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 Smith Hill (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 Smith Hill. 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 northeast 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 north.
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 north 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.
Smith Hill is located in Bibb 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 Bibb County: Chilton, Hale, Jefferson, Perry, Shelby & Tuscaloosa.
Below are the counties that are near Smith Hill. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Smith Hill:
- Bibb County (The home county of Smith Hill)
- The following are listed by their distance from Smith Hill, with the one closest to Smith Hill listed first.
- Blocton ‑ Historic
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Blocton is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blocton
- Italian Town
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Italian Town is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Italian Town
- Bucktown ‑ Historic
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Bucktown is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bucktown
- Corinne ‑ Historic
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Corinne is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Corinne
- Burmah ‑ Historic
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Burmah is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burmah
- West Blocton
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Belle Ellen
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Belle Ellen is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belle Ellen
- Nash Town ‑ Historic
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Nash Town is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nash Town
- Fikestown ‑ Historic
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Fikestown is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fikestown
- Cane Creek ‑ Historic
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Cane Creek is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cane Creek
- Seymour
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Seymour is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seymour
- Woodstock
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Blocton Junction
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Blocton Junction is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blocton Junction
- Blocton Junction has also been known as:
- Blockton Junc
- Chilton County
- The following are listed by their distance from Smith Hill, with the one closest to Smith Hill listed first.
- Jemison
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Maplesville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Thorsby
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Stanton
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Stanton is located in Chilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stanton
- Adams
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Adams is located in Chilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adams
- Hale County
- Phipps ‑ Historic
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Phipps is located in Hale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Phipps
- Jefferson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Smith Hill, with the one closest to Smith Hill listed first.
- Kimbrell
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Kimbrell is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kimbrell
- McCalla
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- North Johns
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- North Johns is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Johns
- Population from the 2020 Census: 143 people
- Adger
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Greenwood
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Greenwood is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenwood
- Mobile Junction
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Mobile Junction is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mobile Junction
- Bullard Shoals ‑ Historic
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Bullard Shoals is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bullard Shoals
- Old Jonesboro
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Old Jonesboro is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Old Jonesboro
- New Village
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- New Village is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Village
- Blue Creek Junction
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Blue Creek Junction is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blue Creek Junction
- Hueytown
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Bessemer
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Ezra
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Ezra is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ezra
- Perry County
- The following are listed by their distance from Smith Hill, with the one closest to Smith Hill listed first.
- Bethlehem
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Bethlehem is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bethlehem
- Oakmulgee
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Oakmulgee is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakmulgee
- Jericho
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Jericho is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jericho
- Shelby County
- The following are listed by their distance from Smith Hill, with the one closest to Smith Hill listed first.
- Aden
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Aden is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aden
- Sawmill Town
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Sawmill Town is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sawmill Town
- Montevallo
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Wilton
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- 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
- Bamford
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Bamford is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bamford
- Brantleyville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Brantleyville is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brantleyville
- Maylene
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Tulse
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Tulse is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tulse
- Alabaster
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Helena
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Siluria
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Siluria is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Siluria
- Falliston
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Falliston is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Falliston
- Tacoa
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Tacoa is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tacoa
- Tuscaloosa County
- The following are listed by their distance from Smith Hill, with the one closest to Smith Hill listed first.
- Vance
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Tannehill
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Tannehill is located in Tuscaloosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tannehill
- Lake View
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Lake View is located in Tuscaloosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake View
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,732 people
- Abernant
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Abernant is located in Tuscaloosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Abernant
- Hagler
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Hagler is located in Tuscaloosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hagler
- Pearson
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Pearson is located in Tuscaloosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pearson
- Coaling
(14 miles [22.5 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
- Brookwood
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Kellerman
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Kellerman is located in Tuscaloosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kellerman
- Cottondale
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Duncanville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Duncanville is located in Tuscaloosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Duncanville
- Peterson
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Peterson is located in Tuscaloosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peterson
- Bull City
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Bull City is located in Tuscaloosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bull City
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Smith Hill, see our County-by-County Page for Smith Hill.
Cemeteries Near Smith Hill ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Smith Hill.
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 Smith Hill - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Smith Hill covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Smith Hill, with the one closest to Smith Hill listed first.
- Italian Catholic Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Shiney Rock Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Hickory Hill Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Mt. Carmel Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mt. Carmel Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Mt. Carmel Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located less than 2 miles<2> to the north of West Blocton.
- The Mt. Carmel Cemetery has also been known as:
- Mt. Carmel Baptist Church Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #482813 <3>
- Hillcrest Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Stewart Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Daniel Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- McCulley Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Hebron Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Kinard Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- John T. Thrasher Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Caffee Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Continue List (393 more) ...
- Little Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Schultz Creek Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- McKensey Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
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 Smith Hill in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Smith Hill.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Smith Hill, with the one closest to Smith Hill listed first.
- Blocton ‑ Historic
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Blocton is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blocton
- Woodstock
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Blocton Junction
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Blocton Junction is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blocton Junction
- Blocton Junction has also been known as:
- Blockton Junc
- Bibbville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Bibbville is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bibbville
- Green Pond
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Anita
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Anita is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Anita
- Boothton
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Boothton is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boothton
- Scottsville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Scottsville is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Scottsville
- Chamblee
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Chamblee is located in Tuscaloosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chamblee
- Giles
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Giles is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Giles
- Gurnee
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Gurnee is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gurnee
- Vance
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Continue List (13 more) ...
- Tannehill
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Tannehill is located in Tuscaloosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tannehill
- Dudley
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Dudley is located in Tuscaloosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dudley
- Centreville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Centreville is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Centreville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,559 people
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Smith Hill. See our List of 1890's Communities around Smith Hill.
Newspapers Published in Smith Hill ...
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 26 newspapers that have been published in the area around Smith Hill.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Smith Hill, there are papers which were published within 13 miles [20.9 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Smith Hill.
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 professional and volunteer 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 Smith Hill:
- Websites specific to Alabama
- Pages specific to Bibb County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Chilton County
- Hale County
- Jefferson County
- Perry County
- Shelby 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 'point-to-point' distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Smith Hill) 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 Smith Hill, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |