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 Blue Springs (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 Blue Springs. 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 Blue Springs ...
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.
For example, a typical abbreviation for Blue Springs: Blue Spgs. (or less commonly used: Blue Spngs. or Blue Sprngs.)
You might be interested in other communities that are also named Blue Springs. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Blue Springs.
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 and 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.
Blue Springs is located in Brooks 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 Brooks County: Jefferson (FL), Madison (FL), Colquitt, Cook, Lowndes & Thomas.
Below are the counties that are near Blue Springs. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Blue Springs:
- Brooks County (The home county of Blue Springs)
- The following are listed by their distance from Blue Springs, with the one closest to Blue Springs listed first.
- Fodie
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Fodie is located in Brooks County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fodie
- Estimated population in 2019: 5,037 people
- Quitman
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Morven
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Empress
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Empress is located in Brooks County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Empress
- McIntyre Spring ‑ Historic
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- McIntyre Spring is located in Brooks County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McIntyre Spring
- Estimated population in 2019: 605 people
- Dixie
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Barney
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Tallokas ‑ Historic
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Tallokas is located in Brooks County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tallokas
- Estimated population in 2019: 171 people
- Barwick
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Berrien County
- Ray City
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Colquitt County
- The following are listed by their distance from Blue Springs, with the one closest to Blue Springs listed first.
- Berlin
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Ellenton
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Cook County
- The following are listed by their distance from Blue Springs, with the one closest to Blue Springs listed first.
- Cecil
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Adel
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Sparks
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Echols County
- The following are listed by their distance from Blue Springs, with the one closest to Blue Springs listed first.
- Howell
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Howell is located in Echols County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Howell
- Statenville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Lanier County
- The following are listed by their distance from Blue Springs, with the one closest to Blue Springs listed first.
- Stockton
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Lakeland
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Lowndes County
- The following are listed by their distance from Blue Springs, with the one closest to Blue Springs listed first.
- Remerton
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Remerton is located in Lowndes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Remerton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,061 people
- Valdosta
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Shiloh
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Shiloh is located in Lowndes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shiloh
- Barko Village
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Barko Village is located in Lowndes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barko Village
- Mineola
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Mineola is located in Lowndes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mineola
- Population from the 2010 Census: 150 people
- Clyattville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Dasher
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Dasher is located in Lowndes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dasher
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,025 people
- Hahira
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Franklinville
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Franklinville is located in Lowndes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Franklinville
- Estimated population in 2019: 971 people
- Lake Park
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Melrose
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Melrose is located in Lowndes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Melrose
- Naylor
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Thomas County
- The following are listed by their distance from Blue Springs, with the one closest to Blue Springs listed first.
- Boston
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Pavo
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Newark
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Newark is located in Thomas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newark
- Estimated population in 2019: 783 people
- Coolidge
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Fredonia
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Fredonia is located in Thomas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fredonia
- Hamilton County (FL)
- Jennings
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Jefferson County (FL)
- The following are listed by their distance from Blue Springs, with the one closest to Blue Springs listed first.
- Aucilla
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Aucilla is located in Jefferson County (FL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aucilla
- Monticello
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Madison County (FL)
- The following are listed by their distance from Blue Springs, with the one closest to Blue Springs listed first.
- Cherry Lake
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Cherry Lake is located in Madison County (FL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cherry Lake
- Leland
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Leland is located in Madison County (FL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leland
- Pinetta
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Hamburg
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Hamburg is located in Madison County (FL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hamburg
- Madison
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Greenville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Lee
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Lee is located in Madison County (FL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lee
- Population from the 2020 Census: 333 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Lee <1>
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Blue Springs, see our County-by-County Page for Blue Springs.
Cemeteries Near Blue Springs ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Blue Springs.
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 Blue Springs - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Blue Springs covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Blue Springs, with the one closest to Blue Springs listed first.
- Morning Star Baptist Church Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Philadelphia Baptist Church Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Lebanon Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- McIntyre Family Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McIntyre Family Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the McIntyre Family Cemetery is located 9 miles [14.5 km]<2> to the southwest of Valdosta.
- The McIntyre Family Cemetery has also been known as:
- Old Redland Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2386611 <3>
- Redland Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Concord Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- North End Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Oak Hill Cemetery (East)
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Oak Hill Cemetery (West)
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Worn Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- West End Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Rizer Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Continue List (212 more) ...
- Mt. Horeb Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mt. Horeb Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Mt. Horeb Cemetery is located 3 miles [4.8 km]<2> to the south of Morven.
- Pallbearers Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Bethlehem Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bethlehem Cemetery
- The Bethlehem Cemetery has also been known as:
- Bethlehem Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery
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 Blue Springs in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Blue Springs.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Blue Springs, with the one closest to Blue Springs listed first.
- Ousley
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Ousley is located in Lowndes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ousley
- Quitman
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Nankin
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Nankin is located in Brooks County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nankin
- Morven
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Clyattville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Valdosta
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Mineola
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Mineola is located in Lowndes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mineola
- Population from the 2010 Census: 150 people
- Dixie
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Cherry Lake
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Cherry Lake is located in Madison County (FL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cherry Lake
- Leland
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Leland is located in Madison County (FL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leland
- Dasher
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Dasher is located in Lowndes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dasher
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,025 people
- Hahira
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Continue List (13 more) ...
- Hamburg
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Hamburg is located in Madison County (FL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hamburg
- Lake Park
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Boston
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Blue Springs. See our List of 1890's Communities around Blue Springs.
Newspapers Published in Blue Springs ...
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 55 newspapers that have been published in the area around Blue Springs.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Blue Springs, there are papers which were published within 26 miles [41.8 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Blue Springs.
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 either 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 Blue Springs:
- Websites specific to Georgia
- Pages specific to Brooks County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Berrien County
- Colquitt County
- Cook County
- Echols County
- Lanier County
- Lowndes County
- Thomas County
- Hamilton County
- Jefferson County
- Madison 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 things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Blue Springs) 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 Blue Springs, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |