Our Genealogy Helper
Introduction ...
So far, we found very little information about Willstown. The little that we've found leads us believe that the community is historic.<1>
We've added Willstown to our Gazetteer with the hope that we can develop more information. If you can help us with Willstown, please Contact Us.
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 Willstown (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 Willstown. 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 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 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.
Although our information shows that the community of Willstown is historic, it would have been located within present day DeKalb 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 DeKalb County: Cherokee, Etowah, Jackson, Marshall, Chattooga (GA), Dade (GA) & Walker (GA).
Below are the counties that are near Willstown. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Willstown:
- DeKalb County (The home county of Willstown)
- The following are listed by their distance from Willstown, with the one closest to Willstown listed first.
- Bootsville
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Bootsville is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bootsville
- Clyde ‑ Historic
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Clyde is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clyde
- Dog Town
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Dog Town is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dog Town
- Guest
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Guest is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Guest
- Luna ‑ Historic
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Luna is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Luna
- Pine Ridge
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Pine Ridge is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Ridge
- Population from the 2020 Census: 273 people
- Mount Vernon
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Mount Vernon is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Vernon
- Sigsbee
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Sigsbee is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sigsbee
- Douglas
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Douglas is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Douglas
- Floy ‑ Historic
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Floy is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Floy
- Chavies
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Chavies is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chavies
- Collinsville
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Calhoun County
- The following are listed by their distance from Willstown, with the one closest to Willstown listed first.
- Collins ‑ Historic
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Collins is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Collins
- Colvins Gap
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Colvins Gap is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colvins Gap
- Goshen ‑ Historic
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Goshen is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goshen
- Cherokee County
- The following are listed by their distance from Willstown, with the one closest to Willstown listed first.
- Sand Rock
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Sand Rock is located in Cherokee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sand Rock
- Population from the 2020 Census: 674 people
- Blanche
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Blanche is located in Cherokee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blanche
- Taft
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Taft is located in Cherokee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Taft
- Anderson
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Leesburg
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Ringgold
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Ringgold is located in Cherokee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ringgold
- Broomtown
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Broomtown is located in Cherokee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Broomtown
- New Moon
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- New Moon is located in Cherokee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Moon
- Cedar Bluff
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Centre
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Gaylesville
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Berry Springs ‑ Historic
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Berry Springs is located in Cherokee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Berry Springs
- Etowah County
- The following are listed by their distance from Willstown, with the one closest to Willstown listed first.
- Keener
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Keener is located in Etowah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keener
- Yancy
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Yancy is located in Etowah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yancy
- Duck Springs
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Duck Springs is located in Etowah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Duck Springs
- Hale ‑ Historic
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Hale is located in Etowah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hale
- Turkeytown
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Turkeytown is located in Etowah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Turkeytown
- Wilsonia
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Wilsonia is located in Etowah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilsonia
- Coat's Bend
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Coat's Bend is located in Etowah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coat's Bend
- Whitesboro
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Whitesboro is located in Etowah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whitesboro
- Anderson
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Anderson is located in Etowah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Anderson
- Ballplay
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Ballplay is located in Etowah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ballplay
- Crudup
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Crudup is located in Etowah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crudup
- Haworth ‑ Historic
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Haworth is located in Etowah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Haworth
- Jackson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Willstown, with the one closest to Willstown listed first.
- Rock City
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Rock City is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock City
- Dutton
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Dutton is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dutton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 307 people
- Section
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Ferncliff ‑ Historic
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Ferncliff is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ferncliff
- Langston
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Central
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Central is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Central
- Gray ‑ Historic
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Gray is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gray
- Pisgah
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Dodsonville ‑ Historic
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Dodsonville is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dodsonville
- Bellefonte ‑ Historic
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Bellefonte is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bellefonte
- Scottsboro
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Dry Cove ‑ Historic
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Dry Cove is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dry Cove
- Marshall County
- The following are listed by their distance from Willstown, with the one closest to Willstown listed first.
- Peters ‑ Historic
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Peters is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peters
- Hustleville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Hustleville is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hustleville
- Mid ‑ Historic
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Mid is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mid
- Boaz
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Albertville
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Columbus City Ferry
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Columbus City Ferry is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Columbus City Ferry
- Minorville ‑ Historic
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Minorville is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Minorville
- Columbus City
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Columbus City is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Columbus City
- Rayburn
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Rayburn is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rayburn
- North ‑ Historic
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- North is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North
- Rabbit Town
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Rabbit Town is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rabbit Town
- Wyeth City
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Wyeth City is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wyeth City
- Chattooga County (GA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Willstown, with the one closest to Willstown listed first.
- Cloudland
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Menlo
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Menlo is located in Chattooga County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Menlo
- Population from the 2020 Census: 454 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Menlo <2>
- Chattoogaville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Chattoogaville is located in Chattooga County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chattoogaville
- Lyerly
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Berryton
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Berryton is located in Chattooga County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Berryton
- Taliaferro ‑ Historic
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Taliaferro is located in Chattooga County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Taliaferro
- Estimated population in 2019: 71 people
- Summerville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Pennville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Pennville is located in Chattooga County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pennville
- Euthtilloga ‑ Historic
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Euthtilloga is located in Chattooga County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Euthtilloga
- Population from the 2010 Census: 29,011 people
- Floyd County (GA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Willstown, with the one closest to Willstown listed first.
- Coosa
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Oreburg
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Oreburg is located in Floyd County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oreburg
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Willstown, see our County-by-County Page for Willstown.
Cemeteries Near Willstown ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Willstown.
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 Willstown - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Willstown covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Willstown, with the one closest to Willstown listed first.
- Killian Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Downer Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Warren Stewart Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Red Hill Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Wesson Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Smith Chapel Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Mt. Vernon Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Husky Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Hammack Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Mt. Herman Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Mountain View Memorial Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Nicholson Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Continue List (452 more) ...
- Copeland Bridge Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Anthony Collins Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Hall Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
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.
While we didn't find Willstown in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Willstown.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Willstown, with the one closest to Willstown listed first.
- Lebanon
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Lebanon is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lebanon
- Collbran
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Collbran is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Collbran
- Portersville
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Portersville is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Portersville
- Loveless
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Loveless is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Loveless
- Lydia
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Lydia is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lydia
- Wills ‑ Historic
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Wills is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wills
- Luna ‑ Historic
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Luna is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Luna
- Floy ‑ Historic
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Floy is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Floy
- Dawson
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Dawson is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dawson
- Collinsville
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Fort Payne
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Chavies
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Chavies is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chavies
- Continue List (18 more) ...
- Luttrell
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Luttrell is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Luttrell
- Skirum
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Skirum is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Skirum
- Sand Rock
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Sand Rock is located in Cherokee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sand Rock
- Population from the 2020 Census: 674 people
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Willstown. See our List of 1890's Communities around Willstown.
Newspapers Published in Willstown ...
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 20 newspapers that have been published in the area around Willstown.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Willstown, there are papers which were published within 11 miles [17.7 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Willstown.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we first turn to 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 Willstown:
- Websites specific to Alabama
- Pages specific to DeKalb County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Calhoun County
- Cherokee County
- Etowah County
- Jackson County
- Marshall County
- Chattooga County
- Floyd County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Alabama
Footnotes ...
| <1> | 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 Willstown, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <2> | While we're fans and frequent users of TripAdvisor, you should know that we're also members of the TripAdvisor affiliate program. |
| <3> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' (or 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- Willstown) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |
| <4> | 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. |