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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 Cooktown (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 Cooktown. 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 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 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.

Cooktown is located in Miller 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 Miller County: Baker, Decatur, Early & Seminole.

Below are the counties that are near Cooktown. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Cooktown:

  • Miller County     (The home county of Cooktown)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Cooktown, with the one closest to Cooktown listed first.
    • Boykin
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Boykin is located in Miller County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boykin
    • Colquitt
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
    • Floydtown ‑ Historic
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Floydtown is located in Miller County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Floydtown
    • Mayhaw
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
      • Mayhaw is located in Miller County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mayhaw
  • Baker County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Cooktown, with the one closest to Cooktown listed first.
    • Mimsville
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Mimsville is located in Baker County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mimsville
    • Anna
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
      • Anna is located in Baker County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Anna
    • Lamar ‑ Historic
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Lamar is located in Baker County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lamar
    • Hawkinstown
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Hawkinstown is located in Baker County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hawkinstown
      • Estimated population in 2019: 5,270 people
    • Milford
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
      • Milford is located in Baker County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Milford
    • Newton
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
  • Calhoun County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Cooktown, with the one closest to Cooktown listed first.
    • Williamsburg
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
      • Williamsburg is located in Calhoun County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Williamsburg
    • Arlington
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
    • Leary
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
    • Holt
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
      • Holt is located in Calhoun County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holt
    • Morgan
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
    • Edison
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
  • Clay County
    • Bluffton
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
  • Decatur County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Cooktown, with the one closest to Cooktown listed first.
    • Vada
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Vada is located in Decatur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vada
      • Estimated population in 2019: 56,457 people
    • Brinson
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
    • Bainbridge
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
    • Climax
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
    • Fowlstown
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
  • Early County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Cooktown, with the one closest to Cooktown listed first.
    • Douglass Crossroads
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Douglass Crossroads is located in Early County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Douglass Crossroads
      • Estimated population in 2019: 33,992 people
    • Damascus
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Douglasville
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Douglasville is located in Early County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Douglasville
      • Estimated population in 2019: 11,695 people
    • Hentown
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
      • Hentown is located in Early County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hentown
      • Estimated population in 2019: 3,944 people
    • Centerville
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
      • Centerville is located in Early County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Centerville
    • Bancroft
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Bancroft is located in Early County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bancroft
    • Springfield
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
      • Springfield is located in Early County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Springfield
      • Estimated population in 2019: 4,084 people
    • Blakely
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
    • Jakin
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
    • Cedar Springs
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
    • Sawhatchee
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
      • Sawhatchee is located in Early County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sawhatchee
    • Rock Hill
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • Rock Hill is located in Early County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock Hill
      • Population from the 2010 Census: 248 people
  • Grady County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Cooktown, with the one closest to Cooktown listed first.
    • Spence
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Spence is located in Grady County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spence
    • Whigham
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Cairo
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Woodland
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Woodland is located in Grady County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodland
      • Estimated population in 2019: 353 people
  • Mitchell County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Cooktown, with the one closest to Cooktown listed first.
    • Greenwood ‑ Historic
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
      • Greenwood is located in Mitchell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenwood
    • Camilla
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
    • Flint
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
      • Flint is located in Mitchell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flint
    • Pelham
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
    • Baconton
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Greenough
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
      • Greenough is located in Mitchell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenough
      • Estimated population in 2019: 3,304 people
    • Pebble City
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
      • Pebble City is located in Mitchell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pebble City
    • De Witt
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • De Witt is located in Mitchell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for De Witt
      • Population from the 2010 Census: 154 people
    • Cotton
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
  • Seminole County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Cooktown, with the one closest to Cooktown listed first.
    • Iron City
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Donalsonville
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Reynoldsville
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Reynoldsville is located in Seminole County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reynoldsville
      • Estimated population in 2019: 960 people
    • Steam Mill
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Steam Mill is located in Seminole County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Steam Mill
  • Terrell County
    • Clarks Mill
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • Clarks Mill is located in Terrell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clarks Mill
      • Estimated population in 2019: 12,637 people
  • Thomas County
    • Meigs
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)

For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Cooktown, see our County-by-County Page for Cooktown.

Cemeteries Near Cooktown ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Cooktown.

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 Cooktown - one of the links might be able to help.

If not found below, our Cemetery List for Cooktown covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.

The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Cooktown, with the one closest to Cooktown listed first.

  • Kelly Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
  • Davis Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
  • Notchaway Baptist Church Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
  • Cooks Union Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
  • Cedar Grove Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
  • Newberry Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
  • Springfield Baptist Church Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
  • Bellview Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Live Oak Freewill Baptist Church Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Sheffield Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
  • Lamar Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Macedonia Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Continue List   (179 more) ...
    • Pond Town Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Pullen Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Gross Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)

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 Cooktown in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Cooktown.

These communities are listed based on their distance from Cooktown, with the one closest to Cooktown listed first.

  • Mimsville
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Mimsville is located in Baker County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mimsville
  • Hoggard Mill
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
    • Hoggard Mill is located in Baker County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hoggard Mill
  • Colquitt
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
  • Damascus
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Eldorendo
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Eldorendo is located in Decatur County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eldorendo
  • Milford
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
    • Milford is located in Baker County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Milford
  • Twilight ‑ Historic
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Twilight is located in Miller County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Twilight
  • Newton
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
  • Williamsburg
    (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
    • Williamsburg is located in Calhoun County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Williamsburg
  • Horns Cross Road ‑ Historic
    (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
    • Horns Cross Road is located in Miller County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Horns Cross Road
  • Spooner ‑ Historic
    (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
    • Spooner is located in Miller County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spooner
  • Brinson
    (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Arlington
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
    • Mayhaw
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
      • Mayhaw is located in Miller County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mayhaw
    • Leary
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)

We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Cooktown. See our List of 1890's Communities around Cooktown.

Newspapers Published in Cooktown ...

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 Cooktown.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Cooktown, there are papers which were published within 29 miles [46.7 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Cooktown.

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 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 Cooktown:

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 Cooktown, 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 obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Cooktown) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.