RoadsideThoughts
A Gazetteer for the United States and Canada
Home >> State of Georgia >> Dooly County >> Drayton >> Genealogy HelperIndex...

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 Drayton (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 Drayton. 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 doctors 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.

Drayton is located in Dooly 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 Dooly County: Crisp, Houston, Macon, Pulaski, Sumter & Wilcox.

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

  • Dooly County     (The home county of Drayton)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Drayton, with the one closest to Drayton listed first.
    • Lilly
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Vienna
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
    • Byromville
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
    • Dooling
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
      • Dooling is located in Dooly County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dooling
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 134 people
    • Pinehurst
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Unadilla
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
  • Crisp County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Drayton, with the one closest to Drayton listed first.
    • Cordele
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Milldale ‑ Historic
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Milldale is located in Crisp County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Milldale
      • Estimated population in 2019: 18,704 people
    • Lamb Town
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
      • Lamb Town is located in Crisp County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lamb Town
    • McKenzie
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
      • McKenzie is located in Crisp County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McKenzie
    • Arabi
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
  • Houston County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Drayton, with the one closest to Drayton listed first.
    • Elko
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Clinchfield
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Perry
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Perry is located in Houston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Perry
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 18,845 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Perry <1>
  • Lee County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Drayton, with the one closest to Drayton listed first.
    • Chokee
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Chokee is located in Lee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chokee
    • Smithville
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Philema
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
      • Philema is located in Lee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Philema
    • Leesburg
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Macon County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Drayton, with the one closest to Drayton listed first.
    • Montezuma
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
    • Oglethorpe
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Ideal
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
    • Marshallville
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
  • Marion County
    • Putnam
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Putnam is located in Marion County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Putnam
      • Population from the 2010 Census: 2,898 people
  • Pulaski County
    • Finleyson
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
      • Finleyson is located in Pulaski County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Finleyson
  • Schley County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Drayton, with the one closest to Drayton listed first.
    • La Crosse
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
      • La Crosse is located in Schley County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for La Crosse
    • Ellaville
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
    • Concord
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Concord is located in Schley County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Concord
  • Sumter County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Drayton, with the one closest to Drayton listed first.
    • Danville ‑ Historic
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Danville is located in Sumter County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Danville
      • Estimated population in 2019: 212 people
    • Cobb
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
    • De Soto
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Leslie
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Andersonville
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Andersonville is located in Sumter County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Andersonville
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 220 people
      • Former name for Andersonville:
      • Anderson
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Andersonville <1>
    • Americus
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
    • Sumter
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Sumter is located in Sumter County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sumter
    • Thalean
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
      • Thalean is located in Sumter County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thalean
    • Shiloh
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
      • Shiloh is located in Sumter County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shiloh
    • Concord
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
      • Concord is located in Sumter County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Concord
    • Plains
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
  • Terrell County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Drayton, with the one closest to Drayton listed first.
    • Olivers Mill
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Olivers Mill is located in Terrell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Olivers Mill
      • Estimated population in 2019: 230 people
    • Bronwood
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Turner County
    • Ashburn
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Wilcox County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Drayton, with the one closest to Drayton listed first.
    • Seville
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
    • Pitts
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
    • Pineview
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
    • Rochelle
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
  • Worth County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Drayton, with the one closest to Drayton listed first.
    • Warwick
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
    • Oakfield
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
    • Cuffietown
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
      • Cuffietown is located in Worth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cuffietown
      • Estimated population in 2019: 186 people

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

Cemeteries Near Drayton ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Drayton.

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

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

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

  • Macedonia Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
  • Collier Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
  • Bay Point Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
  • Hepzibah Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
  • Springhill Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • Mt. Vernon Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
  • Pleasant Grove Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Friendship Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
  • New Zion Baptist Church Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
  • Whitsett Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Smith Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Mt. Bezor Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
  • Continue List   (196 more) ...
    • Mt. Pleasant Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
    • Forehand Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Swearinger 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>

The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Drayton had a population of 125 people in 1895 with a post office and no railroad service.

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

  • Lamar
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Lamar is located in Sumter County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lamar
  • Cobb
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
  • Vienna
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
  • Byromville
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
  • De Soto
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
  • Richwood
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
    • Richwood is located in Dooly County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Richwood
  • Dooling
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
    • Dooling is located in Dooly County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dooling
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 134 people
  • Huntington
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Huntington is located in Sumter County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Huntington
  • Parkers ‑ Historic
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Parkers is located in Sumter County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parkers
  • Leslie
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Cordele
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Findlay
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Findlay is located in Dooly County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Findlay
  • Continue List   (18 more) ...
    • Gatewood
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
      • Gatewood is located in Sumter County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gatewood
    • Chokee
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Chokee is located in Lee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chokee
    • Andersonville
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Andersonville is located in Sumter County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Andersonville
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 220 people
      • Former name for Andersonville:
      • Anderson
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Andersonville <1>

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

Newspapers Published in Drayton ...

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 59 newspapers that have been published in the area around Drayton.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Drayton, 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 Drayton.

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 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 Drayton:

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 Drayton, 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- Drayton) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.