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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 Shady Acres (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 Shady Acres. 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 northeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors were in the next county to the east. 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 east 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.

Shady Acres is located in Appling 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 Appling County: Bacon, Jeff Davis, Pierce, Tattnall, Toombs & Wayne.

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

  • Appling County     (The home county of Shady Acres)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Shady Acres, with the one closest to Shady Acres listed first.
    • Baxley
      (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
    • Phillipi
      (Less than 2 miles to the west)
      • Phillipi is located in Appling County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Phillipi
      • Population from the 2010 Census: 707 people
    • Graham
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Graham is located in Appling County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Graham
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 289 people
    • Surrency
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
  • Bacon County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Shady Acres, with the one closest to Shady Acres listed first.
    • Alma
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
      • Alma is located in Bacon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alma
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,336 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Alma <1>
    • Coffee
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
      • Coffee is located in Bacon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coffee
    • Guysie
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Guysie is located in Bacon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Guysie
      • Estimated population in 2019: 2,226 people
  • Coffee County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Shady Acres, with the one closest to Shady Acres listed first.
    • Nicholls
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
    • West Green
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
  • Jeff Davis County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Shady Acres, with the one closest to Shady Acres listed first.
    • Quinn ‑ Historic
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
      • Quinn is located in Jeff Davis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Quinn
      • Estimated population in 2019: 3,652 people
    • Hazlehurst
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Tallahassee
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Tallahassee is located in Jeff Davis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tallahassee
      • Estimated population in 2019: 3,185 people
    • Denton
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
    • Lumber City Ferry
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Lumber City Ferry is located in Jeff Davis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lumber City Ferry
      • Estimated population in 2019: 1,257 people
    • Kirkland
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
      • Kirkland is located in Jeff Davis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kirkland
  • Long County
    • Donald
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
      • Donald is located in Long County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Donald
      • Estimated population in 2019: 2,466 people
  • Montgomery County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Shady Acres, with the one closest to Shady Acres listed first.
    • Uvalda
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Alston
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
    • Petross
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
      • Petross is located in Montgomery County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Petross
  • Pierce County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Shady Acres, with the one closest to Shady Acres listed first.
    • Mershon
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
    • Bristol
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
    • Offerman
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Patterson
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
  • Tattnall County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Shady Acres, with the one closest to Shady Acres listed first.
    • Reidsville
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Glennville
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Mendes
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Mendes is located in Tattnall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mendes
      • Estimated population in 2019: 456 people
  • Telfair County
    • Lumber City
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
  • Toombs County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Shady Acres, with the one closest to Shady Acres listed first.
    • Cedar Crossing
      (18 miles [29 km] to the north)
      • Cedar Crossing is located in Toombs County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar Crossing
    • Toombs Central
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
      • Toombs Central is located in Toombs County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Toombs Central
      • Estimated population in 2019: 486 people
    • Rock Springs
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
      • Rock Springs is located in Toombs County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock Springs
    • Santa Claus
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
      • Santa Claus is located in Toombs County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Santa Claus
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 160 people
    • Lyons
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
    • Ohoopee
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • Ohoopee is located in Toombs County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ohoopee
  • Wayne County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Shady Acres, with the one closest to Shady Acres listed first.
    • Odum
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
    • Madray Springs
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
      • Madray Springs is located in Wayne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Madray Springs
    • Screven
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Jesup
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)

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

Cemeteries Near Shady Acres ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Shady Acres.

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 Shady Acres - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • Deen Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the south)
  • Baxley Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
  • Crosby Chapel UMC Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crosby Chapel UMC Cemetery
    • The Crosby Chapel UMC Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Crosby Cemetery
  • Old Pleasant Grove Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
  • Lynn Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • Graham Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Omega Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
  • Corinth Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Carter Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • Old Field Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
  • Moody Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moody Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Moody Cemetery is located 4 miles [6.4 km]<2> to the north of Baxley.
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #35419 <3>
  • Miles Chapel Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Continue List   (274 more) ...
    • Beckworth Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Carter Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
    • Appling Memorial Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 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.<4>

While we didn't find Shady Acres in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Shady Acres.

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

  • Baxley
    (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
  • Prentiss
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Prentiss is located in Appling County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prentiss
  • Wheaton
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
    • Wheaton is located in Appling County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wheaton
  • Pine Grove
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Pine Grove is located in Appling County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Grove
  • Graham
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Graham is located in Appling County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Graham
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 289 people
  • Surrency
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
  • Johnsonville ‑ Historic
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Johnsonville is located in Appling County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Johnsonville
  • English Eddy
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
    • English Eddy is located in Toombs County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for English Eddy
  • Brentwood
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
    • Brentwood is located in Wayne County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brentwood
  • Altamaha
    (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Altamaha is located in Tattnall County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Altamaha
    • Former name for Altamaha:
    • Atamaha
  • Odum
    (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
  • Ritch
    (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Ritch is located in Wayne County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ritch
  • Continue List   (11 more) ...
    • Nicholls
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Lumber City
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Beach
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
      • Beach is located in Ware County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beach

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

Newspapers Published in Shady Acres ...

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 36 newspapers that have been published in the area around Shady Acres.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Shady Acres, there are papers which were published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Shady Acres.

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 professional and volunteer 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 Shady Acres:

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>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- Shady Acres) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.
<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 Shady Acres, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.