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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 Thompson (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 Thompson. 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 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.

Thompson is located in Bullock 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 Bullock County: Barbour, Macon, Montgomery, Pike & Russell.

Below are the counties that are near Thompson. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Thompson:

  • Bullock County     (The home county of Thompson)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Thompson, with the one closest to Thompson listed first.
    • Fitzpatrick
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Fitzpatrick is located in Bullock County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fitzpatrick
    • Union Springs
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Mitchell
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Mitchell is located in Bullock County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mitchell
    • Inverness
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
      • Inverness is located in Bullock County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Inverness
    • Postoak
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
      • Postoak is located in Bullock County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Postoak
    • Three Notch
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
      • Three Notch is located in Bullock County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Three Notch
    • Pine Grove
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Pine Grove is located in Bullock County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Grove
    • Perote
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
      • Perote is located in Bullock County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Perote
    • Smuteye
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Smuteye is located in Bullock County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smuteye
    • Midway
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
      • Midway is located in Bullock County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Midway
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 457 people
  • Barbour County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Thompson, with the one closest to Thompson listed first.
    • Comer
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
      • Comer is located in Barbour County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Comer
    • Spring Hill
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
      • Spring Hill is located in Barbour County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spring Hill
    • Clayton
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Elmore County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Thompson, with the one closest to Thompson listed first.
    • Ware
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
      • Ware is located in Elmore County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ware
    • Tallassee
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
    • Fusihatchi ‑ Historic
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Fusihatchi is located in Elmore County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fusihatchi
    • Kent
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
    • Blue Ridge
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Blue Ridge is located in Elmore County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blue Ridge
    • Claud
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Claud is located in Elmore County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Claud
  • Macon County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Thompson, with the one closest to Thompson listed first.
    • Hardaway
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
      • Hardaway is located in Macon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hardaway
    • Fort Davis
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Armstrong
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
      • Armstrong is located in Macon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Armstrong
    • La Place
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
      • La Place is located in Macon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for La Place
    • Calebee
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
      • Calebee is located in Macon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Calebee
    • Shorter
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Franklin
      (18 miles [29 km] to the north)
    • Tuskegee
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
    • Tysonville
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
      • Tysonville is located in Macon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tysonville
    • Hornady
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
      • Hornady is located in Macon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hornady
    • Liberty City
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
      • Liberty City is located in Macon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Liberty City
    • Notasulga
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
  • Montgomery County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Thompson, with the one closest to Thompson listed first.
    • Cecil
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Cecil is located in Montgomery County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cecil
    • Pine Level
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Pine Level is located in Montgomery County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Level
    • Waugh
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
      • Waugh is located in Montgomery County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waugh
    • Mount Meigs
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Mount Meigs is located in Montgomery County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Meigs
    • Center Point
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Center Point is located in Montgomery County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Center Point
    • Pike Road
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
    • Red Level
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
      • Red Level is located in Montgomery County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Level
    • Grady
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Ramer
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
    • Sunshine Village
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Sunshine Village is located in Montgomery County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sunshine Village
    • Ada
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • Ada is located in Montgomery County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ada
    • Madison
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Madison is located in Montgomery County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Madison
  • Pike County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Thompson, with the one closest to Thompson listed first.
    • Saco
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
      • Saco is located in Pike County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saco
    • Linwood
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
      • Linwood is located in Pike County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Linwood
    • Orion
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
      • Orion is located in Pike County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orion
    • Needmore
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
      • Needmore is located in Pike County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Needmore
    • Meeksville
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Meeksville is located in Pike County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meeksville
    • McClure Town
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
      • McClure Town is located in Pike County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McClure Town
    • Banks
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
    • Buckhorn
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
      • Buckhorn is located in Pike County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buckhorn
    • Kent
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Kent is located in Pike County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kent
    • Troy
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
      • Troy is located in Pike County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Troy
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 18,762 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Troy <1>
    • Ansley
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Ansley is located in Pike County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ansley
    • Youngblood
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Youngblood is located in Pike County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Youngblood
  • Russell County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Thompson, with the one closest to Thompson listed first.
    • Hurtsboro
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
      • Hurtsboro is located in Russell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hurtsboro
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 597 people
    • Rutherford
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
      • Rutherford is located in Russell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rutherford
  • Tallapoosa County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Thompson, with the one closest to Thompson listed first.
    • East Tallassee
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
      • East Tallassee is located in Tallapoosa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Tallassee
    • Tallapoosa City
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
      • Tallapoosa City is located in Tallapoosa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tallapoosa City
    • Reeltown
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
      • Reeltown is located in Tallapoosa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reeltown

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

Cemeteries Near Thompson ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Thompson.

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 Thompson - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • Penile Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
  • Haines Chapel Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
  • Jackson Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Cornerstone Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Paulk Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Fitzpatrick Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
  • Grimm Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Mt. Carmel Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Mason Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Oak Hill Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Moultrie Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
  • Ivory Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Continue List   (296 more) ...
    • St. Mark Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Mt. Zion Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
    • Hardaway Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 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 Thompson had a population of 147 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service.

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

  • Union Springs
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Hector
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Hector is located in Bullock County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hector
  • Fort Davis
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Shopton
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Shopton is located in Bullock County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shopton
  • Mount Hillard
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
    • Mount Hillard is located in Bullock County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Hillard
  • Aberfoil
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Aberfoil is located in Bullock County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aberfoil
  • Cotton Valley
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Cotton Valley is located in Macon County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cotton Valley
  • Cross Keys
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Cross Keys is located in Macon County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cross Keys
  • Postoak
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
    • Postoak is located in Bullock County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Postoak
  • Inverness
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
    • Inverness is located in Bullock County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Inverness
  • La Place
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
    • La Place is located in Macon County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for La Place
  • China Grove
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
    • China Grove is located in Pike County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for China Grove
  • Continue List   (16 more) ...
    • Suspension
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
      • Suspension is located in Bullock County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Suspension
    • Omega
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
      • Omega is located in Bullock County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Omega
    • Three Notch
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
      • Three Notch is located in Bullock County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Three Notch

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

Newspapers Published in Thompson ...

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 38 newspapers that have been published in the area around Thompson.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Thompson, there are papers which were published within 23 miles [37 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Thompson.

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 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 Thompson:

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 Thompson, 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- Thompson) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.