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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 Ferry Lake (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 Ferry Lake. 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 Ferry Lake ...

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.

Although we can't give a definitive list, hopefully the following will give you a feel for the variations that might occur.

For example, a typical abbreviation for Ferry Lake: Ferry Lk.

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

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 southeast 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 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.

Ferry Lake is located in Tift 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 Tift County: Berrien, Colquitt, Cook, Irwin, Turner & Worth.

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

  • Tift County     (The home county of Ferry Lake)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ferry Lake, with the one closest to Ferry Lake listed first.
    • Tifton
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Phillipsburg
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Phillipsburg is located in Tift County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Phillipsburg
    • Unionville
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Unionville is located in Tift County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Unionville
    • Abac
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
    • Brookfield
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
    • Chula
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Ty Ty
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
    • Omega
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Atkinson County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ferry Lake, with the one closest to Ferry Lake listed first.
    • Willacoochee
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
    • Leliaton
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
      • Leliaton is located in Atkinson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leliaton
  • Ben Hill County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ferry Lake, with the one closest to Ferry Lake listed first.
    • Abba
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
      • Abba is located in Ben Hill County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Abba
    • Fitzgerald
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
  • Berrien County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ferry Lake, with the one closest to Ferry Lake listed first.
    • Enigma
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Alapaha
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
    • Nashville
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Coffee County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ferry Lake, with the one closest to Ferry Lake listed first.
    • Ambrose
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
    • Mora
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
      • Mora is located in Coffee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mora
      • Estimated population in 2019: 444 people
  • Colquitt County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ferry Lake, with the one closest to Ferry Lake listed first.
    • Norman Park
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
    • Ellenton
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
    • Minnesota
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Minnesota is located in Colquitt County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Minnesota
    • Moultrie
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Riverside
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Riverside is located in Colquitt County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riverside
    • Berlin
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
    • Doerun
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
    • Funston
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Cook County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ferry Lake, with the one closest to Ferry Lake listed first.
    • Staunton
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
      • Staunton is located in Cook County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Staunton
    • Lenox
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
    • Sparks
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
    • Adel
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
    • Cecil
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
  • Crisp County
    • Arabi
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Irwin County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ferry Lake, with the one closest to Ferry Lake listed first.
    • Irwinville
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Mystic
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Ocilla
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Arp
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
      • Arp is located in Irwin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arp
    • Wray
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
  • Turner County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ferry Lake, with the one closest to Ferry Lake listed first.
    • Sycamore
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Ashburn
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
    • Hobby
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Hobby is located in Turner County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hobby
      • Estimated population in 2019: 536 people
    • Rebecca
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
  • Wilcox County
    • Owensboro
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
      • Owensboro is located in Wilcox County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Owensboro
  • Worth County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ferry Lake, with the one closest to Ferry Lake listed first.
    • Sumner
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
    • Poulan
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
    • Sylvester
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
    • Anderson City
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
      • Anderson City is located in Worth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Anderson City
    • Alfords
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
      • Alfords is located in Worth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alfords
    • Cuffietown
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Cuffietown is located in Worth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cuffietown
      • Estimated population in 2019: 186 people
    • Liberty Hill
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • Liberty Hill is located in Worth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Liberty Hill
    • Bridgeboro
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
    • East Dougherty
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
      • East Dougherty is located in Worth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Dougherty
      • Estimated population in 2019: 2,398 people

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

Cemeteries Near Ferry Lake ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Ferry Lake.

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 Ferry Lake - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • Greenwood Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
  • Tift Memorial Gardens
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
  • Harding Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harding Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Harding Cemetery is located 5 miles [8 km]<2> to the northeast of Tifton.
    • The Harding Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Sutton Cemetery
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #34348 <3>
  • Oak Ridge Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Lawrence Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
  • Zion Hope Baptist Church Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
  • Fletcher Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
  • Baker Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
  • Smith Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Macedonia Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
  • Mt. Vernon Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
  • Rutland Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
  • Continue List   (237 more) ...
    • Oaky Grove Cemetery
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Waterloo Cemetery
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
    • Waterloo Cemetery
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)

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

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

  • Brookfield
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
  • Enigma
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
  • Lenox
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
  • Irwinville
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
  • Alapaha
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
  • Sumner
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
  • Poulan
    (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
  • Lax
    (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
    • Lax is located in Coffee County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lax
  • Abba
    (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
    • Abba is located in Ben Hill County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Abba
  • Minton
    (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
    • Minton is located in Worth County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Minton
  • Bayboro ‑ Historic
    (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
    • Bayboro is located in Colquitt County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bayboro
  • Sylvester
    (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
  • Continue List   (10 more) ...
    • Nashville
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Adel
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
    • Isabella
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
      • Isabella is located in Worth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Isabella

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

Newspapers Published in Ferry Lake ...

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 31 newspapers that have been published in the area around Ferry Lake.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Ferry Lake, there are papers which were published within 28 miles [45.1 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Ferry Lake.

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 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 Ferry Lake:

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' distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Ferry Lake) 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 Ferry Lake, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.