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 Zion (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 Zion. 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.
Zion is located in Montgomery 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 Montgomery County: Autauga, Bullock, Crenshaw, Elmore, Lowndes, Macon & Pike.
Below are the counties that are near Zion. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Zion:
- Montgomery County (The home county of Zion)
- The following are listed by their distance from Zion, with the one closest to Zion listed first.
- Pintlala
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Pintlala is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pintlala
- Former name for Pintlala:
- Colquitt
- Ada
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Ada is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ada
- Red Level
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Red Level is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Level
- Ramer
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Hope Hull
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Lapine
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Lapine is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lapine
- Catoma
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Catoma is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Catoma
- English Village
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- English Village is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for English Village
- Grady
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Stone's
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Stone's is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stone's
- Young Forte Village
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Young Forte Village is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Young Forte Village
- Gibbs Village
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Gibbs Village is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gibbs Village
- Highland Village
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Highland Village is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Highland Village
- Autauga County
- The following are listed by their distance from Zion, with the one closest to Zion listed first.
- Prattville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Melmar
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Melmar is located in Autauga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Melmar
- Autaugaville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Autaugaville is located in Autauga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Autaugaville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 882 people
- Jones Bluff Dam
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Jones Bluff Dam is located in Autauga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jones Bluff Dam
- Millbrook
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Booth
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Booth is located in Autauga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Booth
- Bullock County
- The following are listed by their distance from Zion, with the one closest to Zion listed first.
- Mitchell
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Mitchell is located in Bullock County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mitchell
- Fitzpatrick
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Fitzpatrick is located in Bullock County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fitzpatrick
- Butler County
- Greenville
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Crenshaw County
- The following are listed by their distance from Zion, with the one closest to Zion listed first.
- Highland Home
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Honoraville
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Honoraville is located in Crenshaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Honoraville
- Petrey
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Petrey is located in Crenshaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Petrey
- Population from the 2020 Census: 57 people
- Vernledge
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Vernledge is located in Crenshaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vernledge
- Cherokee Village
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Cherokee Village is located in Crenshaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cherokee Village
- Rutledge
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Rutledge is located in Crenshaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rutledge
- Population from the 2020 Census: 449 people
- Luverne
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Vidette
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Vidette is located in Crenshaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vidette
- Social Town
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Social Town is located in Crenshaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Social Town
- Dallas County
- The following are listed by their distance from Zion, with the one closest to Zion listed first.
- Old Town
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Old Town is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Old Town
- Pleasant Hill
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Pleasant Hill is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Hill
- Elmore County
- The following are listed by their distance from Zion, with the one closest to Zion listed first.
- Prattville Junction
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Prattville Junction is located in Elmore County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prattville Junction
- Coosada
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Robinson Springs
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Robinson Springs is located in Elmore County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Robinson Springs
- Fusihatchi ‑ Historic
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Fusihatchi is located in Elmore County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fusihatchi
- Elmore
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Blue Ridge
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Blue Ridge is located in Elmore County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blue Ridge
- Lowndes County
- The following are listed by their distance from Zion, with the one closest to Zion listed first.
- Davenport
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Davenport is located in Lowndes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Davenport
- Letohatchee
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Letohatchee is located in Lowndes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Letohatchee
- Sandy Ridge
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Sandy Ridge is located in Lowndes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sandy Ridge
- Hayneville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Fort Deposit
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Burkville
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Burkville is located in Lowndes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burkville
- Lowndesboro
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Mosses
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Mosses is located in Lowndes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mosses
- Population from the 2020 Census: 893 people
- Gordonville
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Gordonville is located in Lowndes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gordonville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 251 people
- White Hall
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- White Hall is located in Lowndes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White Hall
- Population from the 2020 Census: 737 people
- Bragg's
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Bragg's is located in Lowndes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bragg's
- Petronia
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Petronia is located in Lowndes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Petronia
- Collirene
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Collirene is located in Lowndes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Collirene
- Macon County
- Tysonville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Tysonville is located in Macon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tysonville
- Pike County
- The following are listed by their distance from Zion, with the one closest to Zion listed first.
- Kent
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Kent is located in Pike County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kent
- Ansley
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Ansley is located in Pike County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ansley
- Wingard
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Wingard is located in Pike County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wingard
- Orion
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Orion is located in Pike County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orion
- Meeksville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Meeksville is located in Pike County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meeksville
- Youngblood
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Youngblood is located in Pike County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Youngblood
- Hallsville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Hallsville is located in Pike County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hallsville
- Needmore
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Needmore is located in Pike County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Needmore
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Zion, see our County-by-County Page for Zion.
Cemeteries Near Zion ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Zion.
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 Zion - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Zion covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Zion, with the one closest to Zion listed first.
- Mosleys Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Hickory Grove Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Ganey Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- New Center Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Ball Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Murrell Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Lamar Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Magnolia Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Rogers Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Letohatchee Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Rogers Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Gilbert Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Continue List (295 more) ...
- Armstrong Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Bethel Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Shackelford Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
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.<3>
While we didn't find Zion in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Zion.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Zion, with the one closest to Zion listed first.
- Fleta
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Fleta is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fleta
- Mount Carmel
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Mount Carmel is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Carmel
- Letohatchee
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Letohatchee is located in Lowndes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Letohatchee
- Sandy Ridge
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Sandy Ridge is located in Lowndes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sandy Ridge
- Sellers
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Sellers is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sellers
- Ada
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Ada is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ada
- Strata
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Strata is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Strata
- Le Grand
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Le Grand is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Le Grand
- Calhoun
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Calhoun is located in Lowndes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Calhoun
- Naftel
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Naftel is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Naftel
- Tharin
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Tharin is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tharin
- Snowdoun
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Snowdoun is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Snowdoun
- Continue List (16 more) ...
- McGehee's
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- McGehee's is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McGehee's
- Ramer
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Hope Hull
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Zion. See our List of 1890's Communities around Zion.
Newspapers Published in Zion ...
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 21 newspapers that have been published in the area around Zion.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Zion, there are papers which were published within 13 miles [20.9 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Zion.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we 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 Zion:
- Websites specific to Alabama
- Pages specific to Montgomery County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Autauga County
- Bullock County
- Butler County
- Crenshaw County
- Dallas County
- Elmore County
- Lowndes County
- Macon County
- Pike 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> | 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. |
| <3> | 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 Zion, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <4> | 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 from Point A (ie- Zion) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |