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 Lights Ferry (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 Lights Ferry. 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 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.
Lights Ferry is located in Forsyth 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 Forsyth County: Cherokee, Dawson, Fulton, Gwinnett & Hall.
Below are the counties that are near Lights Ferry. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Lights Ferry:
- Forsyth County (The home county of Lights Ferry)
- The following are listed by their distance from Lights Ferry, with the one closest to Lights Ferry listed first.
- Chestatee
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Chestatee is located in Forsyth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chestatee
- Cumming
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Silver City
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Silver City is located in Forsyth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Silver City
- Banks County
- The following are listed by their distance from Lights Ferry, with the one closest to Lights Ferry listed first.
- Maysville
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Homer
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Barrow County
- The following are listed by their distance from Lights Ferry, with the one closest to Lights Ferry listed first.
- Auburn
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Carl
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Carl is located in Barrow County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carl
- Population from the 2020 Census: 245 people
- Winder
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Russell
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Russell is located in Barrow County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Russell
- Bethlehem
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Statham
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Cherokee County
- The following are listed by their distance from Lights Ferry, with the one closest to Lights Ferry listed first.
- Ophir
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Ophir is located in Cherokee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ophir
- Free Home
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Free Home is located in Cherokee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Free Home
- Orange
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Orange is located in Cherokee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orange
- White City
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- White City is located in Cherokee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White City
- Ball Ground
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Harmony
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Harmony is located in Cherokee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harmony
- Buffington
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Buffington is located in Cherokee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buffington
- Hardman Place
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Hardman Place is located in Cherokee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hardman Place
- Population from the 2010 Census: 3,930 people
- Hickory Flat
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Hickory Flat is located in Cherokee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hickory Flat
- Colemans Landing
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Colemans Landing is located in Cherokee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colemans Landing
- Canton
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Holly Springs
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Lebanon
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Cobb County
- The following are listed by their distance from Lights Ferry, with the one closest to Lights Ferry listed first.
- Sturbridge Village
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Sturbridge Village is located in Cobb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sturbridge Village
- Chattahoochee Heights
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Chattahoochee Heights is located in Cobb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chattahoochee Heights
- Estimated population in 2018: 3,207 people
- Mount Bethel
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Mount Bethel is located in Cobb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Bethel
- Dawson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Lights Ferry, with the one closest to Lights Ferry listed first.
- Lumpkin
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Lumpkin is located in Dawson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lumpkin
- Estimated population in 2019: 1,266 people
- Barrettsville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Barrettsville is located in Dawson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barrettsville
- Dawsonville
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- DeKalb County
- The following are listed by their distance from Lights Ferry, with the one closest to Lights Ferry listed first.
- Peachtree
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Peachtree is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peachtree
- Doraville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Dunwoody West
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Dunwoody West is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunwoody West
- Estimated population in 2015: 48,733 people
- Dunwoody
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Chamblee
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Mountain Woods
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Mountain Woods is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mountain Woods
- Estimated population in 2019: 1,265 people
- Tucker
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Northwoods
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Northwoods is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Northwoods
- Bermuda
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Bermuda is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bermuda
- Stone Mountain
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Montreal
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Montreal is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Montreal
- Estimated population in 2019: 212 people
- Fulton County
- The following are listed by their distance from Lights Ferry, with the one closest to Lights Ferry listed first.
- Ocee
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Ocee is located in Fulton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ocee
- Johns Creek
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Preston Ridge
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Preston Ridge is located in Fulton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Preston Ridge
- Lake Union Hill
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Lake Union Hill is located in Fulton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Union Hill
- Population from the 2010 Census: 4,839 people
- Milton
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Alpharetta
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Fields Crossroads
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Fields Crossroads is located in Fulton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fields Crossroads
- Roswell
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Litchfield Hundred
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Litchfield Hundred is located in Fulton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Litchfield Hundred
- Population from the 2010 Census: 15,491 people
- Mountain Park
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Mountain Park is located in Fulton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mountain Park
- Population from the 2020 Census: 576 people
- Sandy Springs
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Gwinnett County
- The following are listed by their distance from Lights Ferry, with the one closest to Lights Ferry listed first.
- Rest Haven
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Rest Haven is located in Gwinnett County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rest Haven
- Population from the 2020 Census: 65 people
- Buford
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Sugar Hill
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Suwanee
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Oak Village
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Oak Village is located in Gwinnett County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Village
- Dacula
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Robin Ridge
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Robin Ridge is located in Gwinnett County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Robin Ridge
- Population from the 2010 Census: 1,170 people
- Friendly Village of Crooked Creek
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Lawrenceville
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Duluth
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Broxton Woods
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Broxton Woods is located in Gwinnett County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Broxton Woods
- Estimated population in 2019: 1,196 people
- Regency Woods
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Regency Woods is located in Gwinnett County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Regency Woods
- Estimated population in 2019: 189 people
- Berkeley Lake
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Habersham County
- The following are listed by their distance from Lights Ferry, with the one closest to Lights Ferry listed first.
- Raoul
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Raoul is located in Habersham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Raoul
- Alto
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Hall County
- The following are listed by their distance from Lights Ferry, with the one closest to Lights Ferry listed first.
