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 Bethel (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 Bethel. 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 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.
Bethel is located in Clay 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 Clay County: Barbour (AL), Henry (AL), Calhoun, Early, Quitman & Randolph.
Below are the counties that are near Bethel. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Bethel:
- Clay County (The home county of Bethel)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
- Bellville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Bellville is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bellville
- Estimated population in 2019: 118 people
- Fort Gaines
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Oketeyeconne ‑ Historic
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Oketeyeconne is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oketeyeconne
- Bluffton
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Calhoun County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
- Edison
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Arlington
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Morgan
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Williamsburg
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Williamsburg is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Williamsburg
- Leary
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Early County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
- Bancroft
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Bancroft is located in Early County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bancroft
- Blakely
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Rock Hill
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Rock Hill is located in Early County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock Hill
- Population from the 2010 Census: 248 people
- Douglasville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Douglasville is located in Early County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Douglasville
- Estimated population in 2019: 11,695 people
- Centerville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Centerville is located in Early County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Centerville
- Hentown
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Hentown is located in Early County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hentown
- Estimated population in 2019: 3,944 people
- Sawhatchee
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Sawhatchee is located in Early County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sawhatchee
- Damascus
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Douglass Crossroads
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Douglass Crossroads is located in Early County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Douglass Crossroads
- Estimated population in 2019: 33,992 people
- Quitman County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
- Morris
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Hatcher
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Hatcher is located in Quitman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hatcher
- Georgetown
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Georgetown is located in Quitman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Georgetown
- Randolph County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
- Coleman
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Cuthbert
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Wades
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Wades is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wades
- Estimated population in 2019: 1,858 people
- Shellman
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Brooksville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Brooksville is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brooksville
- Estimated population in 2019: 559 people
- Five Points
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Five Points is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Five Points
- Stewart County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
- Sanford
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Sanford is located in Stewart County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sanford
- Estimated population in 2019: 159 people
- Mount Zion ‑ Historic
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Mount Zion is located in Stewart County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Zion
- Lumpkin
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Florence
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Florence is located in Stewart County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Florence
- Terrell County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
- Clarks Mill
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Clarks Mill is located in Terrell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clarks Mill
- Estimated population in 2019: 12,637 people
- Herod
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Herod is located in Terrell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Herod
- Population from the 2010 Census: 3,384 people
- Yeomans
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Yeomans is located in Terrell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yeomans
- Population from the 2010 Census: 507 people
- Parrott
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Webster County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
- Weston
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Leveretts
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Leveretts is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leveretts
- Barbour County (AL)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
- Eufaula
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Cotton Hill
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Cotton Hill is located in Barbour County (AL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cotton Hill
- Bakerhill
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Bakerhill is located in Barbour County (AL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bakerhill
- Population from the 2020 Census: 229 people
- Big Eddy ‑ Historic
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Big Eddy is located in Barbour County (AL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Big Eddy
- Hawkinsville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Hawkinsville is located in Barbour County (AL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hawkinsville
- Dale County (AL)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
- Clopton
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Clopton is located in Dale County (AL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clopton
- Bertha
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Bertha is located in Dale County (AL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bertha
- Henry County (AL)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
- Shorterville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Shorterville is located in Henry County (AL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shorterville
- Screamer
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Screamer is located in Henry County (AL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Screamer
- Abbeville
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Graball
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Graball is located in Henry County (AL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Graball
- Former names for Graball:
- Hart's Crossroads
- Hudspeth's Crossroads
- Haleburg
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Haleburg is located in Henry County (AL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Haleburg
- Population from the 2020 Census: 98 people
- Oakey Grove
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Oakey Grove is located in Henry County (AL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakey Grove
- Capps
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Capps is located in Henry County (AL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Capps
- Newville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Newville is located in Henry County (AL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 510 people
- Houston County (AL)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
- Columbia
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Williams
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Williams is located in Houston County (AL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Williams
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Bethel, see our County-by-County Page for Bethel.
Cemeteries Near Bethel ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Bethel.
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 Bethel - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Bethel covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
- Singletary Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Mt. Gilead Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Pecan Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- New Hope Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Shiloh Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Campground Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Judson Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Mt. Vernon Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Pleasant Hill Baptist Church Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Rose Hill Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Wesley Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Vilulah Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Continue List (211 more) ...
- Ebenezer Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Ft. Gaines Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- New Park Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
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 Bethel in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Bethel.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
- Pecan
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Pecan is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pecan
- Coleman
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Fort Gaines
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Hatcher
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Hatcher is located in Quitman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hatcher
- Otho
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Otho is located in Henry County (AL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Otho
- Shorterville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Shorterville is located in Henry County (AL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shorterville
- Cuthbert
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Springvale
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Springvale is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Springvale
- Bluffton
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Edison
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Hardwickburg
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Hardwickburg is located in Henry County (AL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hardwickburg
- Georgetown
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Georgetown is located in Quitman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Georgetown
- Continue List (13 more) ...
- Abbeville
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Eufaula
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Lawrenceville
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Lawrenceville is located in Henry County (AL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lawrenceville
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Bethel. See our List of 1890's Communities around Bethel.
Newspapers Published in Bethel ...
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 74 newspapers that have been published in the area around Bethel.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Bethel, there are papers which were published within 29 miles [46.7 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Bethel.
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 professional and volunteer 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 Bethel:
- Websites specific to Georgia
- Pages specific to Clay County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Calhoun County
- Early County
- Quitman County
- Randolph County
- Stewart County
- Terrell County
- Webster County
- Barbour County
- Dale County
- Henry County
- Houston 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 Bethel, 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- Bethel) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |