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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 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 northwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most hospitals were in the next county to the west. 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 west 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 Jasper 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 Jasper County: Butts, Jones, Monroe, Morgan, Newton & Putnam.

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:

  • Jasper County     (The home county of Bethel)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
    • Calvin
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Calvin is located in Jasper County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Calvin
      • Estimated population in 2019: 126 people
    • Monticello
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Shady Dale
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
    • Hillsboro
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
  • Baldwin County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
    • Meriwether
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Brown's Crossing
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Brown's Crossing is located in Baldwin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brown's Crossing
  • Butts County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
    • Flovilla
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Fincherville
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
      • Fincherville is located in Butts County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fincherville
    • Jackson
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
    • Jenkinsburg
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
  • DeKalb County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
    • Klondike
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Klondike is located in DeKalb County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Klondike
    • Pine Mountain
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Pine Mountain is located in DeKalb County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Mountain
      • Estimated population in 2019: 1,417 people
  • Henry County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
    • Locust Grove
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
    • Blacksville
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
      • Blacksville is located in Henry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blacksville
    • McDonough
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
    • Whitehouse
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Whitehouse is located in Henry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whitehouse
      • Population from the 2010 Census: 6,792 people
    • Tunis ‑ Historic
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Tunis is located in Henry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tunis
      • Estimated population in 2019: 910 people
    • Highland Village
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Highland Village is located in Henry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Highland Village
    • Stockbridge
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Hampton
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
    • Oakwood Manor
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
      • Oakwood Manor is located in Henry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakwood Manor
      • Estimated population in 2019: 4,156 people
  • Jones County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
    • Round Oak
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
      • Round Oak is located in Jones County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Round Oak
    • Ethridge
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Ethridge is located in Jones County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ethridge
    • Wayside
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Wayside is located in Jones County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wayside
    • Bradley
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
      • Bradley is located in Jones County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bradley
    • Clinton
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Clinton is located in Jones County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clinton
      • Former name for Clinton:
      • Albany
    • Fortville
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Fortville is located in Jones County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fortville
    • Gray
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Gray is located in Jones County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gray
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,241 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Gray <1>
    • Haddock
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Morton
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Morton is located in Jones County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morton
      • Estimated population in 2019: 549 people
    • James
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
      • James is located in Jones County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for James
  • Lamar County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
    • Liberty Hill
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Liberty Hill is located in Lamar County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Liberty Hill
    • Goggins
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Goggins is located in Lamar County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goggins
      • Goggins has also been known as:
      • Goggans Station
      • Goggans
      • Goggansville
      • Goggins Station
      • Gogginsville
    • Milner
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Barnesville
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Monroe County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
    • Juliette
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
    • Box Ankle
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Box Ankle is located in Monroe County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Box Ankle
    • Forsyth
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
    • Smarr
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
    • Bolingbroke
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
  • Morgan County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
    • Rutledge
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
    • Madison
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
    • Smyrna
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Smyrna is located in Morgan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smyrna
    • Buckhead
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Braswell
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • Braswell is located in Morgan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Braswell
      • Estimated population in 2019: 383 people
    • Bostwick
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Newton County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
    • Mansfield Estates
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
      • Mansfield Estates is located in Newton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mansfield Estates
      • Estimated population in 2019: 442 people
    • Mansfield
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
    • Newborn
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
    • Dixie Village
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
      • Dixie Village is located in Newton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dixie Village
    • Dixie
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
      • Dixie is located in Newton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dixie
    • East Wood
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
      • East Wood is located in Newton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Wood
      • Estimated population in 2019: 6,725 people
    • Hub Junction
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
      • Hub Junction is located in Newton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hub Junction
    • Porterdale
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Covington
      (18 miles [29 km] to the north)
    • Newton Woods
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
      • Newton Woods is located in Newton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newton Woods
      • Estimated population in 2019: 575 people
    • Oxford
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
    • Salem Branch
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Salem Branch is located in Newton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Salem Branch
      • Population from the 2010 Census: 310 people
  • Putnam County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
    • Resseaus Crossroads
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Resseaus Crossroads is located in Putnam County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Resseaus Crossroads
      • Estimated population in 2019: 63 people
    • Eatonton
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
    • Hallwood
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
      • Hallwood is located in Putnam County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hallwood
    • Dennis
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
      • Dennis is located in Putnam County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dennis
    • Jefferson
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
      • Jefferson is located in Putnam County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jefferson
  • Rockdale County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
    • Conyers
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Milstead
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Milstead is located in Rockdale County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Milstead
      • Estimated population in 2018: 39,217 people
    • Lakeview Estates
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Lakeview Estates is located in Rockdale County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakeview Estates
    • Zingara
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Zingara is located in Rockdale County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zingara
  • Spalding County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
    • Orchard Hill
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
    • East Griffin
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
      • East Griffin is located in Spalding County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Griffin
    • Experiment
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
    • Griffin
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
    • Sunny Side
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
  • Walton County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
    • Social Circle
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
    • Jersey
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
    • Whitney
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
      • Whitney is located in Walton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whitney
    • Walnut Grove
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
      • Walnut Grove is located in Walton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walnut Grove
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,367 people
    • Youth
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • Youth is located in Walton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Youth

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.

  • Williams Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the south)
  • Minter Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
  • Williams Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
  • Concord Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Cunard Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
  • New Rocky Creek Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
  • Lane Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Monticello Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Monticello Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • West View Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Hopewell Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • Hardy Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
  • Continue List   (367 more) ...
    • Leverette Cemetery
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Prospect UMC Cemetery
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
    • Mt. Zion Cemetery
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)

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.<3>

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.

  • Minneta
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Minneta is located in Jasper County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Minneta
  • Monticello
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Mechanicsville ‑ Historic
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
    • Mechanicsville is located in Jasper County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mechanicsville
  • Smiths Mill ‑ Historic
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
    • Smiths Mill is located in Jasper County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smiths Mill
  • Maxwell
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Maxwell is located in Jasper County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maxwell
  • Stewart
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Stewart is located in Newton County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stewart
  • Stark
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
    • Stark is located in Butts County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stark
  • Adgateville
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Adgateville is located in Jasper County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adgateville
    • Former name for Adgateville:
    • Adgateville
  • Flovilla
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
  • Cork
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Cork is located in Butts County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cork
  • Gladesville
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
    • Gladesville is located in Jasper County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gladesville
  • Machen
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
    • Machen is located in Jasper County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Machen
  • Continue List   (15 more) ...
    • Shady Dale
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
    • Farrar
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Farrar is located in Jasper County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Farrar
    • Worthville
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
      • Worthville is located in Butts County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Worthville

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 25 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 18 miles [29 km]<4>. 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 like to start 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 Bethel:

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>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.
<3>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.
<4>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 from Point A (ie- Bethel) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.