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 Smiths Landing (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 Smiths Landing. 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 Smiths Landing ...
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 Smiths Landing: Smiths Lndg. (or less commonly used: Smiths Lndng.)
- While the name of this community is Smiths Landing, be aware that it's the common practice of mapmakers to remove the apostrophe from possessive names<1>. So Smiths Landing may originally have been Smith's Landing.
Sometimes the trailing 's' might be dropped altogether, in which case Smiths Landing might be written as Smith Landing.
You might be interested in other communities that are also named Smiths Landing. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Smiths Landing.
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 northwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors and hospitals 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.
Smiths Landing is located in Decatur 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 Decatur County: Gadsden (FL), Baker, Grady, Miller, Mitchell & Seminole.
Below are the counties that are near Smiths Landing. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Smiths Landing:
- Decatur County (The home county of Smiths Landing)
- The following are listed by their distance from Smiths Landing, with the one closest to Smiths Landing listed first.
- Brinson
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Recovery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Recovery is located in Decatur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Recovery
- Population from the 2010 Census: 33,015 people
- Bainbridge
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Faceville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Faceville is located in Decatur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Faceville
- Fowlstown
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Climax
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Attapulgus
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Vada
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Vada is located in Decatur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vada
- Estimated population in 2019: 56,457 people
- Baker County
- The following are listed by their distance from Smiths Landing, with the one closest to Smiths Landing listed first.
- Lamar ‑ Historic
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Lamar is located in Baker County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lamar
- Anna
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Anna is located in Baker County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Anna
- Mimsville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Mimsville is located in Baker County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mimsville
- Early County
- The following are listed by their distance from Smiths Landing, with the one closest to Smiths Landing listed first.
- Jakin
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Springfield
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Springfield is located in Early County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Springfield
- Estimated population in 2019: 4,084 people
- Cedar Springs
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Centerville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Centerville is located in Early County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Centerville
- Damascus
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Hentown
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Hentown is located in Early County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hentown
- Estimated population in 2019: 3,944 people
- Douglass Crossroads
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Douglass Crossroads is located in Early County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Douglass Crossroads
- Estimated population in 2019: 33,992 people
- Grady County
- The following are listed by their distance from Smiths Landing, with the one closest to Smiths Landing listed first.
- Whigham
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Calvary
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Reno
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Reno is located in Grady County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reno
- Estimated population in 2019: 285 people
- Good Hope ‑ Historic
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Good Hope is located in Grady County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Good Hope
- Estimated population in 2019: 300 people
- Miller County
- The following are listed by their distance from Smiths Landing, with the one closest to Smiths Landing listed first.
- Boykin
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Boykin is located in Miller County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boykin
- Floydtown ‑ Historic
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Floydtown is located in Miller County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Floydtown
- Colquitt
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Mayhaw
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Mayhaw is located in Miller County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mayhaw
- Seminole County
- The following are listed by their distance from Smiths Landing, with the one closest to Smiths Landing listed first.
- Reynoldsville
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Reynoldsville is located in Seminole County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reynoldsville
- Estimated population in 2019: 960 people
- Iron City
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Donalsonville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Butlers Ferry
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Butlers Ferry is located in Seminole County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Butlers Ferry
- Estimated population in 2019: 1,759 people
- Steam Mill
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Steam Mill is located in Seminole County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Steam Mill
- Houston County (AL)
- Gordon
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Gordon is located in Houston County (AL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gordon
- Population from the 2020 Census: 328 people
- Calhoun County (FL)
- Ocheesee
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Ocheesee is located in Calhoun County (FL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ocheesee
- Gadsden County (FL)
- The following are listed by their distance from Smiths Landing, with the one closest to Smiths Landing listed first.
- Chattahoochee
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- River Junction
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- River Junction is located in Gadsden County (FL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for River Junction
- Mount Pleasant
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Gretna
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Douglas City
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Douglas City is located in Gadsden County (FL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Douglas City
- Greensboro
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Sycamore
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Sycamore is located in Gadsden County (FL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sycamore
- Quincy
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Havana
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Jackson County (FL)
- The following are listed by their distance from Smiths Landing, with the one closest to Smiths Landing listed first.
- Butler ‑ Historic
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Butler is located in Jackson County (FL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Butler
- Parramore ‑ Historic
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Parramore is located in Jackson County (FL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parramore
- Sneads
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Inwood
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Inwood is located in Jackson County (FL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Inwood
- Two Egg
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Two Egg is located in Jackson County (FL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Two Egg
- Grand Ridge
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Bascom
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Cypress
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Greenwood
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Malone
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Marianna
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Leon County (FL)
- Ocklockonee ‑ Historic
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Ocklockonee is located in Leon County (FL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ocklockonee
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Smiths Landing, see our County-by-County Page for Smiths Landing.
Cemeteries Near Smiths Landing ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Smiths Landing.
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 Smiths Landing - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Smiths Landing covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Smiths Landing, with the one closest to Smiths Landing listed first.
- Cloud Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Chason Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Mock Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Breedlove Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Jackson Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Thursby Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Morning Star Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- New Enterprise Freewill Baptist Church Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Olive Grove Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Ash Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Thompson Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Trawick Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Continue List (224 more) ...
- Williams Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Miller Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Trawick Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
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 Smiths Landing in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Smiths Landing.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Smiths Landing, with the one closest to Smiths Landing listed first.
- Brinson
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Recovery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Recovery is located in Decatur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Recovery
- Population from the 2010 Census: 33,015 people
- Bainbridge
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Faceville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Faceville is located in Decatur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Faceville
- Eldorendo
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Eldorendo is located in Decatur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eldorendo
- Spooner ‑ Historic
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Spooner is located in Miller County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spooner
- Fowlstown
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Twilight ‑ Historic
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Twilight is located in Miller County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Twilight
- Chattahoochee
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- River Junction
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- River Junction is located in Gadsden County (FL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for River Junction
- Sneads
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Mount Pleasant
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Horns Cross Road ‑ Historic
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Horns Cross Road is located in Miller County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Horns Cross Road
- Inwood
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Inwood is located in Jackson County (FL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Inwood
- Attapulgus
(18 miles [29 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 Smiths Landing. See our List of 1890's Communities around Smiths Landing.
Newspapers Published in Smiths Landing ...
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 32 newspapers that have been published in the area around Smiths Landing.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Smiths Landing, there are papers which were published within 23 miles [37 km]<5>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Smiths Landing.
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 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 Smiths Landing:
- Websites specific to Georgia
- Pages specific to Decatur County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Baker County
- Early County
- Grady County
- Miller County
- Seminole County
- Houston County
- Calhoun County
- Gadsden County
- Jackson County
- Leon County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Georgia
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 Smiths Landing, 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 obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Smiths Landing) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |