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 Sparks (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 Sparks. 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 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 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.
Sparks is located in Washington 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 Washington County: Baldwin, Glascock, Hancock, Jefferson, Johnson, Warren & Wilkinson.
Below are the counties that are near Sparks. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Sparks:
- Washington County (The home county of Sparks)
- The following are listed by their distance from Sparks, with the one closest to Sparks listed first.
- Warthen
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Sandersville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Davisboro
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Tennille
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Riddleville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Riddleville is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riddleville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 86 people
- Deepstep
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Goat Town
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Goat Town is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goat Town
- Harrison
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Gardner
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Gardner is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gardner
- Estimated population in 2019: 201 people
- Oconee
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Baldwin County
- The following are listed by their distance from Sparks, with the one closest to Sparks listed first.
- Black Spring
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Black Spring is located in Baldwin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Black Spring
- Oconee Old Town ‑ Historic
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Oconee Old Town is located in Baldwin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oconee Old Town
- The Colony
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- The Colony is located in Baldwin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for The Colony
- Estimated population in 2019: 1,834 people
- Hardwick
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Milledgeville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Mount Pleasant
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Mount Pleasant is located in Baldwin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Pleasant
- Burke County
- The following are listed by their distance from Sparks, with the one closest to Sparks listed first.
- Vidette
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Vidette is located in Burke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vidette
- Population from the 2020 Census: 105 people
- Gough
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Rosier
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Rosier is located in Burke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rosier
- Torbit Station ‑ Historic
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Torbit Station is located in Burke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Torbit Station
- Torbit Station has also been known as:
- Torbit
- Brushy Creek ‑ Historic
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Brushy Creek is located in Burke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brushy Creek
- Magruder
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Magruder is located in Burke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Magruder
- Saint Clair
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Saint Clair is located in Burke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Clair
- Emanuel County
- Blundale
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Blundale is located in Emanuel County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blundale
- Glascock County
- The following are listed by their distance from Sparks, with the one closest to Sparks listed first.
- Edge Hill
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Edge Hill is located in Glascock County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edge Hill
- Population from the 2020 Census: 23 people
- Mitchell
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Gibson
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Greene County
- Swaggy Valley
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Swaggy Valley is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Swaggy Valley
- Estimated population in 2019: 7,542 people
- Hancock County
- The following are listed by their distance from Sparks, with the one closest to Sparks listed first.
- Zebulon
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Zebulon is located in Hancock County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zebulon
- Estimated population in 2019: 1,228 people
- Sparta
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Springfield
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Springfield is located in Hancock County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Springfield
- Buckhead ‑ Historic
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Buckhead is located in Hancock County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buckhead
- Estimated population in 2019: 183 people
- Gum Hill
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Gum Hill is located in Hancock County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gum Hill
- Population from the 2010 Census: 2,146 people
- Jefferson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Sparks, with the one closest to Sparks listed first.
- Omaha Springs
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Omaha Springs is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Omaha Springs
- Stapletons Crossroads
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Stapletons Crossroads is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stapletons Crossroads
- Estimated population in 2019: 393 people
- Avera
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Stapleton
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Louisville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Wrens Station
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Wrens Station is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wrens Station
- Estimated population in 2019: 1,939 people
- Wrens
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Bartow
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Zebina
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Zebina is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zebina
- Moxley
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Moxley is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moxley
- Wadley
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Matthews
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Johnson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Sparks, with the one closest to Sparks listed first.
- Wrightsville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Kite
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Laurens County
- The following are listed by their distance from Sparks, with the one closest to Sparks listed first.
- Tuckers Crossroad
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Tuckers Crossroad is located in Laurens County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tuckers Crossroad
- Midway
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Midway is located in Laurens County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Midway
- Estimated population in 2019: 2,061 people
- McDuffie County
- The following are listed by their distance from Sparks, with the one closest to Sparks listed first.
- Megahee
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Megahee is located in McDuffie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Megahee
- Estimated population in 2019: 1,031 people
- Boneville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Thomson
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Dearing
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Putnam County
- Oconee Springs
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Oconee Springs is located in Putnam County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oconee Springs
- Estimated population in 2019: 243 people
- Warren County
- The following are listed by their distance from Sparks, with the one closest to Sparks listed first.
- Jewell
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Warrenton
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Camak
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Norwood
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Mesena
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Barnett
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Barnett is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barnett
- Wilkinson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Sparks, with the one closest to Sparks listed first.
- Beech Hill
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Beech Hill is located in Wilkinson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beech Hill
- Toomsboro
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Sparks, see our County-by-County Page for Sparks.
Cemeteries Near Sparks ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Sparks.
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 Sparks - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Sparks covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Sparks, with the one closest to Sparks listed first.
- John Sparks Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Amerson Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Antioch Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Downs Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Bethlehem Baptist Church Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bethlehem Baptist Church Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Bethlehem Baptist Church Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the north of Warthen.
- The Bethlehem Baptist Church Cemetery has also been known as:
- Bethlehem Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #32824 <2>
- Warthen UMC Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Cummings Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Gordon Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Oak Grove Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Whiteoak Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Warthen Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Oak Grove Baptist Church Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Continue List (559 more) ...
- Mt. Olive Baptist Church Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Murphy Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Halls Cross Roads Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
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 Sparks in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Sparks.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Sparks, with the one closest to Sparks listed first.
- Warthen
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Downs
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Downs is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Downs
- Chalker ‑ Historic
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Chalker is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chalker
- Lindsey ‑ Historic
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Lindsey is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lindsey
- Agricola
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Agricola is located in Glascock County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Agricola
- Sandersville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Sun Hill
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Sun Hill is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sun Hill
- Mitchell
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Tennille
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Gibson
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Riddleville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Riddleville is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riddleville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 86 people
- Deepstep
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Avera
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Linton
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Linton is located in Hancock County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Linton
- Hebron
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Hebron is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hebron
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Sparks. See our List of 1890's Communities around Sparks.
Newspapers Published in Sparks ...
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 40 newspapers that have been published in the area around Sparks.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Sparks, 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 Sparks.
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 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 Sparks:
- Websites specific to Georgia
- Pages specific to Washington County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Baldwin County
- Burke County
- Emanuel County
- Glascock County
- Greene County
- Hancock County
- Jefferson County
- Johnson County
- Laurens County
- McDuffie County
- Putnam County
- Warren County
- Wilkinson 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> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a '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- Sparks) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |
| <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 Sparks, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |