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 Shortleaf (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 Shortleaf. 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.
Shortleaf is located in Marengo 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 Marengo County: Choctaw, Clarke, Dallas, Greene, Hale, Perry, Sumter & Wilcox.
Below are the counties that are near Shortleaf. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Shortleaf:
- Marengo County (The home county of Shortleaf)
- The following are listed by their distance from Shortleaf, with the one closest to Shortleaf listed first.
- Aigleville ‑ Historic
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Aigleville is located in Marengo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aigleville
- Demopolis
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Pin Hook
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Pin Hook is located in Marengo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pin Hook
- Providence
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Providence is located in Marengo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Providence
- Population from the 2020 Census: 198 people
- Tombigbee ‑ Historic
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Tombigbee is located in Marengo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tombigbee
- Griffins ‑ Historic
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Griffins is located in Marengo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Griffins
- Linden
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Faunsdale
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Blue Lock ‑ Historic
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Blue Lock is located in Marengo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blue Lock
- Siddonsville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Siddonsville is located in Marengo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Siddonsville
- Beckleys ‑ Historic
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Beckleys is located in Marengo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beckleys
- Dayton
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Dayton is located in Marengo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dayton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 40 people
- Myrtlewood
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Myrtlewood is located in Marengo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Myrtlewood
- Population from the 2020 Census: 115 people
- Choctaw County
- The following are listed by their distance from Shortleaf, with the one closest to Shortleaf listed first.
- Cedahoma ‑ Historic
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Cedahoma is located in Choctaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedahoma
- Pelham
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Pelham is located in Choctaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pelham
- Tompkinsville
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Tompkinsville is located in Choctaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tompkinsville
- Pennington
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Pennington is located in Choctaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pennington
- Population from the 2020 Census: 202 people
- Choctaw City
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Choctaw City is located in Choctaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Choctaw City
- Jachin
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Jachin is located in Choctaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jachin
- Lavaca
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Lavaca is located in Choctaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lavaca
- Dallas County
- The following are listed by their distance from Shortleaf, with the one closest to Shortleaf listed first.
- Browns
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Browns is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Browns
- Central Mills
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Central Mills is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Central Mills
- Greene County
- The following are listed by their distance from Shortleaf, with the one closest to Shortleaf listed first.
- Forkland
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Forkland is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forkland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 583 people
- Boligee
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Miller
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Miller is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Miller
- Lizzieville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Lizzieville is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lizzieville
- Eutaw
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Clinton
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Clinton is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clinton
- Hale County
- The following are listed by their distance from Shortleaf, with the one closest to Shortleaf listed first.
- Arcola
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Arcola is located in Hale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arcola
- Gallion
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Gallion is located in Hale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gallion
- Prairieville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Prairieville is located in Hale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prairieville
- Cedarville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Cedarville is located in Hale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedarville
- Rosemary
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Rosemary is located in Hale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rosemary
- Sawyerville
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Newbern
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Newbern is located in Hale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newbern
- Population from the 2020 Census: 174 people
- Greensboro
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Akron
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Oak Village
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Oak Village is located in Hale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Village
- Perry County
- The following are listed by their distance from Shortleaf, with the one closest to Shortleaf listed first.
- Uniontown
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Ellawhite
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Ellawhite is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ellawhite
- Freetown
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Freetown is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Freetown
- The Village
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- The Village is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for The Village
- Brush Creek
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Brush Creek is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brush Creek
- Morgan Springs
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Morgan Springs is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morgan Springs
- Sumter County
- The following are listed by their distance from Shortleaf, with the one closest to Shortleaf listed first.
- McDowell
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- McDowell is located in Sumter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McDowell
- Coatopa
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Coatopa is located in Sumter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coatopa
- Brewersville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Brewersville is located in Sumter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brewersville
- Moore Town
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Moore Town is located in Sumter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moore Town
- Arrington
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Arrington is located in Sumter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arrington
- Whitfield
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Whitfield is located in Sumter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whitfield
- Bellamy
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Bellamy is located in Sumter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bellamy
- Epes
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Epes is located in Sumter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Epes
- Population from the 2020 Census: 326 people
- Livingston
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Derby
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Derby is located in Sumter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Derby
- Intercourse
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Intercourse is located in Sumter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Intercourse
- York
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- York is located in Sumter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for York
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,218 people
- Former names for York:
- New York Station
- York Station
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for York <1>
- Sumterville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Sumterville is located in Sumter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sumterville
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Shortleaf, see our County-by-County Page for Shortleaf.
Cemeteries Near Shortleaf ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Shortleaf.
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 Shortleaf - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Shortleaf covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Shortleaf, with the one closest to Shortleaf listed first.
- Riverside Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Memorial Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Memorial Garden
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Memorial Garden Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Memorial Garden Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Memorial Garden Cemetery is located outside and to the southeast of Demopolis.
- The Memorial Garden Cemetery has also been known as:
- Demopolis Memorial Gardens
- Old Green Oak Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Mt. Zion Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- New Green Oak Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Longer Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Houpt Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Palestine Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Millers Chapel Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Jerusalem Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jerusalem Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Jerusalem Cemetery is located in the vicinity of Arcola
- Continue List (348 more) ...
- Hopewell Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Old Spring Hill Methodist Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Gilfield Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 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.<3>
While we didn't find Shortleaf in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Shortleaf.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Shortleaf, with the one closest to Shortleaf listed first.
- Demopolis
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- McDowell
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- McDowell is located in Sumter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McDowell
- Arcola
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Arcola is located in Hale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arcola
- Belmont
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Belmont is located in Sumter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belmont
- Old Spring Hill
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Old Spring Hill is located in Marengo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Old Spring Hill
- Jefferson
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Jefferson is located in Marengo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jefferson
- Gallion
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Gallion is located in Hale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gallion
- Forkland
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Forkland is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forkland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 583 people
- Cedarville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Cedarville is located in Hale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedarville
- Tishabee
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Tishabee is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tishabee
- Coatopa
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Coatopa is located in Sumter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coatopa
- Tombigbee ‑ Historic
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Tombigbee is located in Marengo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tombigbee
- Continue List (16 more) ...
- Linden
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Faunsdale
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Laneville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Laneville is located in Hale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Laneville
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Shortleaf. See our List of 1890's Communities around Shortleaf.
Newspapers Published in Shortleaf ...
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 65 newspapers that have been published in the area around Shortleaf.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Shortleaf, there are papers which were published within 22 miles [35.4 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Shortleaf.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we first turn to 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 Shortleaf:
- Websites specific to Alabama
- Pages specific to Marengo County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Choctaw County
- Dallas County
- Greene County
- Hale County
- Perry County
- Sumter 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 Shortleaf, 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' distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Shortleaf) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |