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 Westover (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 Westover. 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 southeast 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 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 east 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.
Westover is located in Shelby 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 Shelby County: Bibb, Chilton, Coosa, Jefferson, Saint Clair & Talladega.
Below are the counties that are near Westover. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Westover:
- Shelby County (The home county of Westover)
- The following are listed by their distance from Westover, with the one closest to Westover listed first.
- Harpersville
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Sterrett
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Chelsea
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Vandiver
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Calcis
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Calcis is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Calcis
- Shoal Creek
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Shoal Creek is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shoal Creek
- Wilsonville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Dunavant
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Dunavant is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunavant
- Bridgeton
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Bridgeton is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bridgeton
- Dunnavant
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Dunnavant is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunnavant
- Lake Purdy
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Lake Purdy is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Purdy
- Meadowbrook
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Meadowbrook is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meadowbrook
- Bibb County
- Eddings
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Eddings is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eddings
- Blount County
- Dale ‑ Historic
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Dale is located in Blount County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dale
- Chilton County
- The following are listed by their distance from Westover, with the one closest to Westover listed first.
- Jumbo
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Jumbo is located in Chilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jumbo
- Jemison
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Clay County
- The following are listed by their distance from Westover, with the one closest to Westover listed first.
- Hollins
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Hollins is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hollins
- Chambers Springs
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Chambers Springs is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chambers Springs
- Coosa County
- The following are listed by their distance from Westover, with the one closest to Westover listed first.
- Aucheucaula ‑ Historic
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Aucheucaula is located in Coosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aucheucaula
- Stewartville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Stewartville is located in Coosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stewartville
- Weogufka
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Weogufka is located in Coosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weogufka
- Mount Olive
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Mount Olive is located in Coosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Olive
- Jefferson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Westover, with the one closest to Westover listed first.
- Cedar Grove ‑ Historic
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Cedar Grove is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar Grove
- Leeds
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Scott City
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Scott City is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Scott City
- Cahaba Heights
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Cahaba Landing
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Cahaba Landing is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cahaba Landing
- Irondale
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Lola City
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Lola City is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lola City
- McCombs
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- McCombs is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McCombs
- Mountain Brook
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Rock Ridge
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Rock Ridge is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock Ridge
- Weems
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Weems is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weems
- Alton
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Saint Clair County
- The following are listed by their distance from Westover, with the one closest to Westover listed first.
- Vincent
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Woodland Village
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Woodland Village is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodland Village
- Brompton
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Brompton is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brompton
- Fountainrun ‑ Historic
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Fountainrun is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fountainrun
- Moody
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Moody is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moody
- Population from the 2020 Census: 13,292 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Moody <1>
- Cook's Springs
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Cook's Springs is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cook's Springs
- Easonville ‑ Historic
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Easonville is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Easonville
- Acmar
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Acmar is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Acmar
- Parsons
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Parsons is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parsons
- Cropwell
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Glen City
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Glen City is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glen City
- Avondale Village
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Avondale Village is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avondale Village
- Talladega County
- The following are listed by their distance from Westover, with the one closest to Westover listed first.
- East Bend
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- East Bend is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Bend
- Logan Martin Dam
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Logan Martin Dam is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Logan Martin Dam
- Childersburg
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Bon Air
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Bon Air is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bon Air
- Population from the 2020 Census: 109 people
- Zubers
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Zubers is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zubers
- Alpine
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Comerdale
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Comerdale is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Comerdale
- Fayetteville
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Fayetteville is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fayetteville
- Nottingham ‑ Historic
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Nottingham is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nottingham
- Former name for Nottingham:
- Jones Camp Ground
- Talladega Springs
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Talladega Springs is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Talladega Springs
- Population from the 2020 Census: 156 people
- Oak Grove
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Oak Grove is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Grove
- Population from the 2020 Census: 513 people
- Gantts Quarry
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Gantts Quarry is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gantts Quarry
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Westover, see our County-by-County Page for Westover.
Cemeteries Near Westover ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Westover.
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 Westover - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Westover covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Westover, with the one closest to Westover listed first.
- Union Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Ebenezer Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Prospect Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Kirkland Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Mt. Signal Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Walton Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Ray Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Overton Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Quinn Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Quinn Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Quinn Cemetery is located in the vicinity of Chelsea
- Garden of Memories Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Kidd Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Elliott Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Continue List (346 more) ...
- Brasher Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Brashers Chapel Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Liberty Baptist Church Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Liberty Baptist Church Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Liberty Baptist Church Cemetery is located in the vicinity of Chelsea
- The Liberty Baptist Church Cemetery has also been known as:
- Liberty Cemetery
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 Westover in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Westover.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Westover, with the one closest to Westover listed first.
- Harpersville
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Vincent
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Sterrett
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Vandiver
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Wilsonville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Lowery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Lowery is located in Blount County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lowery
- Bridgeton
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Bridgeton is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bridgeton
- East Bend
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- East Bend is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Bend
- Dunnavant
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Dunnavant is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunnavant
- Childersburg
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Leeds
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Pelham
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Continue List (18 more) ...
- Columbiana
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Wolf Creek
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Wolf Creek is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wolf Creek
- Irondale
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Westover. See our List of 1890's Communities around Westover.
Newspapers Published in Westover ...
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 24 newspapers that have been published in the area around Westover.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Westover, there are papers which were published within 13 miles [20.9 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Westover.
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 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 Westover:
- Websites specific to Alabama
- Pages specific to Shelby County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Bibb County
- Blount County
- Chilton County
- Clay County
- Coosa County
- Jefferson County
- Saint Clair County
- Talladega 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 Westover, 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- Westover) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |