Battens Crossroads is located in Coffee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Battens Crossroads
- Central City
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Central City is located in Coffee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Central City
- Clintonville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Clintonville is located in Coffee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clintonville
- Conecuh County
- The following are listed by their distance from Sanford, with the one closest to Sanford listed first.
- Paul
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Paul is located in Conecuh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Paul
- Brooklyn
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Brooklyn is located in Conecuh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brooklyn
- Mount Union
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Mount Union is located in Conecuh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Union
- Old Town
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Old Town is located in Conecuh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Old Town
- Johnsonville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Johnsonville is located in Conecuh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Johnsonville
- Centerville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Centerville is located in Conecuh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Centerville
- Rabb
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Rabb is located in Conecuh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rabb
- Crenshaw County
- The following are listed by their distance from Sanford, with the one closest to Sanford listed first.
- Dozier
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Leon
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Leon is located in Crenshaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leon
- Merrill Mill
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Merrill Mill is located in Crenshaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Merrill Mill
- Brantley
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Bullock
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Bullock is located in Crenshaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bullock
- Peacock ‑ Historic
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Peacock is located in Crenshaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peacock
- Glenwood
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Cherokee Village
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Cherokee Village is located in Crenshaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cherokee Village
- Luverne
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Rutledge
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Rutledge is located in Crenshaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rutledge
- Population from the 2020 Census: 449 people
- Escambia County
- Bradley
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Bradley is located in Escambia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bradley
- Geneva County
- The following are listed by their distance from Sanford, with the one closest to Sanford listed first.
- Samson
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Coffee Springs
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Coffee Springs is located in Geneva County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coffee Springs
- Population from the 2020 Census: 220 people
- Okaloosa County (FL)
- The following are listed by their distance from Sanford, with the one closest to Sanford listed first.
- Laurel Hill
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Svea
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Svea is located in Okaloosa County (FL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Svea
- Walton County (FL)
- Paxton
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Sanford, see our County-by-County Page for Sanford.
Cemeteries Near Sanford ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Sanford.
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 Sanford - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Sanford covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Sanford, with the one closest to Sanford listed first.
- Sanford Baptist Church Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Hillside Memorial Gardens
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Covington Memorial Gardens
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Oakey Ridge Baptist Church Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Andalusia Memorial Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Five Runs Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Bethel Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Henderson Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Johnson Memorial Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Marshall Memorial Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Southside Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Cedar Grove Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Continue List (213 more) ...
- Antioch Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Antioch Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Antioch Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located in the vicinity of Antioch
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2231111 <2>
- Magnolia Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Shiloh Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
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.<3>
While we didn't find Sanford in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Sanford.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Sanford, with the one closest to Sanford listed first.
- Wiggins
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Wiggins is located in Covington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wiggins
- Andalusia
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Opine
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Opine is located in Covington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Opine
- River Falls
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- River Falls is located in Covington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for River Falls
- Population from the 2020 Census: 528 people
- Green Bay
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Green Bay is located in Covington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Green Bay
- Rose Hill
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Rose Hill is located in Covington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rose Hill
- Dozier
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Red Level
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Red Level is located in Covington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Level
- Population from the 2020 Census: 474 people
- Fairfield
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Fairfield is located in Covington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairfield
- Curtis
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Curtis is located in Coffee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Curtis
- Loango
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Loango is located in Covington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Loango
- Alberton
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Alberton is located in Coffee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alberton
- Continue List (13 more) ...
- Leon
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Leon is located in Crenshaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leon
- Vera Cruz ‑ Historic
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Vera Cruz is located in Covington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vera Cruz
- Cohassett
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Cohassett is located in Conecuh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cohassett
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Sanford. See our List of 1890's Communities around Sanford.
Newspapers Published in Sanford ...
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 56 newspapers that have been published in the area around Sanford.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Sanford, there are papers which were published within 29 miles [46.7 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Sanford.
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 helpful 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 Sanford:
- Websites specific to Alabama
- Pages specific to Covington County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Butler County
- Coffee County
- Conecuh County
- Crenshaw County
- Escambia County
- Geneva County
- Okaloosa County
- Walton 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> | 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. |
| <3> | 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 Sanford, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <4> | 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 from Point A (ie- Sanford) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |