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 Bell (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 Bell. 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 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.
Bell is located in Elbert 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 Elbert County: Hart, Lincoln, Madison, Oglethorpe, Wilkes, Abbeville (SC), Anderson (SC) & McCormick (SC).
Below are the counties that are near Bell. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Bell:
- Elbert County (The home county of Bell)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bell, with the one closest to Bell listed first.
- Elberton
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Silk Mills
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Silk Mills is located in Elbert County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Silk Mills
- Estimated population in 2019: 277 people
- Bowman Ferry
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Bowman Ferry is located in Elbert County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bowman Ferry
- Estimated population in 2019: 808 people
- Edinburg ‑ Historic
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Edinburg is located in Elbert County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edinburg
- Estimated population in 2019: 1,396 people
- Harmony
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Harmony is located in Elbert County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harmony
- Goss
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Goss is located in Elbert County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goss
- Centerville
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Centerville is located in Elbert County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Centerville
- Dewy Rose
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Harper
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Harper is located in Elbert County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harper
- Bowman
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Clarke County
- Winterville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Franklin County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bell, with the one closest to Bell listed first.
- Royston
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Franklin Springs
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Greene County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bell, with the one closest to Bell listed first.
- Daniel Springs
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Daniel Springs is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Daniel Springs
- Estimated population in 2019: 594 people
- Durham Town
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Durham Town is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Durham Town
- Jacksonville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Jacksonville is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jacksonville
- Estimated population in 2019: 133 people
- Woodville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Woodville is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 397 people
- Union Point
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Hart County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bell, with the one closest to Bell listed first.
- Dooleys Ferry
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Dooleys Ferry is located in Hart County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dooleys Ferry
- Estimated population in 2019: 136 people
- Hartwell
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Flat Shoals
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Flat Shoals is located in Hart County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flat Shoals
- Cooleys Ferry
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Cooleys Ferry is located in Hart County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cooleys Ferry
- Estimated population in 2019: 529 people
- Lincoln County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bell, with the one closest to Bell listed first.
- Lisbon ‑ Historic
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Lisbon is located in Lincoln County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lisbon
- Hesters Ferry
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Hesters Ferry is located in Lincoln County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hesters Ferry
- Estimated population in 2019: 911 people
- Midway
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Midway is located in Lincoln County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Midway
- Goshen
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Goshen is located in Lincoln County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goshen
- Lincolnton
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Loce
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Loce is located in Lincoln County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Loce
- Madison County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bell, with the one closest to Bell listed first.
- Carlton
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Comer
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Dalton
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Dalton is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dalton
- Estimated population in 2019: 33,665 people
- Harrison
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Harrison is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harrison
- Estimated population in 2019: 442 people
- Colbert
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Patterson
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Patterson is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Patterson
- Estimated population in 2019: 755 people
- Madison Springs
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Madison Springs is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Madison Springs
- Estimated population in 2019: 4,210 people
- Former name for Madison Springs:
- Alexanderville
- Danielsville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Hull
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Shiloh
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Shiloh is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shiloh
- McDuffie County
- Columbia Mine ‑ Historic
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Columbia Mine is located in McDuffie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Columbia Mine
- Estimated population in 2019: 195,769 people
- Oglethorpe County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bell, with the one closest to Bell listed first.
- Palmetto
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Palmetto is located in Oglethorpe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Palmetto
- Veribest
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Veribest is located in Oglethorpe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Veribest
- Estimated population in 2019: 124 people
- Lexington
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Crawford
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Stephens
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Arnoldsville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Cherokee Corner ‑ Historic
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Cherokee Corner is located in Oglethorpe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cherokee Corner
- Maxeys
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Taliaferro County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bell, with the one closest to Bell listed first.
- Carters Grove
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Carters Grove is located in Taliaferro County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carters Grove
- Estimated population in 2019: 21,760 people
- Springfield
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Springfield is located in Taliaferro County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Springfield
- Raytown
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Raytown is located in Taliaferro County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Raytown
- Sharon
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Crawfordville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Wilkes County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bell, with the one closest to Bell listed first.
- Tignall
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- New Town
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- New Town is located in Wilkes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Town
- Centerville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Centerville is located in Wilkes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Centerville
- Rayle
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Washington
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Tyrone
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Tyrone is located in Wilkes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tyrone
- Lundberg
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Lundberg is located in Wilkes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lundberg
- Estimated population in 2019: 831 people
- Abbeville County (SC)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bell, with the one closest to Bell listed first.
- Calhoun Falls
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Latimer
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Latimer is located in Abbeville County (SC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Latimer
- Lowndesville
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Monterey ‑ Historic
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Monterey is located in Abbeville County (SC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monterey
- Lake Secession
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Lake Secession is located in Abbeville County (SC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Secession
- Antreville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Antreville is located in Abbeville County (SC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Antreville
- Abbeville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Level Land
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Level Land is located in Abbeville County (SC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Level Land
- Cana ‑ Historic
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Cana is located in Abbeville County (SC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cana
- Anderson County (SC)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bell, with the one closest to Bell listed first.
- Iva
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Iva is located in Anderson County (SC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Iva
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,341 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Iva <1>
- Holland Store
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Holland Store is located in Anderson County (SC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holland Store
- Holland Store has also been known as:
- Hollands
- Starr
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Deans
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Deans is located in Anderson County (SC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deans
- Greenwood County (SC)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bell, with the one closest to Bell listed first.
- Troy
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Troy is located in Greenwood County (SC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Troy
- Population from the 2020 Census: 101 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Troy <1>
- Bradley
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- McCormick County (SC)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bell, with the one closest to Bell listed first.
- Mount Carmel
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Willington
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Willington is located in McCormick County (SC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willington
- McCormick
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Bell, see our County-by-County Page for Bell.
Cemeteries Near Bell ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Bell.
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 Bell - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Bell covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Bell, with the one closest to Bell listed first.
- Universalist Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Flatwoods Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Springfield Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Rocky Branch Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- St. Johns Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Friendship Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Popes Chapel Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Bethel Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Mallorysville Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Mobley Hill Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Cades Chapel Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Forest Hills Memorial Park
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Continue List (339 more) ...
- Hill Family Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Tabor Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Bethlehem Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 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.<2>
While we didn't find Bell in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Bell.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Bell, with the one closest to Bell listed first.
- Broad
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Broad is located in Wilkes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Broad
- Dyson ‑ Historic
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Dyson is located in Wilkes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dyson
- Stansell ‑ Historic
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Stansell is located in Elbert County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stansell
- Middleton
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Middleton is located in Elbert County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Middleton
- Tignall
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Vesta
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Vesta is located in Oglethorpe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vesta
- Elberton
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Heardmont
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Heardmont is located in Elbert County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Heardmont
- Danburg
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Danburg is located in Wilkes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Danburg
- Anon ‑ Historic
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Anon is located in Oglethorpe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Anon
- Bessie ‑ Historic
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Bessie is located in Wilkes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bessie
- Hester
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Hester is located in Abbeville County (SC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hester
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Calhoun Falls
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Ruckersville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Ruckersville is located in Elbert County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ruckersville
- Oglesby
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Oglesby is located in Elbert County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oglesby
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Bell. See our List of 1890's Communities around Bell.
Newspapers Published in Bell ...
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 39 newspapers that have been published in the area around Bell.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Bell, there are papers which were published within 17 miles [27.4 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Bell.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we begin with 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 Bell:
- Websites specific to Georgia
- Pages specific to Elbert County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Clarke County
- Franklin County
- Greene County
- Hart County
- Lincoln County
- Madison County
- McDuffie County
- Oglethorpe County
- Taliaferro County
- Wilkes County
- Abbeville County
- Anderson County
- Greenwood County
- McCormick 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> | 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 Bell, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <3> | 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 drawn from Point A (ie- Bell) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |