RoadsideThoughts
A Gazetteer for the United States and Canada
Home >> State of Georgia >> Sumter County >> New Era >> Genealogy HelperIndex...

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 New Era (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 New Era. 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 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.

New Era is located in Sumter 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 Sumter County: Crisp, Dooly, Lee, Macon, Marion, Schley, Terrell & Webster.

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

  • Sumter County     (The home county of New Era)
    • The following are listed by their distance from New Era, with the one closest to New Era listed first.
    • Andersonville
      (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
      • Andersonville is located in Sumter County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Andersonville
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 220 people
      • Former name for Andersonville:
      • Anderson
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Andersonville <1>
    • Americus
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
    • Danville ‑ Historic
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Danville is located in Sumter County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Danville
      • Estimated population in 2019: 212 people
    • Shiloh
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
      • Shiloh is located in Sumter County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shiloh
    • De Soto
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
    • Leslie
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
    • Thalean
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Thalean is located in Sumter County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thalean
    • Cobb
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Sumter
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Sumter is located in Sumter County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sumter
    • Concord
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
      • Concord is located in Sumter County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Concord
    • Plains
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
  • Crisp County
    • The following are listed by their distance from New Era, with the one closest to New Era listed first.
    • Milldale ‑ Historic
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Milldale is located in Crisp County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Milldale
      • Estimated population in 2019: 18,704 people
    • Cordele
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
    • Lamb Town
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
      • Lamb Town is located in Crisp County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lamb Town
    • McKenzie
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
      • McKenzie is located in Crisp County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McKenzie
    • Arabi
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Dooly County
    • The following are listed by their distance from New Era, with the one closest to New Era listed first.
    • Byromville
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Dooling
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Dooling is located in Dooly County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dooling
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 134 people
    • Lilly
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
    • Vienna
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
    • Pinehurst
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
    • Unadilla
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
  • Houston County
  • Lee County
    • The following are listed by their distance from New Era, with the one closest to New Era listed first.
    • Chokee
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
      • Chokee is located in Lee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chokee
    • Smithville
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Philema
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
      • Philema is located in Lee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Philema
    • Leesburg
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
  • Macon County
    • The following are listed by their distance from New Era, with the one closest to New Era listed first.
    • Oglethorpe
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
    • Montezuma
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Ideal
      (18 miles [29 km] to the north)
    • Marshallville
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
  • Marion County
    • The following are listed by their distance from New Era, with the one closest to New Era listed first.
    • Putnam
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Putnam is located in Marion County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Putnam
      • Population from the 2010 Census: 2,898 people
    • Draneville
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
      • Draneville is located in Marion County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Draneville
    • Tazewell
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Tazewell is located in Marion County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tazewell
    • Buena Vista
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
  • Schley County
    • The following are listed by their distance from New Era, with the one closest to New Era listed first.
    • La Crosse
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
      • La Crosse is located in Schley County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for La Crosse
    • Ellaville
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Concord
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Concord is located in Schley County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Concord
  • Taylor County
    • The following are listed by their distance from New Era, with the one closest to New Era listed first.
    • Rupert
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
    • Reynolds
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
  • Terrell County
    • The following are listed by their distance from New Era, with the one closest to New Era listed first.
    • Olivers Mill
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Olivers Mill is located in Terrell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Olivers Mill
      • Estimated population in 2019: 230 people
    • Bronwood
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
    • Parrott
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Yeomans
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Yeomans is located in Terrell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yeomans
      • Population from the 2010 Census: 507 people
    • Dawson
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Sasser
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Webster County
    • The following are listed by their distance from New Era, with the one closest to New Era listed first.
    • Preston
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
    • Leveretts
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Leveretts is located in Webster County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leveretts
    • Weston
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
  • Worth County
    • The following are listed by their distance from New Era, with the one closest to New Era listed first.
    • Warwick
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
    • Oakfield
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)

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

Cemeteries Near New Era ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of New Era.

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 New Era - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • Salem Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the south)
  • Daniel Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the south)
  • Bradley Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
  • Hodges Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
  • Mt. Olive Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
  • Sunset Memorial Gardens
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Pleasant Grove Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
  • St. James - Pennington Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • Staley Memorial Gardens
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
  • East View Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Oak Grove Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Andersonville Baptist Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Continue List   (196 more) ...
    • Freeman Hill Cemetery
      (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
    • East Forsyth Street Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Kelley Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)

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

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

  • Americus
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Andersonville
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
    • Andersonville is located in Sumter County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Andersonville
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 220 people
    • Former name for Andersonville:
    • Anderson
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Andersonville <1>
  • Gatewood
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
    • Gatewood is located in Sumter County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gatewood
  • Huntington
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
    • Huntington is located in Sumter County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Huntington
  • Lamar
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Lamar is located in Sumter County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lamar
  • La Crosse
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
    • La Crosse is located in Schley County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for La Crosse
  • Parkers ‑ Historic
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
    • Parkers is located in Sumter County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parkers
  • New Point
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
    • New Point is located in Sumter County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Point
  • Maddox
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Maddox is located in Sumter County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maddox
  • Drayton
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
    • Drayton is located in Dooly County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Drayton
  • Leslie
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
  • De Soto
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
  • Continue List   (15 more) ...
    • Fountainville
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
      • Fountainville is located in Macon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fountainville
    • Sumter
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Sumter is located in Sumter County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sumter
    • Cobb
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)

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

Newspapers Published in New Era ...

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 67 newspapers that have been published in the area around New Era.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of New Era, there are papers which were published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for New Era.

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 helpful 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 New Era:

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 New Era, 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- New Era) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.