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 Old Damascus (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 Old Damascus. 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 southwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most hospitals and doctors were in the next county to the west. 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 west 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.
Old Damascus is located in Early 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 Early County: Henry (AL), Houston (AL), Baker, Calhoun, Clay, Miller & Seminole.
Below are the counties that are near Old Damascus. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Old Damascus:
- Early County (The home county of Old Damascus)
- The following are listed by their distance from Old Damascus, with the one closest to Old Damascus listed first.
- Damascus
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Douglass Crossroads
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Douglass Crossroads is located in Early County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Douglass Crossroads
- Estimated population in 2019: 33,992 people
- Douglasville
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Douglasville is located in Early County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Douglasville
- Estimated population in 2019: 11,695 people
- Hentown
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Hentown is located in Early County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hentown
- Estimated population in 2019: 3,944 people
- Bancroft
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Bancroft is located in Early County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bancroft
- Centerville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Centerville is located in Early County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Centerville
- Blakely
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Springfield
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Springfield is located in Early County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Springfield
- Estimated population in 2019: 4,084 people
- Rock Hill
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Rock Hill is located in Early County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock Hill
- Population from the 2010 Census: 248 people
- Sawhatchee
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Sawhatchee is located in Early County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sawhatchee
- Cedar Springs
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Jakin
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Baker County
- The following are listed by their distance from Old Damascus, with the one closest to Old Damascus listed first.
- Anna
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Anna is located in Baker County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Anna
- Mimsville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Mimsville is located in Baker County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mimsville
- Milford
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Milford is located in Baker County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Milford
- Hawkinstown
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Hawkinstown is located in Baker County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hawkinstown
- Estimated population in 2019: 5,270 people
- Lamar ‑ Historic
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Lamar is located in Baker County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lamar
- Newton
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Calhoun County
- The following are listed by their distance from Old Damascus, with the one closest to Old Damascus listed first.
- Arlington
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Williamsburg
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Williamsburg is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Williamsburg
- Edison
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Morgan
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Leary
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Holt
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Holt is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holt
- Clay County
- The following are listed by their distance from Old Damascus, with the one closest to Old Damascus listed first.
- Bluffton
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Bellville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Bellville is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bellville
- Estimated population in 2019: 118 people
- Fort Gaines
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Oketeyeconne ‑ Historic
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Oketeyeconne is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oketeyeconne
- Decatur County
- The following are listed by their distance from Old Damascus, with the one closest to Old Damascus listed first.
- Brinson
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Vada
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Vada is located in Decatur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vada
- Estimated population in 2019: 56,457 people
- Bainbridge
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Miller County
- The following are listed by their distance from Old Damascus, with the one closest to Old Damascus listed first.
- Colquitt
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Floydtown ‑ Historic
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Floydtown is located in Miller County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Floydtown
- Mayhaw
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Mayhaw is located in Miller County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mayhaw
- Boykin
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Boykin is located in Miller County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boykin
- Mitchell County
- Greenwood ‑ Historic
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Greenwood is located in Mitchell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenwood
- Randolph County
- The following are listed by their distance from Old Damascus, with the one closest to Old Damascus listed first.
- Coleman
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Five Points
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Five Points is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Five Points
- Seminole County
- The following are listed by their distance from Old Damascus, with the one closest to Old Damascus listed first.
- Iron City
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Donalsonville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Steam Mill
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Steam Mill is located in Seminole County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Steam Mill
- Terrell County
- Clarks Mill
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Clarks Mill is located in Terrell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clarks Mill
- Estimated population in 2019: 12,637 people
- Henry County (AL)
- The following are listed by their distance from Old Damascus, with the one closest to Old Damascus listed first.
- Haleburg
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Haleburg is located in Henry County (AL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Haleburg
- Population from the 2020 Census: 98 people
- Shorterville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Shorterville is located in Henry County (AL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shorterville
- Houston County (AL)
- The following are listed by their distance from Old Damascus, with the one closest to Old Damascus listed first.
- Columbia
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Gordon
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Gordon is located in Houston County (AL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gordon
- Population from the 2020 Census: 328 people
- Williams
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Williams is located in Houston County (AL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Williams
- Barber
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Barber is located in Houston County (AL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barber
- Ashford
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Old Damascus, see our County-by-County Page for Old Damascus.
Cemeteries Near Old Damascus ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Old Damascus.
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 Old Damascus - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Old Damascus covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Old Damascus, with the one closest to Old Damascus listed first.
- Billings Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Damascus Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Gordon Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Cratic Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Gross Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Pullen Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- George Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Dubose Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Houston Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Roberts Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Macedonia Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Tabb Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Continue List (175 more) ...
- Shepard Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Harmony Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Liberty Hill Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 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.<2>
While we didn't find Old Damascus in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Old Damascus.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Old Damascus, with the one closest to Old Damascus listed first.
- Damascus
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Colquitt
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Arlington
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Mayhaw
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Mayhaw is located in Miller County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mayhaw
- Mimsville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Mimsville is located in Baker County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mimsville
- Milford
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Milford is located in Baker County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Milford
- Blakely
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Williamsburg
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Williamsburg is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Williamsburg
- Horns Cross Road ‑ Historic
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Horns Cross Road is located in Miller County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Horns Cross Road
- Twilight ‑ Historic
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Twilight is located in Miller County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Twilight
- Spooner ‑ Historic
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Spooner is located in Miller County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spooner
- Hoggard Mill
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Hoggard Mill is located in Baker County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hoggard Mill
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- Bluffton
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Edison
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Morgan
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Old Damascus. See our List of 1890's Communities around Old Damascus.
Newspapers Published in Old Damascus ...
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 37 newspapers that have been published in the area around Old Damascus.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Old Damascus, there are papers which were published within 29 miles [46.7 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Old Damascus.
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 Old Damascus:
- Websites specific to Georgia
- Pages specific to Early County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Baker County
- Calhoun County
- Clay County
- Decatur County
- Miller County
- Mitchell County
- Randolph County
- Seminole County
- Terrell County
- Henry County
- Houston 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> | 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 Old Damascus, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <3> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' (or point-to-point) distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Old Damascus) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |