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 Speake (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 Speake. 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 hospitals and doctors 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.
Speake is located in Lawrence 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 Lawrence County: Colbert, Cullman, Franklin, Limestone, Morgan & Winston.
Below are the counties that are near Speake. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Speake:
- Lawrence County (The home county of Speake)
- The following are listed by their distance from Speake, with the one closest to Speake listed first.
- Oakville
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Oakville is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakville
- Wren
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Wren is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wren
- Moulton
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Chalybeate Springs
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Chalybeate Springs is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chalybeate Springs
- Muck City
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Muck City is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Muck City
- Mountain Home
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Mountain Home is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mountain Home
- Hillsboro
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Camp Spring ‑ Historic
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Camp Spring is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Camp Spring
- Hatton
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Hatton is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hatton
- Concord
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Concord is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Concord
- Mount Hope
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Mount Hope is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Hope
- Courtland
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- North Courtland
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- North Courtland is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Courtland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 621 people
- Colbert County
- The following are listed by their distance from Speake, with the one closest to Speake listed first.
- Campbell Settlement ‑ Historic
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Campbell Settlement is located in Colbert County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Campbell Settlement
- Garner ‑ Historic
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Garner is located in Colbert County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garner
- Leighton
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Spring Valley
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Spring Valley is located in Colbert County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spring Valley
- Cullman County
- The following are listed by their distance from Speake, with the one closest to Speake listed first.
- Central
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Central is located in Cullman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Central
- Jones' Chapel
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Jones' Chapel is located in Cullman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jones' Chapel
- Chances Crossroad
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Chances Crossroad is located in Cullman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chances Crossroad
- West Point
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- West Point is located in Cullman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Point
- Population from the 2020 Census: 604 people
- Vinemont
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Logan
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- South Vinemont
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- South Vinemont is located in Cullman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Vinemont
- Population from the 2020 Census: 636 people
- Crane Hill
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Cullman
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Trimble
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Trimble is located in Cullman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trimble
- East Point
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- East Point is located in Cullman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Point
- Good Hope
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Good Hope is located in Cullman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Good Hope
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,393 people
- Simcoe
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Simcoe is located in Cullman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Simcoe
- Franklin County
- Churntown
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Churntown is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Churntown
- Lauderdale County
- The following are listed by their distance from Speake, with the one closest to Speake listed first.
- Dells Vista Shores
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Dells Vista Shores is located in Lauderdale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dells Vista Shores
- Rogersville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Rogersville is located in Lauderdale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rogersville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,293 people
- Former name for Rogersville:
- Rodgersville
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Rogersville <1>
- Confluence
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Confluence is located in Lauderdale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Confluence
- Belleview ‑ Historic
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Belleview is located in Lauderdale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belleview
- Limestone County
- The following are listed by their distance from Speake, with the one closest to Speake listed first.
- Harris Station
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Harris Station is located in Limestone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harris Station
- Orrville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Orrville is located in Limestone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orrville
- Mooresville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Belle Mina
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Belle Mina is located in Limestone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belle Mina
- Westlake
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Westlake is located in Limestone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westlake
- Ripley
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Ripley is located in Limestone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ripley
- Swancott
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Swancott is located in Limestone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Swancott
- Tanner
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Poplar Creek
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Poplar Creek is located in Limestone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Poplar Creek
- Athens
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Country Village
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Country Village is located in Limestone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Country Village
- Lentzville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Lentzville is located in Limestone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lentzville
- Madison County
- The following are listed by their distance from Speake, with the one closest to Speake listed first.
- Triana
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Triana is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Triana
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,327 people
- Slaughter Landing ‑ Historic
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Slaughter Landing is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Slaughter Landing
- Slaughter Landing has also been known as:
- Slaughter Ferry
- Madison
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Morgan County
- The following are listed by their distance from Speake, with the one closest to Speake listed first.
- Danville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Cedar Plains
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Cedar Plains is located in Morgan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar Plains
- Hartselle
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Trinity
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Flint City
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Flint City is located in Morgan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flint City
- Leesdale
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Leesdale is located in Morgan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leesdale
- Austinville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Austinville is located in Morgan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Austinville
- Russell Village
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Russell Village is located in Morgan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Russell Village
- Simpson
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Simpson is located in Morgan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Simpson
- Falkville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Burningtree Mountain
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Burningtree Mountain is located in Morgan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burningtree Mountain
- Moulton Heights
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Moulton Heights is located in Morgan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moulton Heights
- Decatur
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Decatur is located in Morgan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Decatur
- Population from the 2020 Census: 54,381 people
- Former names for Decatur:
- Albany
- New Decatur
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Decatur <1>
- Walker County
- Marylee
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Marylee is located in Walker County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marylee
- Winston County
- The following are listed by their distance from Speake, with the one closest to Speake listed first.
- Upshaw
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Upshaw is located in Winston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Upshaw
- Grayson
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Grayson is located in Winston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grayson
- Addison
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Ellaville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Ellaville is located in Winston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ellaville
- Houston
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Ashridge
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Ashridge is located in Winston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ashridge
- Double Springs
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Arley
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Slick Ford
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Slick Ford is located in Winston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Slick Ford
- Pebble
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Pebble is located in Winston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pebble
- Prebble ‑ Historic
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Prebble is located in Winston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prebble
- Littleville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Littleville is located in Winston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Littleville
- Falls City ‑ Historic
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Falls City is located in Winston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Falls City
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Speake, see our County-by-County Page for Speake.
Cemeteries Near Speake ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Speake.
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 Speake - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Speake covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Speake, with the one closest to Speake listed first.
- Miller Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Speake Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Kitchens Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Lebanon Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Preuit Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Hampton Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Johnson Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Hill Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Barnes Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Stephenson Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Lindsey Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Gibson Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Continue List (770 more) ...
- Alexander Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Gibson Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Watkins Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
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 Speake in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Speake.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Speake, with the one closest to Speake listed first.
- Jesseton
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Jesseton is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jesseton
- Oakville
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Oakville is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakville
- Neel
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Neel is located in Morgan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Neel
- Massey
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Massey is located in Morgan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Massey
- Moulton
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Upshaw
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Upshaw is located in Winston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Upshaw
- Clifty
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Clifty is located in Cullman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clifty
- Cedar Plains
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Cedar Plains is located in Morgan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar Plains
- Battleground
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Battleground is located in Cullman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Battleground
- Mountain Home
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Mountain Home is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mountain Home
- Hartselle
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Landersville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Landersville is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Landersville
- Continue List (13 more) ...
- Ellaville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Ellaville is located in Winston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ellaville
- Addison
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Leesdale
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Leesdale is located in Morgan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leesdale
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Speake. See our List of 1890's Communities around Speake.
Newspapers Published in Speake ...
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 34 newspapers that have been published in the area around Speake.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Speake, there are papers which were published within 19 miles [30.6 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Speake.
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 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 Speake:
- Websites specific to Alabama
- Pages specific to Lawrence County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Colbert County
- Cullman County
- Franklin County
- Lauderdale County
- Limestone County
- Madison County
- Morgan County
- Walker County
- Winston 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> | 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 Speake, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <3> | 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- Speake) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |