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 Lavonia (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 Lavonia. 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 northwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors and 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.
Lavonia is located in Franklin 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 Franklin County: Banks, Hart, Madison, Stephens & Oconee (SC).
Below are the counties that are near Lavonia. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Lavonia:
- Franklin County (The home county of Lavonia)
- The following are listed by their distance from Lavonia, with the one closest to Lavonia listed first.
- Gumlog
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Gumlog is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gumlog
- Canon
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Parhams
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Parhams is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parhams
- Aquilla ‑ Historic
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Aquilla is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aquilla
- Carnesville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Franklin Springs
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Royston
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Cromers
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Cromers is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cromers
- Population from the 2010 Census: 639 people
- Plainview
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Plainview is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plainview
- Banks County
- The following are listed by their distance from Lavonia, with the one closest to Lavonia listed first.
- Homer
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Maysville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Elbert County
- The following are listed by their distance from Lavonia, with the one closest to Lavonia listed first.
- Bowman
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Harper
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Harper is located in Elbert County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harper
- Centerville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Centerville is located in Elbert County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Centerville
- Dewy Rose
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Goss
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Goss is located in Elbert County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goss
- Harmony
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Harmony is located in Elbert County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harmony
- Elberton
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Bowman Ferry
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Bowman Ferry is located in Elbert County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bowman Ferry
- Estimated population in 2019: 808 people
- Edinburg ‑ Historic
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Edinburg is located in Elbert County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edinburg
- Estimated population in 2019: 1,396 people
- Silk Mills
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Silk Mills is located in Elbert County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Silk Mills
- Estimated population in 2019: 277 people
- Habersham County
- The following are listed by their distance from Lavonia, with the one closest to Lavonia listed first.
- Tugaloo
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Tugaloo is located in Habersham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tugaloo
- Mount Airy
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Baldwin
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Cornelia
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Hills
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Hills is located in Habersham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hills
- Turnerville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Clarkesville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Alto
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Demorest
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Raoul
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Raoul is located in Habersham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Raoul
- Hart County
- The following are listed by their distance from Lavonia, with the one closest to Lavonia listed first.
- Bowersville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Maretts
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Maretts is located in Hart County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maretts
- Flat Shoals
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Flat Shoals is located in Hart County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flat Shoals
- Reed Creek
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Reed Creek is located in Hart County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reed Creek
- Hartwell
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Crawfords Ferry
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Crawfords Ferry is located in Hart County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crawfords Ferry
- Estimated population in 2019: 473 people
- Cooleys Ferry
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Cooleys Ferry is located in Hart County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cooleys Ferry
- Estimated population in 2019: 529 people
- Dooleys Ferry
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Dooleys Ferry is located in Hart County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dooleys Ferry
- Estimated population in 2019: 136 people
- Jackson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Lavonia, with the one closest to Lavonia listed first.
- Commerce
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Nicholson
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Madison County
- The following are listed by their distance from Lavonia, with the one closest to Lavonia listed first.
- Harrison
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Harrison is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harrison
- Estimated population in 2019: 442 people
- Madison Springs
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Madison Springs is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Madison Springs
- Estimated population in 2019: 4,210 people
- Former name for Madison Springs:
- Alexanderville
- Shiloh
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Shiloh is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shiloh
- Dalton
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Dalton is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dalton
- Estimated population in 2019: 33,665 people
- Ila
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Danielsville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Comer
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Planter
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Planter is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Planter
- Carlton
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Colbert
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Patterson
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Patterson is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Patterson
- Estimated population in 2019: 755 people
- Hull
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Rabun County
- The following are listed by their distance from Lavonia, with the one closest to Lavonia listed first.
- Tallulah Falls
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Lakemont
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Wiley
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Stephens County
- The following are listed by their distance from Lavonia, with the one closest to Lavonia listed first.
- Martin
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Avalon
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Avalon is located in Stephens County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avalon
- Population from the 2020 Census: 226 people
- Eastanollee
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Carnes Creek
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Carnes Creek is located in Stephens County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carnes Creek
- Estimated population in 2019: 601 people
- Jarrett
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Jarrett is located in Stephens County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jarrett
- Estimated population in 2019: 3,974 people
- Toccoa
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Toccoa Falls
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Abbeville County (SC)
- Lowndesville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Anderson County (SC)
- The following are listed by their distance from Lavonia, with the one closest to Lavonia listed first.
- Price ‑ Historic
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Price is located in Anderson County (SC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Price
- Andersonville ‑ Historic
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Andersonville is located in Anderson County (SC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Andersonville
- Townville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Holland Store
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Holland Store is located in Anderson County (SC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holland Store
- Holland Store has also been known as:
- Hollands
- Leisure Village
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Leisure Village is located in Anderson County (SC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leisure Village
- Centerville Terrace Estates
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- La France
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Centerville
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Centerville is located in Anderson County (SC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Centerville
- Starr
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Pendleton
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Sandy Springs
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Deans
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Deans is located in Anderson County (SC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deans
- Oconee County (SC)
- The following are listed by their distance from Lavonia, with the one closest to Lavonia listed first.
- Fair Play
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Oakway
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Oakway is located in Oconee County (SC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakway
- Madison
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Madison is located in Oconee County (SC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Madison
- Harbin ‑ Historic
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Harbin is located in Oconee County (SC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harbin
- Westminster
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Richland
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Seneca
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Utica
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Utica is located in Oconee County (SC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Utica
- Walhalla
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- West Union
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Newry
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Battle Creek
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Battle Creek is located in Oconee County (SC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Battle Creek
- Pickens County (SC)
- The following are listed by their distance from Lavonia, with the one closest to Lavonia listed first.
- Clemson
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Isaqueena Village
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Isaqueena Village is located in Pickens County (SC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Isaqueena Village
- Central
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Norris
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Six Mile
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Lavonia, see our County-by-County Page for Lavonia.
Cemeteries Near Lavonia ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Lavonia.
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 Lavonia - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Lavonia covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Lavonia, with the one closest to Lavonia listed first.
- Poole Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Pleasant Hill Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Franklin Memorial Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Williams Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- New Light Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Bowersville City Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Calvary Baptist Church Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Price Chapel Church of God Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Providence UMC Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Providence UMC Cemetery
- The Providence UMC Cemetery has also been known as:
- Providence Cemetery
- Shoal Creek Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Oak View Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Old Canon Baptist Church Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Continue List (452 more) ...
- Union Hill Baptist Church Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Crossroads Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Yow Cemetery
(5 miles [8 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>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Lavonia had a population of 283 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Lavonia had a population of 2,187 people.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Lavonia, with the one closest to Lavonia listed first.
- Bowersville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Shoal Creek
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Shoal Creek is located in Hart County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shoal Creek
- Martin
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Salubrity ‑ Historic
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Salubrity is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Salubrity
- Carnesville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Fair Play
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Red Hill
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Red Hill is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Hill
- Royston
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Reed Creek
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Reed Creek is located in Hart County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reed Creek
- Eagle Grove
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Eagle Grove is located in Hart County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eagle Grove
- Hartwell
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Oakway
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Oakway is located in Oconee County (SC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakway
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Retreat
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Retreat is located in Oconee County (SC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Retreat
- Walnut Hill ‑ Historic
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Walnut Hill is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walnut Hill
- Cromers
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Cromers is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cromers
- Population from the 2010 Census: 639 people
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Lavonia. See our List of 1890's Communities around Lavonia.
Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Lavonia ...
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 20 newspapers that have been published in the area around Lavonia.
We have organized these newspapers into two lists:
- A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Lavonia. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Lavonia and those printed in the larger area surrounding Lavonia.
- An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 15 miles [24.1 km]<4> of Lavonia.
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 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 Lavonia:
- Websites specific to Georgia
- Pages specific to Franklin County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Banks County
- Elbert County
- Habersham County
- Hart County
- Jackson County
- Madison County
- Rabun County
- Stephens County
- Abbeville County
- Anderson County
- Oconee County
- Pickens 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> | 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 Lavonia, 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 obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Lavonia) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |