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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 Bethlehem (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 Bethlehem. 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.

Bethlehem is located in Holmes County.

To see how the shape of Florida's counties may have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.

The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Holmes County: Geneva (AL), Jackson, Walton & Washington.

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

  • Holmes County     (The home county of Bethlehem)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bethlehem, with the one closest to Bethlehem listed first.
    • Izagora
      (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
      • Izagora is located in Holmes County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Izagora
    • Esto
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Esto is located in Holmes County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Esto
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 358 people
    • Noma
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Bonifay
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
    • Cerrogordo
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Cerrogordo is located in Holmes County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cerrogordo
    • Westville
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Ponce de Leon
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
  • Jackson County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bethlehem, with the one closest to Bethlehem listed first.
    • Graceville
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
    • Jacob City
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
      • Jacob City is located in Jackson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jacob City
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 247 people
    • Campbellton
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
    • Cottondale
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
    • Steele City
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Steele City is located in Jackson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Steele City
    • Alford
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
  • Walton County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bethlehem, with the one closest to Bethlehem listed first.
    • Union
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Union is located in Walton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union
    • Pleasant Grove
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
      • Pleasant Grove is located in Walton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Grove
    • Argyle
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Knox Hill
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
      • Knox Hill is located in Walton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Knox Hill
    • De Funiak Springs
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Washington County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bethlehem, with the one closest to Bethlehem listed first.
    • Caryville
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
    • Five Points
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
      • Five Points is located in Washington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Five Points
    • Chipley
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Brock Crossroad
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
      • Brock Crossroad is located in Washington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brock Crossroad
    • Vernon
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
    • Wausau
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Coosada Old Town ‑ Historic
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Coosada Old Town is located in Washington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coosada Old Town
    • Millers Ferry
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
      • Millers Ferry is located in Washington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millers Ferry
  • Coffee County (AL)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bethlehem, with the one closest to Bethlehem listed first.
    • Central City
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
      • Central City is located in Coffee County (AL)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Central City
    • Battens Crossroads
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
      • Battens Crossroads is located in Coffee County (AL)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Battens Crossroads
    • Enterprise
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
    • Goodman
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Goodman is located in Coffee County (AL)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goodman
  • Dale County (AL)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bethlehem, with the one closest to Bethlehem listed first.
    • Clayhatchee
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
      • Clayhatchee is located in Dale County (AL)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clayhatchee
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 580 people
    • Daleville
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
    • Level Plains
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
      • Level Plains is located in Dale County (AL)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Level Plains
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,952 people
    • Fort Rucker
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
    • Holiday Village
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
      • Holiday Village is located in Dale County (AL)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holiday Village
    • Pinckard
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Newton
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • Newton is located in Dale County (AL)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newton
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,451 people
    • Midland City
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Geneva County (AL)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bethlehem, with the one closest to Bethlehem listed first.
    • Black
      (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
      • Black is located in Geneva County (AL)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Black
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 203 people
    • Eunola ‑ Historic
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Eunola is located in Geneva County (AL)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eunola
    • Geneva
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Geneva is located in Geneva County (AL)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Geneva
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 4,262 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Geneva <1>
    • Hartford
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
    • Dundee
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
      • Dundee is located in Geneva County (AL)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dundee
    • Slocomb
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Slocomb is located in Geneva County (AL)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Slocomb
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,929 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Slocomb <1>
    • Costilla ‑ Historic
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Costilla is located in Geneva County (AL)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Costilla
    • Bellwood
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
      • Bellwood is located in Geneva County (AL)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bellwood
    • Scranton
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
      • Scranton is located in Geneva County (AL)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Scranton
    • Malvern
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Malvern is located in Geneva County (AL)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Malvern
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,462 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Malvern <1>
    • Chancellor
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Chancellor is located in Geneva County (AL)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chancellor
    • Coffee Springs
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Coffee Springs is located in Geneva County (AL)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coffee Springs
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 220 people
    • Samson
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Samson is located in Geneva County (AL)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Samson
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,853 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Samson <1>
  • Houston County (AL)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bethlehem, with the one closest to Bethlehem listed first.
    • Merritts Crossroads
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
      • Merritts Crossroads is located in Houston County (AL)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Merritts Crossroads
    • Madrid
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
      • Madrid is located in Houston County (AL)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Madrid
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 293 people
    • Rehobeth
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Rehobeth is located in Houston County (AL)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rehobeth
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,699 people
    • Parker Village
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
      • Parker Village is located in Houston County (AL)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parker Village
    • Taylor
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
      • Taylor is located in Houston County (AL)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Taylor
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,440 people
    • Hodgesville
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Hodgesville is located in Houston County (AL)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hodgesville
    • Keyton's
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Keyton's is located in Houston County (AL)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keyton's
    • Cottonwood
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
    • Parish
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Dothan
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Dothan is located in Houston County (AL)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dothan
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 69,414 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Dothan <1>
    • Tidwell
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Tidwell is located in Houston County (AL)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tidwell

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

Cemeteries Near Bethlehem ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Bethlehem.

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

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

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

  • Double Springs Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the north)
  • East Pittman Baptist Church Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Pittman Baptist Church Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the East Pittman Baptist Church Cemetery is located 13 miles [20.9 km]<2> to the northwest of Bonifay.
    • The East Pittman Baptist Church Cemetery has also been known as:
    • East Pittman Cemetery
    • Pittman Cemetery
    • Pittman Creek Church Cemetery
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2290024 <3>
  • Forehand Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • Whitewater Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
  • Curry Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
  • Mt. Olive Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Pleasant Home Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Pate Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Black Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
  • Adoniram Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
  • Still Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Spike Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
  • Continue List   (149 more) ...

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.<4>

While we didn't find Bethlehem in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Bethlehem.

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

  • Izagora
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
    • Izagora is located in Holmes County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Izagora
  • Warwick ‑ Historic
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Warwick is located in Geneva County (AL)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Warwick
  • Bonifay
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
  • Cerrogordo
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Cerrogordo is located in Holmes County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cerrogordo
  • Caryville
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
  • Geneva
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Geneva is located in Geneva County (AL)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Geneva
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 4,262 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Geneva <1>
  • Vaughanville
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Vaughanville is located in Geneva County (AL)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vaughanville
  • Westville
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Highfalls
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
    • Highfalls is located in Geneva County (AL)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Highfalls
  • Graceville
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
  • Fadette
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Fadette is located in Geneva County (AL)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fadette
  • Dundee
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
    • Dundee is located in Geneva County (AL)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dundee
  • Continue List   (16 more) ...
    • Chipley
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
    • High Bluff
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
      • High Bluff is located in Geneva County (AL)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for High Bluff
    • Ponce de Leon
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)

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

Newspapers Published in Bethlehem ...

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 34 newspapers that have been published in the area around Bethlehem.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Bethlehem, there are papers which were published within 25 miles [40.2 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Bethlehem.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we first visit 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 Bethlehem:

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>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 drawn from Point A (ie- Bethlehem) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.
<3>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.
<4>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 Bethlehem, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.