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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 Ellijay (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 Ellijay. 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 Ellijay ...

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.

In past government published Postal Guides, Ellijay was referred to as Ellijay Courthouse.

You might be interested in other communities that are also named Ellijay. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Ellijay.

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.

For more information about how community names might have been affected by the Board of Geographic Names (BGN), see our page about Placename Rules.

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.

Ellijay is located in Gilmer County and is the County Seat.

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 Gilmer County: Dawson, Fannin, Gordon, Murray & Pickens.

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

  • Gilmer County     (The home county of Ellijay)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ellijay, with the one closest to Ellijay listed first.
    • East Ellijay
      (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
    • Northcutt
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Northcutt is located in Gilmer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Northcutt
      • Population from the 2010 Census: 16,698 people
    • Yukon
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
    • White Path
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
      • White Path is located in Gilmer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White Path
      • Estimated population in 2019: 342 people
    • Santaluca
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Santaluca is located in Gilmer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Santaluca
    • Cherry Log
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Tails Creek
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
    • Rolston
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
      • Rolston is located in Gilmer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rolston
      • Estimated population in 2019: 36,716 people
    • Whitestone
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
      • Whitestone is located in Gilmer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whitestone
    • Tickanetley
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
  • Bartow County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ellijay, with the one closest to Ellijay listed first.
    • Funkhouser
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Funkhouser is located in Bartow County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Funkhouser
      • Estimated population in 2019: 450 people
    • Bolivar
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Pine Log ‑ Historic
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Rydal
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
  • Cherokee County
  • Dawson County
  • Fannin County
  • Gordon County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ellijay, with the one closest to Ellijay listed first.
    • Oakman
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Buff ‑ Historic
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
      • Buff is located in Gordon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buff
      • Estimated population in 2019: 15,522 people
    • Ranger
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
    • Igo ‑ Historic
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Igo is located in Gordon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Igo
      • Estimated population in 2019: 359 people
    • Fairmount
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Soapstick
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
      • Soapstick is located in Gordon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Soapstick
      • Estimated population in 2019: 4,544 people
    • Sonoraville
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Sonoraville is located in Gordon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sonoraville
      • Estimated population in 2019: 3,148 people
    • Farmville
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
    • New Town
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
      • New Town is located in Gordon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Town
    • Damascus
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
    • Resaca Ferry
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • Resaca Ferry is located in Gordon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Resaca Ferry
      • Estimated population in 2019: 803 people
    • Resaca
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
    • Calhoun Ferry
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Calhoun Ferry is located in Gordon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Calhoun Ferry
      • Estimated population in 2019: 17,271 people
  • Lumpkin County
  • Murray County
  • Pickens County
  • Union County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ellijay, with the one closest to Ellijay listed first.
    • Youngcane ‑ Historic
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Youngcane is located in Union County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Youngcane
      • Estimated population in 2019: 1,661 people
    • Suches
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
    • Bethlehem
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Canal Lake
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Canal Lake is located in Union County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Canal Lake
      • Population from the 2010 Census: 23,025 people
  • Whitfield County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ellijay, with the one closest to Ellijay listed first.
    • Ruralvale
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Union Point
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
    • Crown Mill Village
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • Crown Mill Village is located in Whitfield County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crown Mill Village
    • Dalton
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
    • Plainview
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Plainview is located in Whitfield County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plainview
      • Estimated population in 2019: 318 people
    • Waring
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
  • Cherokee County (NC)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ellijay, with the one closest to Ellijay listed first.
    • Burger Town
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
      • Burger Town is located in Cherokee County (NC)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burger Town
    • Hothouse
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Culberson
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Postell
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Bradley County (TN)
    • Earnest ‑ Historic
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Earnest is located in Bradley County (TN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Earnest
  • Polk County (TN)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ellijay, with the one closest to Ellijay listed first.
    • Copperhill
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
    • Belltown Hill
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
      • Belltown Hill is located in Polk County (TN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belltown Hill
      • Estimated population in 2014: 2,457 people
    • Chable ‑ Historic
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
      • Chable is located in Polk County (TN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chable
    • Ducktown
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
    • Chanceytown
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
    • Ball Play
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Parksville
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
      • Parksville is located in Polk County (TN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parksville
    • Oldfort
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Archville
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
    • Rymers ‑ Historic
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • Rymers is located in Polk County (TN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rymers

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

Cemeteries Near Ellijay ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Ellijay.

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

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

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

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>

The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Ellijay had a population of 437 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Ellijay had a population of 1,724 people.

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

  • White Path
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
    • White Path is located in Gilmer County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White Path
    • Estimated population in 2019: 342 people
  • Flat Branch
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
    • Flat Branch is located in Gilmer County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flat Branch
  • Talona
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
    • Talona is located in Gilmer County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Talona
  • Santaluca
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Santaluca is located in Gilmer County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Santaluca
  • Mountaintown
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Mountaintown is located in Gilmer County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mountaintown
  • Town Creek
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
    • Town Creek is located in Gilmer County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Town Creek
  • Cartecay
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Cartecay is located in Gilmer County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cartecay
  • Roy
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
    • Roy is located in Gilmer County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roy
  • Cherry Log
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Tails Creek
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
  • Carlisle ‑ Historic
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Carlisle is located in Gilmer County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carlisle
  • Tickanetley
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
  • Continue List   (16 more) ...
    • Pisgah
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
      • Pisgah is located in Gilmer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pisgah
    • Talking Rock
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
    • Dennis
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
      • Dennis is located in Murray County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dennis

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

Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Ellijay ...

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 27 newspapers that have been published in the area around Ellijay.

We have organized these newspapers into two lists:

  • A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Ellijay. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Ellijay and those printed in the larger area surrounding Ellijay.
  • An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 20 miles [32.2 km]<4> of Ellijay.

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 Ellijay:

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