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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 Martins Crossroads (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 Martins Crossroads. 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 Martins Crossroads ...

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.

  • A typical abbreviation for Martins Crossroads: Martins Xrds.
  • While the name of this community is Martins Crossroads, be aware that it's the common practice of mapmakers to remove the apostrophe from possessive names<1>. So Martins Crossroads may originally have been Martin's Crossroads.

    Sometimes the trailing 's' might be dropped altogether, in which case Martins Crossroads might be written as Martin Crossroads.

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

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.

Martins Crossroads is located in Randolph 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 Randolph County: Calhoun, Clay, Quitman, Stewart, Terrell & Webster.

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

  • Randolph County     (The home county of Martins Crossroads)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Martins Crossroads, with the one closest to Martins Crossroads listed first.
    • Five Points
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
      • Five Points is located in Randolph County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Five Points
    • Shellman
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
    • Cuthbert
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Brooksville
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
      • Brooksville is located in Randolph County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brooksville
      • Estimated population in 2019: 559 people
    • Wades
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Wades is located in Randolph County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wades
      • Estimated population in 2019: 1,858 people
    • Coleman
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
  • Baker County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Martins Crossroads, with the one closest to Martins Crossroads listed first.
    • Milford
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
      • Milford is located in Baker County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Milford
    • Anna
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
      • Anna is located in Baker County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Anna
  • Calhoun County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Martins Crossroads, with the one closest to Martins Crossroads listed first.
    • Morgan
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
    • Edison
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Williamsburg
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
      • Williamsburg is located in Calhoun County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Williamsburg
    • Leary
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Holt
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Holt is located in Calhoun County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holt
    • Arlington
      (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
  • Clay County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Martins Crossroads, with the one closest to Martins Crossroads listed first.
    • Bellville
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Bellville is located in Clay County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bellville
      • Estimated population in 2019: 118 people
    • Bluffton
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
    • Fort Gaines
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
    • Oketeyeconne ‑ Historic
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
      • Oketeyeconne is located in Clay County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oketeyeconne
  • Dougherty County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Martins Crossroads, with the one closest to Martins Crossroads listed first.
    • Dawson Heights
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
      • Dawson Heights is located in Dougherty County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dawson Heights
      • Estimated population in 2019: 3,246 people
    • Lake Park
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
      • Lake Park is located in Dougherty County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Park
      • Estimated population in 2019: 1,207 people
    • Relswood Terrace
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
      • Relswood Terrace is located in Dougherty County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Relswood Terrace
      • Estimated population in 2019: 1,079 people
    • West Town
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
      • West Town is located in Dougherty County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Town
    • Albany
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
      • Albany is located in Dougherty County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Albany
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 70,839 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Albany <2>
    • Eugemar
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
      • Eugemar is located in Dougherty County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eugemar
      • Estimated population in 2019: 4,367 people
    • Colonial Place
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
      • Colonial Place is located in Dougherty County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colonial Place
    • Hinds
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
      • Hinds is located in Dougherty County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hinds
      • Estimated population in 2019: 33,273 people
    • Colonial Village
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
      • Colonial Village is located in Dougherty County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colonial Village
    • East Towne
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
      • East Towne is located in Dougherty County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Towne
    • Elon Village
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
      • Elon Village is located in Dougherty County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elon Village
  • Early County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Martins Crossroads, with the one closest to Martins Crossroads listed first.
    • Bancroft
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Bancroft is located in Early County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bancroft
    • Douglasville
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
      • Douglasville is located in Early County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Douglasville
      • Estimated population in 2019: 11,695 people
    • Damascus
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
    • Douglass Crossroads
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
      • Douglass Crossroads is located in Early County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Douglass Crossroads
      • Estimated population in 2019: 33,992 people
    • Blakely
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
  • Lee County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Martins Crossroads, with the one closest to Martins Crossroads listed first.
    • Palmyra
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
      • Palmyra is located in Lee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Palmyra
    • Smithville
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Leesburg
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
  • Quitman County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Martins Crossroads, with the one closest to Martins Crossroads listed first.
    • Morris
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
    • Hatcher
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
      • Hatcher is located in Quitman County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hatcher
    • Georgetown
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Georgetown is located in Quitman County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Georgetown
  • Stewart County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Martins Crossroads, with the one closest to Martins Crossroads listed first.
    • Mount Zion ‑ Historic
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
      • Mount Zion is located in Stewart County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Zion
    • Lumpkin
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
    • Richland
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
    • Sanford
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Sanford is located in Stewart County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sanford
      • Estimated population in 2019: 159 people
  • Sumter County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Martins Crossroads, with the one closest to Martins Crossroads listed first.
    • Plains
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Sumter
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Sumter is located in Sumter County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sumter
    • Thalean
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Thalean is located in Sumter County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thalean
  • Terrell County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Martins Crossroads, with the one closest to Martins Crossroads listed first.
    • Clarks Mill
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
      • Clarks Mill is located in Terrell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clarks Mill
      • Estimated population in 2019: 12,637 people
    • Herod
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
      • Herod is located in Terrell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Herod
      • Population from the 2010 Census: 3,384 people
    • Dawson
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Yeomans
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
      • Yeomans is located in Terrell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yeomans
      • Population from the 2010 Census: 507 people
    • Parrott
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Sasser
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
    • Bronwood
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
    • Olivers Mill
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Olivers Mill is located in Terrell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Olivers Mill
      • Estimated population in 2019: 230 people
  • Webster County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Martins Crossroads, with the one closest to Martins Crossroads listed first.
    • Leveretts
      (18 miles [29 km] to the north)
      • Leveretts is located in Webster County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leveretts
    • Weston
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
    • Preston
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
  • Henry County (AL)
    • Shorterville
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
      • Shorterville is located in Henry County (AL)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shorterville

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

Cemeteries Near Martins Crossroads ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Martins Crossroads.

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 Martins Crossroads - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • New Bethel Baptist Church Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Dover Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • Rehoboth Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rehoboth Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Rehoboth Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the north of Shellman.
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #1349845 <3>
  • Rehoboth Church Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Regan Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
  • Bethelem Freewill Baptist Church Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Dover Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
  • Damascus Baptist Church Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
  • Mt. Nebo Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
  • Elam Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Collier Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Mt. Gilead Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Continue List   (193 more) ...

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

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

  • Shellman
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
  • Folks ‑ Historic
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
    • Folks is located in Calhoun County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Folks
  • Dickey
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
    • Dickey is located in Calhoun County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dickey
  • Cuthbert
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
  • Edison
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Morgan
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
  • Dawson
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Benevolence
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Benevolence is located in Randolph County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Benevolence
  • Coleman
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
  • Parrott
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
  • Williamsburg
    (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
    • Williamsburg is located in Calhoun County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Williamsburg
  • Leary
    (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Continue List   (13 more) ...
    • Springvale
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Springvale is located in Randolph County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Springvale
    • Sasser
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
    • Bluffton
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)

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

Newspapers Published in Martins Crossroads ...

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 48 newspapers that have been published in the area around Martins Crossroads.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Martins Crossroads, there are papers which were published within 26 miles [41.8 km]<5>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Martins Crossroads.

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 Martins Crossroads:

Footnotes ...

<1>It's generally believed that possessive apostrophes are removed to prevent confusion on maps where the apostrophe may be confused with a cartographic symbol. While this is generally true, it's not uncommon to find possessive apostrophes in administrative names (such as towns or counties).
<2>While we're fans and frequent users of TripAdvisor, you should know that we're also members of the TripAdvisor affiliate program.
<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 Martins Crossroads, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.
<5>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 drawn from Point A (ie- Martins Crossroads) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.