- Gaines Ferry
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Gaines Ferry is located in Hall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gaines Ferry
- Gay Lan
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Gay Lan is located in Hall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gay Lan
- Estimated population in 2019: 81 people
- Flowery Branch
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Woodbridge
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Woodbridge is located in Hall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodbridge
- Estimated population in 2019: 902 people
- Oakwood
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Absalom ‑ Historic
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Absalom is located in Hall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Absalom
- Blackshear Place
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Blackshear Place is located in Hall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blackshear Place
- Estimated population in 2019: 3,527 people
- Summer Point
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Summer Point is located in Hall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Summer Point
- Estimated population in 2019: 158 people
- Chestnut Mountain
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Westside
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Westside is located in Hall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westside
- Sardis Shores
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Sardis Shores is located in Hall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sardis Shores
- Estimated population in 2019: 960 people
- Gainesville Mills
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Gainesville Mills is located in Hall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gainesville Mills
- Estimated population in 2019: 43,232 people
- White Sands
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- White Sands is located in Hall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White Sands
- Estimated population in 2019: 611 people
- Jackson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Lights Ferry, with the one closest to Lights Ferry listed first.
- Talmo
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Braselton
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Hoschton
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Pendergrass
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Holly Springs
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Holly Springs is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holly Springs
- Dry Pond
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Dry Pond is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dry Pond
- Estimated population in 2019: 15,881 people
- Jefferson
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Arcade
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Arcade is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arcade
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,040 people
- Commerce
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Talasee ‑ Historic
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Talasee is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Talasee
- Estimated population in 2019: 848 people
- Attica
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Attica is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Attica
- Lumpkin County
- The following are listed by their distance from Lights Ferry, with the one closest to Lights Ferry listed first.
- New Bridge ‑ Historic
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- New Bridge is located in Lumpkin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Bridge
- Auraria ‑ Historic
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Auraria is located in Lumpkin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Auraria
- Dahlonega
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Garland
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Garland is located in Lumpkin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garland
- Grace ‑ Historic
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Grace is located in Lumpkin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grace
- Willow ‑ Historic
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Willow is located in Lumpkin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willow
- Population from the 2010 Census: 15,138 people
- Pickens County
- The following are listed by their distance from Lights Ferry, with the one closest to Lights Ferry listed first.
- Big Canoe
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Marble Hill
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Nelson
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Tate
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Cagle
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Cagle is located in Pickens County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cagle
- Walton County
- The following are listed by their distance from Lights Ferry, with the one closest to Lights Ferry listed first.
- Split Silk
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Split Silk is located in Walton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Split Silk
- Campton
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Campton is located in Walton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Campton
- Nicholasville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Nicholasville is located in Walton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nicholasville
- Estimated population in 2019: 3,333 people
- Between
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Between is located in Walton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Between
- Population from the 2020 Census: 386 people
- Youth
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Youth is located in Walton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Youth
- White County
- The following are listed by their distance from Lights Ferry, with the one closest to Lights Ferry listed first.
- Leo
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Leo is located in White County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leo
- Leo has also been known as:
- Meldean
- Cleveland
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Lights Ferry, see our County-by-County Page for Lights Ferry.
Cemeteries Near Lights Ferry ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Lights Ferry.
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 Lights Ferry - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Lights Ferry covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Lights Ferry, with the one closest to Lights Ferry listed first.
- Chattahoochee Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Mt. Zion Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Bethel Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Pleasant Grove Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- New Bethany Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Alexander - Black Family Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Flowery Branch Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Flat Creek Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Broadlawn Memorial Gardens
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Smith Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Mt. Salem Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Arise Church Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Continue List (429 more) ...
- Young Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Zion Hill Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Westbrook Cemetery
(5 miles [8 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.<3>
While we didn't find Lights Ferry in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Lights Ferry.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Lights Ferry, with the one closest to Lights Ferry listed first.
- Oscarville
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Oscarville is located in Forsyth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oscarville
- Flowery Branch
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Chestatee
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Chestatee is located in Forsyth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chestatee
- Absalom ‑ Historic
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Absalom is located in Hall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Absalom
- Buford
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Chestnut Mountain
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Coal Mountain
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Coal Mountain is located in Forsyth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coal Mountain
- Cumming
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Gainesville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Grapevine ‑ Historic
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Grapevine is located in Gwinnett County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grapevine
- Candler
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Candler is located in Hall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Candler
- Silver City
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Silver City is located in Forsyth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Silver City
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- Suwanee
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Dougherty
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Dougherty is located in Dawson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dougherty
- Price
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Price is located in Hall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Price
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Lights Ferry. See our List of 1890's Communities around Lights Ferry.
Newspapers Published in Lights Ferry ...
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 29 newspapers that have been published in the area around Lights Ferry.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Lights Ferry, there are papers which were published within 10 miles [16.1 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Lights Ferry.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we first turn to 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 Lights Ferry:
- Websites specific to Georgia
- Pages specific to Forsyth County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Banks County
- Barrow County
- Cherokee County
- Cobb County
- Dawson County
- DeKalb County
- Fulton County
- Gwinnett County
- Habersham County
- Hall County
- Jackson County
- Lumpkin County
- Pickens County
- Walton County
- White 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 Lights Ferry, 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 things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Lights Ferry) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |