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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 Sweet Water (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 Sweet Water. 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.

Name Variations for Sweet Water ...

When searching records, keep in mind that names and their spelling can change over time. Our sources include documents like maps, railroad schedules, Travel, Express and Shipping Guides. Many of these documents date from the 1800's and it's common to find spelling differences.

Although we can't give a definitive list, hopefully the following will give you a feel for the variations that might occur.

Another variation: Sweetwater.

You might be interested in other communities that are also named Sweet Water. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Sweet Water.

If you have information about these names (such as the reason for the change, date of change, the origin of the name), please Contact Us.

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.

Sweet Water 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 Sweet Water. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Sweet Water:

  • Marengo County     (The home county of Sweet Water)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Sweet Water, with the one closest to Sweet Water listed first.
    • Aimwell
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Moss ‑ Historic
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Moss is located in Marengo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moss
    • Dixon's Mills
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
      • Dixon's Mills is located in Marengo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dixon's Mills
    • Half Acre
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
    • Nanafalia
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
    • Barrons ‑ Historic
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
      • Barrons is located in Marengo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barrons
    • Ellison ‑ Historic
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Ellison is located in Marengo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ellison
    • Putnam
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Myrtlewood
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Myrtlewood is located in Marengo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Myrtlewood
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 115 people
    • Magnolia
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
    • Vineland
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
      • Vineland is located in Marengo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vineland
    • Beckleys ‑ Historic
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
      • Beckleys is located in Marengo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beckleys
    • Blue Lock ‑ Historic
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
      • Blue Lock is located in Marengo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blue Lock
  • Choctaw County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Sweet Water, with the one closest to Sweet Water listed first.
    • Tompkinsville
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Lavaca
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
    • Pennington
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Pennington is located in Choctaw County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pennington
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 202 people
    • Choctaw City
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Choctaw City is located in Choctaw County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Choctaw City
    • Cedahoma ‑ Historic
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Cedahoma is located in Choctaw County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedahoma
    • Jachin
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Jachin is located in Choctaw County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jachin
    • Pelham
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Pelham is located in Choctaw County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pelham
    • Butler
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
    • Red Springs
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
    • Womack Hill
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Lisman
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
    • Cromwell
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
      • Cromwell is located in Choctaw County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cromwell
    • Needham
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
      • Needham is located in Choctaw County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Needham
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 79 people
  • Clarke County
  • Dallas County
  • Hale County
  • Perry County
  • Sumter County
  • Wilcox County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Sweet Water, with the one closest to Sweet Water listed first.
    • Arlington
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
    • Anne Manie
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
      • Anne Manie is located in Wilcox County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Anne Manie
    • Lamison
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
    • Kimbrough
      (18 miles [29 km] to the east)
      • Kimbrough is located in Wilcox County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kimbrough
    • Pine Hill
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
      • Pine Hill is located in Wilcox County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Hill
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 834 people
    • Bethel
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
      • Bethel is located in Wilcox County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bethel
    • Catherine
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
    • Yellow Bluff
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
      • Yellow Bluff is located in Wilcox County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yellow Bluff
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 200 people
    • Lower Peach Tree
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Gastonburg
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
    • Millers Ferry
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
      • Millers Ferry is located in Wilcox County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millers Ferry
    • Prairie Bluff ‑ Historic
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
    • Coy
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)

For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Sweet Water, see our County-by-County Page for Sweet Water.

Cemeteries Near Sweet Water ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Sweet Water.

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 Sweet Water - one of the links might be able to help.

If not found below, our Cemetery List for Sweet Water covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.

The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Sweet Water, with the one closest to Sweet Water listed first.

  • Old Union Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
  • Aimwell Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
  • Paynes Chapel Methodist Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
  • Hoboken Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • Pearson Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Union Grove Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
  • Berry Chapel Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
  • St. Paul Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
  • Antioch Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • Old Liberty Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • Pruitt Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • Dixon Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
  • Continue List   (247 more) ...
    • Dunning Cemetery
      (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
    • Robinson Cemetery
      (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
    • Beaver Creek Baptist Cemetery
      (5 miles [8 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.<2>

The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Sweet Water had a population of 140 people in 1895 with a post office and no railroad service. In 2020, Sweet Water had a population of 243 people.

These communities are listed based on their distance from Sweet Water, with the one closest to Sweet Water listed first.

  • Aimwell
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
  • Moss ‑ Historic
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Moss is located in Marengo County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moss
  • Dixon's Mills
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
    • Dixon's Mills is located in Marengo County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dixon's Mills
  • Nicholsville
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
    • Nicholsville is located in Marengo County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nicholsville
  • Nanafalia
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
  • Bashi
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
    • Bashi is located in Clarke County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bashi
  • Clayhill
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Clayhill is located in Marengo County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clayhill
  • Shiloh
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
    • Shiloh is located in Marengo County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shiloh
  • Rembert
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
    • Rembert is located in Marengo County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rembert
  • Putnam
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
  • Morvin
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Morvin is located in Clarke County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morvin
  • Glover
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Ellison ‑ Historic
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Ellison is located in Marengo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ellison
    • Octagon
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Octagon is located in Marengo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Octagon
    • Myrtlewood
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Myrtlewood is located in Marengo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Myrtlewood
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 115 people

We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Sweet Water. See our List of 1890's Communities around Sweet Water.

Newspapers Published in Sweet Water ...

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 27 newspapers that have been published in the area around Sweet Water.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Sweet Water, there are papers which were published within 20 miles [32.2 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Sweet Water.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we begin 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 Sweet Water:

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 Sweet Water, 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 obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Sweet Water) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.