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 Afton (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 Afton. 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 northeast 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 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.
Afton is located in Dawson County.
To see how the shape of Georgia's counties may have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.
The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Dawson County: Cherokee, Fannin, Forsyth, Gilmer, Hall, Lumpkin, Pickens & Union.
Below are the counties that are near Afton. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Afton:
- Dawson County (The home county of Afton)
- The following are listed by their distance from Afton, with the one closest to Afton listed first.
- Dawsonville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Barrettsville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Barrettsville is located in Dawson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barrettsville
- Lumpkin
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Lumpkin is located in Dawson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lumpkin
- Estimated population in 2019: 1,266 people
- Bartow County
- The following are listed by their distance from Afton, with the one closest to Afton listed first.
- Bolivar
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Bolivar is located in Bartow County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bolivar
- Funkhouser
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Funkhouser is located in Bartow County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Funkhouser
- Estimated population in 2019: 450 people
- Rydal
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Pine Log ‑ Historic
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Pine Log is located in Bartow County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Log
- Cherokee County
- The following are listed by their distance from Afton, with the one closest to Afton listed first.
- Ophir
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Ophir is located in Cherokee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ophir
- Ball Ground
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Worley Crossroads
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Worley Crossroads is located in Cherokee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Worley Crossroads
- Orange
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Orange is located in Cherokee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orange
- Free Home
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Free Home is located in Cherokee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Free Home
- White City
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- White City is located in Cherokee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White City
- Harmony
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Harmony is located in Cherokee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harmony
- Buffington
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Buffington is located in Cherokee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buffington
- Waleska
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Canton
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Salacoa
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Salacoa is located in Cherokee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Salacoa
- Estimated population in 2019: 344 people
- Hickory Flat
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Hickory Flat is located in Cherokee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hickory Flat
- Holly Springs
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Fannin County
- The following are listed by their distance from Afton, with the one closest to Afton listed first.
- Newport
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Newport is located in Fannin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newport
- Margret
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Margret is located in Fannin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Margret
- Craytonia
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Craytonia is located in Fannin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Craytonia
- Greens Mill
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Greens Mill is located in Fannin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greens Mill
- Blue Ridge
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Morganton
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Hemp
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Hemp is located in Fannin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hemp
- Population from the 2010 Census: 1,647 people
- Chestnut Gap
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Chestnut Gap is located in Fannin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chestnut Gap
- Mineral Bluff
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Cutcane
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Cutcane is located in Fannin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cutcane
- Estimated population in 2019: 3,417 people
- Forsyth County
- The following are listed by their distance from Afton, with the one closest to Afton listed first.
- Silver City
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Silver City is located in Forsyth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Silver City
- Chestatee
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Chestatee is located in Forsyth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chestatee
- Cumming
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Fulton County
- The following are listed by their distance from Afton, with the one closest to Afton listed first.
- Milton
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Fields Crossroads
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Fields Crossroads is located in Fulton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fields Crossroads
- Alpharetta
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Lake Union Hill
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Lake Union Hill is located in Fulton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Union Hill
- Population from the 2010 Census: 4,839 people
- Litchfield Hundred
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Litchfield Hundred is located in Fulton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Litchfield Hundred
- Population from the 2010 Census: 15,491 people
- Preston Ridge
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Preston Ridge is located in Fulton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Preston Ridge
- Mountain Park
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Mountain Park is located in Fulton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mountain Park
- Population from the 2020 Census: 576 people
- Ocee
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Ocee is located in Fulton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ocee
- Gilmer County
- The following are listed by their distance from Afton, with the one closest to Afton listed first.
- Tickanetley
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Tickanetley is located in Gilmer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tickanetley
- Rolston
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Rolston is located in Gilmer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rolston
- Estimated population in 2019: 36,716 people
- Yukon
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Yukon is located in Gilmer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yukon
- Whitestone
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Whitestone is located in Gilmer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whitestone
- East Ellijay
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Ellijay
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Northcutt
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Northcutt is located in Gilmer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Northcutt
- Population from the 2010 Census: 16,698 people
- White Path
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- White Path is located in Gilmer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White Path
- Estimated population in 2019: 342 people
- Cherry Log
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Santaluca
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Santaluca is located in Gilmer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Santaluca
- Tails Creek
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Tails Creek is located in Gilmer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tails Creek
- Population from the 2010 Census: 1,248 people
- Gordon County
- The following are listed by their distance from Afton, with the one closest to Afton listed first.
- Fairmount
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Igo ‑ Historic
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Igo is located in Gordon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Igo
- Estimated population in 2019: 359 people
- Oakman
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Ranger
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Gwinnett County
- The following are listed by their distance from Afton, with the one closest to Afton listed first.
- Buford
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Rest Haven
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Rest Haven is located in Gwinnett County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rest Haven
- Population from the 2020 Census: 65 people
- Sugar Hill
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Hall County
- The following are listed by their distance from Afton, with the one closest to Afton listed first.
- Murrayville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Price
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Price is located in Hall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Price
- Sardis Shores
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Sardis Shores is located in Hall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sardis Shores
- Estimated population in 2019: 960 people
- Whelchel
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Whelchel is located in Hall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whelchel
- Summer Point
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Summer Point is located in Hall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Summer Point
- Estimated population in 2019: 158 people
- The Bluffs
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- The Bluffs is located in Hall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for The Bluffs
- Estimated population in 2019: 92 people
- Absalom ‑ Historic
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Absalom is located in Hall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Absalom
- Hargrove
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Hargrove is located in Hall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hargrove
- Estimated population in 2019: 3,371 people
- Land ‑ Historic
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Land is located in Hall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Land
- Gaines Ferry
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Gaines Ferry is located in Hall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gaines Ferry
- White Sands
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- White Sands is located in Hall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White Sands
- Estimated population in 2019: 611 people
- Brookton
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Brookton is located in Hall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brookton
- Clermont
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Lumpkin County
- The following are listed by their distance from Afton, with the one closest to Afton listed first.
- Auraria ‑ Historic
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Auraria is located in Lumpkin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Auraria
- Dahlonega
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- New Bridge ‑ Historic
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- New Bridge is located in Lumpkin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Bridge
- Garland
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Garland is located in Lumpkin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garland
- Grace ‑ Historic
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Grace is located in Lumpkin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grace
- Willow ‑ Historic
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Willow is located in Lumpkin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willow
- Population from the 2010 Census: 15,138 people
- Murray County
- The following are listed by their distance from Afton, with the one closest to Afton listed first.
- Carters
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Carters is located in Murray County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carters
- Wells ‑ Historic
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Wells is located in Murray County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wells
- Pickens County
- The following are listed by their distance from Afton, with the one closest to Afton listed first.
- Big Canoe
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Marble Hill
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Tate
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Nelson
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Jasper
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Cagle
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Cagle is located in Pickens County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cagle
- Talking Rock
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Hinton
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Hinton is located in Pickens County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hinton
- Estimated population in 2019: 4,223 people
- Jerusalem
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Jerusalem is located in Pickens County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jerusalem
- Ludville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Ludville is located in Pickens County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ludville
- Talmadge
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Talmadge is located in Pickens County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Talmadge
- Estimated population in 2019: 257 people
- Union County
- The following are listed by their distance from Afton, with the one closest to Afton listed first.
- Suches
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Youngcane ‑ Historic
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Youngcane is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Youngcane
- Estimated population in 2019: 1,661 people
- Owltown
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Owltown is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Owltown
- Estimated population in 2019: 2,346 people
- Bethlehem
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Bethlehem is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bethlehem
- Choestoe
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Choestoe is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Choestoe
- Blairsville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Canal Lake
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Canal Lake is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Canal Lake
- Population from the 2010 Census: 23,025 people
- Hood ‑ Historic
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Hood is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hood
- White County
- The following are listed by their distance from Afton, with the one closest to Afton listed first.
- Cleveland
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Leo
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Leo is located in White County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leo
- Leo has also been known as:
- Meldean
- Yonah
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Yonah is located in White County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yonah
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Afton, see our County-by-County Page for Afton.
Cemeteries Near Afton ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Afton.
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 Afton - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Afton covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Afton, with the one closest to Afton listed first.
- Spriggs Summerour Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- High Shoals Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Nimblewill Baptist Church Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Norton Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Tickanetley Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Davis Chapel Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Ebenezer Baptist Church Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Fairview Baptist Cemetery
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Cherry Grove Baptist Church Cemetery
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Conns Creek Baptist Church Cemetery
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- East New Hope Baptist Church Cemetery
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Sun Rise Memorial Gardens
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Continue List (337 more) ...
- Salem Church Cemetery
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Martin Cemetery
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Palmer Cemetery
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
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 Afton in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Afton.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Afton, with the one closest to Afton listed first.
- Johntown ‑ Historic
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Johntown is located in Dawson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Johntown
- Emma
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Emma is located in Dawson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Emma
- Juno
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Juno is located in Dawson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Juno
- Amicalola
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Amicalola is located in Dawson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Amicalola
- Marble Hill
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Tate
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Mica
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Mica is located in Cherokee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mica
- Dawsonville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Jasper
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Nelson
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Tickanetley
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Tickanetley is located in Gilmer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tickanetley
- Jay ‑ Historic
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Jay is located in Lumpkin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jay
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- Ophir
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Ophir is located in Cherokee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ophir
- Cartecay
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Cartecay is located in Gilmer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cartecay
- Barrettsville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Barrettsville is located in Dawson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barrettsville
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Afton. See our List of 1890's Communities around Afton.
Newspapers Published in Afton ...
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 33 newspapers that have been published in the area around Afton.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Afton, there are papers which were published within 21 miles [33.8 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Afton.
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 helpful 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 Afton:
- Websites specific to Georgia
- Pages specific to Dawson County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Bartow County
- Cherokee County
- Fannin County
- Forsyth County
- Fulton County
- Gilmer County
- Gordon County
- Gwinnett County
- Hall County
- Lumpkin County
- Murray County
- Pickens County
- Union County
- White County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Georgia
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 'straight-line' (or point-to-point) distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Afton) 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 Afton, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |