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 Oakdale (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 Oakdale. 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.
Oakdale is located in Chatham 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 Chatham County: Bryan, Effingham & Jasper (SC).
Below are the counties that are near Oakdale. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Oakdale:
- Chatham County (The home county of Oakdale)
- The following are listed by their distance from Oakdale, with the one closest to Oakdale listed first.
- Abercorn Heights
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Abercorn Heights is located in Chatham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Abercorn Heights
- Bona Bella
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Bona Bella is located in Chatham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bona Bella
- Liberty City
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Liberty City is located in Chatham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Liberty City
- Richfield
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Richfield is located in Chatham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Richfield
- Estimated population in 2019: 1,643 people
- Union Junction
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Union Junction is located in Chatham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union Junction
- Estimated population in 2019: 1,899 people
- Isle of Armstrong
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Isle of Armstrong is located in Chatham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Isle of Armstrong
- Population from the 2010 Census: 2,402 people
- Thunderbolt
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Carver Village
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Carver Village is located in Chatham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carver Village
- Robert M Hitch Village
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Savannah
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Vernonburg
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Vernonburg is located in Chatham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vernonburg
- Population from the 2020 Census: 123 people
- Isle of Hope
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Isle of Hope is located in Chatham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Isle of Hope
- Alabama Junction
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Alabama Junction is located in Chatham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alabama Junction
- Bryan County
- The following are listed by their distance from Oakdale, with the one closest to Oakdale listed first.
- Fort McAllister
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Fort McAllister is located in Bryan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fort McAllister
- Richmond Hill
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Keller
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Keller is located in Bryan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keller
- Ellabell
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Bulloch County
- Hubert
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Hubert is located in Bulloch County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hubert
- Effingham County
- The following are listed by their distance from Oakdale, with the one closest to Oakdale listed first.
- Exley
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Exley is located in Effingham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Exley
- Population from the 2010 Census: 2,894 people
- Meldrim
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Eden
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Rincon
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Marlow
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Marlow is located in Effingham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marlow
- Guyton
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Springfield
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Haddonville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Haddonville is located in Effingham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Haddonville
- Estimated population in 2019: 965 people
- Liberty County
- The following are listed by their distance from Oakdale, with the one closest to Oakdale listed first.
- Sunbury
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Fleming
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Midway
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Trinity
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Trinity is located in Liberty County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trinity
- Estimated population in 2019: 1,893 people
- Riceboro
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Screven Fork
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Screven Fork is located in Liberty County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Screven Fork
- Estimated population in 2019: 771 people
- Flemington
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Doe Run Estates
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Doe Run Estates is located in Liberty County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Doe Run Estates
- Estimated population in 2019: 736 people
- Garden Acres
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Garden Acres is located in Liberty County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garden Acres
- Estimated population in 2019: 8,713 people
- Tupelo Trail
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Tupelo Trail is located in Liberty County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tupelo Trail
- Estimated population in 2019: 347 people
- Bryan Village
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Bryan Village is located in Liberty County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bryan Village
- Martin Woods
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Martin Woods is located in Liberty County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Martin Woods
- Estimated population in 2019: 383 people
- Beaufort County (SC)
- The following are listed by their distance from Oakdale, with the one closest to Oakdale listed first.
- Daufuskie Island
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Pritchardville
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Pritchardville is located in Beaufort County (SC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pritchardville
- Hardeeville
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Harbour Town
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Harbour Town is located in Beaufort County (SC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harbour Town
- Bluffton
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Okatie
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Point Comfort
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Point Comfort is located in Beaufort County (SC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Point Comfort
- Hilton Head Island
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Jasper County (SC)
- Tillman
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Oakdale, see our County-by-County Page for Oakdale.
Cemeteries Near Oakdale ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Oakdale.
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 Oakdale - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Oakdale covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Oakdale, with the one closest to Oakdale listed first.
- New Guinea Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Lincoln Memorial Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Old Church Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Oak Grove Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Laurel Grove South Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Laurel Grove South Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Laurel Grove South Cemetery is a very large cemetery that is located in Savannah.
- The Laurel Grove South Cemetery has also been known as:
- Laurel Grove Cemetery (South)
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #1611134 <2>
- Bonaventure Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bonaventure Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Bonaventure Cemetery is a very large cemetery that is located outside and to the southeast of Savannah.
- The Bonaventure Cemetery has also been known as:
- Evergreen Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #32916 <2>
- Crest Lawn Memory Gardens
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- East Savannah Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Catholic Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Hillcrest Abbey East Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Hillcrest Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Evergreen Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Evergreen Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Evergreen Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the southwest of Savannah.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #33870 <2>
- Continue List (133 more) ...
- Laurel Grove North Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Laurel Grove North Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Laurel Grove North Cemetery is a very large cemetery that is located in Savannah.
- The Laurel Grove North Cemetery has also been known as:
- Laurel Grove Cemetery (North)
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #34923 <2>
- Greenwich Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenwich Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Greenwich Cemetery is located outside and to the southeast of Savannah.
- Forest Lawn Memory Gardens
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest Lawn Memory Gardens
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Forest Lawn Memory Gardens is located outside and to the southeast of Savannah.
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 Oakdale in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Oakdale.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Oakdale, with the one closest to Oakdale listed first.
- Isle of Hope
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Isle of Hope is located in Chatham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Isle of Hope
- Savannah
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Wheat Hill
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Wheat Hill is located in Chatham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wheat Hill
- Central Junction
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Central Junction is located in Chatham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Central Junction
- Burroughs
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Burroughs is located in Chatham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burroughs
- Pooler
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Monteith
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Monteith is located in Chatham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monteith
- Meinhard
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Meinhard is located in Chatham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meinhard
- Bloomingdale
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Tybee Island
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Keller
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Keller is located in Bryan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keller
- Pritchardville
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Pritchardville is located in Beaufort County (SC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pritchardville
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Hardeeville
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Meldrim
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Rincon
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Oakdale. See our List of 1890's Communities around Oakdale.
Newspapers Published in Oakdale ...
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 178 newspapers that have been published in the area around Oakdale.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Oakdale, there are papers which were published within 3 miles [4.8 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Oakdale.
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 Oakdale:
- Websites specific to Georgia
- Pages specific to Chatham County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Bryan County
- Bulloch County
- Effingham County
- Liberty County
- Beaufort County
- Jasper 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 Oakdale, 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 things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Oakdale) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |