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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 Hinsons Crossroads (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 Hinsons Crossroads. 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.

Name Variations for Hinsons Crossroads ...

When searching records, keep in mind that names and their spelling can change over time. Our sources include documents like maps, railroad schedules, Travel, Express and Shipping Guides. Many of these documents date from the 1800's and it's common to find spelling differences.

Although we can't give a definitive list, hopefully the following will give you a feel for the variations that might occur.

  • A typical abbreviation for Hinsons Crossroads: Hinsons Xrds.
  • While the name of this community is Hinsons Crossroads, be aware that it's the common practice of mapmakers to remove the apostrophe from possessive names<1>. So Hinsons Crossroads may originally have been Hinson's Crossroads.

    Sometimes the trailing 's' might be dropped altogether, in which case Hinsons Crossroads might be written as Hinson Crossroads.

If you have information about these names (such as the reason for the change, date of change, the origin of the name), please Contact Us.

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 doctors 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.

Hinsons Crossroads is located in Washington 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 Washington County: Bay, Holmes, Jackson & Walton.

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

  • Washington County     (The home county of Hinsons Crossroads)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Hinsons Crossroads, with the one closest to Hinsons Crossroads listed first.
    • Coosada Old Town ‑ Historic
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Coosada Old Town is located in Washington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coosada Old Town
    • Five Points
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Five Points is located in Washington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Five Points
    • Millers Ferry
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
      • Millers Ferry is located in Washington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millers Ferry
    • Caryville
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
    • Vernon
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
    • Brock Crossroad
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
      • Brock Crossroad is located in Washington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brock Crossroad
    • Wausau
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
    • Ebro
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
      • Ebro is located in Washington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ebro
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 285 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Ebro <2>
    • Chipley
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
  • Bay County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Hinsons Crossroads, with the one closest to Hinsons Crossroads listed first.
    • Vicksburg ‑ Historic
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Vicksburg is located in Bay County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vicksburg
      • Former name for Vicksburg:
      • Vickerburg
    • Fountain
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Southport
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Laguna Beach
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
    • Sunnyside
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
  • Holmes County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Hinsons Crossroads, with the one closest to Hinsons Crossroads listed first.
    • Ponce de Leon
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Westville
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
    • Cerrogordo
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
      • Cerrogordo is located in Holmes County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cerrogordo
    • Bonifay
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Izagora
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
      • Izagora is located in Holmes County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Izagora
    • Esto
      (24 miles [38.6 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
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
  • Jackson County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Hinsons Crossroads, with the one closest to Hinsons Crossroads listed first.
    • Alford
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
    • Steele City
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
      • Steele City is located in Jackson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Steele City
    • Graceville
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Cottondale
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
    • Jacob City
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Jacob City is located in Jackson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jacob City
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 247 people
  • Walton County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Hinsons Crossroads, with the one closest to Hinsons Crossroads listed first.
    • Knox Hill
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
      • Knox Hill is located in Walton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Knox Hill
    • Argyle
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
    • Union
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Union is located in Walton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union
    • Pleasant Grove
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Pleasant Grove is located in Walton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Grove
    • De Funiak Springs
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
    • Freeport
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Portland
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
      • Portland is located in Walton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Portland
    • Point Washington
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Alys Beach
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
    • Inlet Beach
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
    • Rosemary Beach
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
    • Mossy Head
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
    • Grayton Beach
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Geneva County (AL)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Hinsons Crossroads, with the one closest to Hinsons Crossroads listed first.
    • Black
      (24 miles [38.6 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
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
      • Eunola is located in Geneva County (AL)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eunola
    • Geneva
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
      • 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 <2>
    • Costilla ‑ Historic
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • Costilla is located in Geneva County (AL)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Costilla

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

Cemeteries Near Hinsons Crossroads ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Hinsons Crossroads.

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 Hinsons Crossroads - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • Clarkston Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
  • Hardy Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Dunn - Raley Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • Weeks Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
  • Miller Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
  • Westville Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
  • Redbay Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Wilcox Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
  • Ponce de Leon Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Blackman Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
  • Dead River Cemetery
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
  • Dyson Cemetery
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
  • Continue List   (73 more) ...
    • Potter Cemetery
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Forehand Cemetery
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
    • Harris Chapel Cemetery
      (13 miles [20.9 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.<5>

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

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

  • Millers Ferry
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
    • Millers Ferry is located in Washington County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millers Ferry
  • Ponce de Leon
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Knox Hill
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
    • Knox Hill is located in Walton County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Knox Hill
  • Caryville
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
  • Westville
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
  • Redbay
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Redbay is located in Walton County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Redbay
  • Cerrogordo
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
    • Cerrogordo is located in Holmes County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cerrogordo
  • Bonifay
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Argyle
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
  • Eucheeanna
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
    • Eucheeanna is located in Walton County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eucheeanna
  • Union
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Union is located in Walton County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union
  • Izagora
    (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
    • Izagora is located in Holmes County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Izagora
  • Continue List   (11 more) ...
    • Chipley
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
    • Freeport
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Vaughanville
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
      • Vaughanville is located in Geneva County (AL)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vaughanville

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

Newspapers Published in Hinsons Crossroads ...

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 29 newspapers that have been published in the area around Hinsons Crossroads.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Hinsons Crossroads, there are papers which were published within 28 miles [45.1 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Hinsons Crossroads.

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 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 Hinsons Crossroads:

Footnotes ...

<1>It's generally believed that possessive apostrophes are removed to prevent confusion on maps where the apostrophe may be confused with a cartographic symbol. While this is generally true, it's not uncommon to find possessive apostrophes in administrative names (such as towns or counties).
<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- Hinsons Crossroads) 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.
<5>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 Hinsons Crossroads, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.