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 Westlake (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 Westlake. 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 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.
Westlake is located in Twiggs 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 Twiggs County: Bibb, Bleckley, Houston, Jones, Laurens & Wilkinson.
Below are the counties that are near Westlake. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Westlake:
- Twiggs County (The home county of Westlake)
- The following are listed by their distance from Westlake, with the one closest to Westlake listed first.
- Marion
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Marion is located in Twiggs County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marion
- Jeffersonville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Huber
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Huber is located in Twiggs County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Huber
- Danville
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Dry Branch
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Bibb County
- The following are listed by their distance from Westlake, with the one closest to Westlake listed first.
- Walden
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Walden is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walden
- Estimated population in 2019: 964 people
- Rutland
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Rutland is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rutland
- Estimated population in 2019: 842 people
- Wheeler Heights
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Wheeler Heights is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wheeler Heights
- East Macon
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- East Macon is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Macon
- Vinson Village
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Vinson Village is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vinson Village
- Cross Keys
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Cross Keys is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cross Keys
- Mogul
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Mogul is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mogul
- Estimated population in 2019: 400 people
- Bloomfield Park
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Bloomfield Park is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bloomfield Park
- Estimated population in 2019: 2,686 people
- Macon
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Brookhaven
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Brookhaven is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brookhaven
- Estimated population in 2019: 55,554 people
- Payne
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Payne is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Payne
- West Point
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- West Point is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Point
- Lizella
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Bleckley County
- The following are listed by their distance from Westlake, with the one closest to Westlake listed first.
- Royal
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Royal is located in Bleckley County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Royal
- Estimated population in 2019: 2,571 people
- Cochran
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Allentown
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Crawford County
- The following are listed by their distance from Westlake, with the one closest to Westlake listed first.
- Lee Pope
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Lee Pope is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lee Pope
- Estimated population in 2019: 3,055 people
- Zenith
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Zenith is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zenith
- Dodge County
- The following are listed by their distance from Westlake, with the one closest to Westlake listed first.
- Empire
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Empire is located in Dodge County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Empire
- Yonkers
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Yonkers is located in Dodge County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yonkers
- Chester
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Bryant
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Bryant is located in Dodge County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bryant
- Plainfield
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Eastman
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Dooly County
- The following are listed by their distance from Westlake, with the one closest to Westlake listed first.
- Unadilla
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Pinehurst
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Houston County
- The following are listed by their distance from Westlake, with the one closest to Westlake listed first.
- Bonaire
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Stathams Landing
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Stathams Landing is located in Houston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stathams Landing
- Estimated population in 2019: 2,839 people
- Kathleen
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Woodard Estates
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Woodard Estates is located in Houston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodard Estates
- Estimated population in 2019: 1,352 people
- Clinchfield
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Warner Robins
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Elberta
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Elberta is located in Houston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elberta
- Estimated population in 2019: 4,329 people
- Perry
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Centerville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Elko
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Jones County
- The following are listed by their distance from Westlake, with the one closest to Westlake listed first.
- Griswoldville ‑ Historic
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Griswoldville is located in Jones County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Griswoldville
- Jones Acres
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Jones Acres is located in Jones County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jones Acres
- Estimated population in 2019: 4,962 people
- Belvedere Manor
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Belvedere Manor is located in Jones County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belvedere Manor
- Population from the 2010 Census: 15,152 people
- Mountain Springs
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Mountain Springs is located in Jones County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mountain Springs
- Pitts
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Pitts is located in Jones County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pitts
- Estimated population in 2019: 293 people
- Laurens County
- The following are listed by their distance from Westlake, with the one closest to Westlake listed first.
- Montrose
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Dudley
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Dexter
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Cadwell
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Rentz
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Macon County
- Marshallville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Peach County
- The following are listed by their distance from Westlake, with the one closest to Westlake listed first.
- Lakeview
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Lakeview is located in Peach County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakeview
- Echeconnee
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Echeconnee is located in Peach County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Echeconnee
- Miami Valley
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Miami Valley is located in Peach County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Miami Valley
- Byron
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Fort Valley
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Taylors Mill
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Taylors Mill is located in Peach County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Taylors Mill
- Estimated population in 2019: 224 people
- Washington Square
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Washington Square is located in Peach County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Washington Square
- Estimated population in 2019: 3,963 people
- Pulaski County
- The following are listed by their distance from Westlake, with the one closest to Westlake listed first.
- Hawkinsville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Finleyson
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Finleyson is located in Pulaski County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Finleyson
- Wilcox County
- Pineview
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Wilkinson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Westlake, with the one closest to Westlake listed first.
- Gordon
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Irwinton
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Brooks
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Brooks is located in Wilkinson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brooks
- Dedrich
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Dedrich is located in Wilkinson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dedrich
- Population from the 2010 Census: 2,146 people
- McIntyre
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Ivey
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Ivey is located in Wilkinson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ivey
- Population from the 2020 Census: 899 people
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Westlake, see our County-by-County Page for Westlake.
Cemeteries Near Westlake ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Westlake.
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 Westlake - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Westlake covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Westlake, with the one closest to Westlake listed first.
- Walker Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- James Dykes Memorial Park
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Burns Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Laurel Grove Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Smith Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Lizzy Harold Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Walters Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- New Richland Baptist Church Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Sandbed MB Church Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- ElSharath MB Church Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for ElSharath MB Church Cemetery
- The ElSharath MB Church Cemetery has also been known as:
- El Sharath MB Church Cemetery
- Vaughn Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Sanders Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Continue List (297 more) ...
- New Hope Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- English Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Faulk Family Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Faulk Family Cemetery
- The Faulk Family Cemetery has also been known as:
- Faulk Cemetery
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>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that in 1895, Westlake had a post office and railroad service.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Westlake, with the one closest to Westlake listed first.
- Bonaire
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Kathleen
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Hayneville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Hayneville is located in Houston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hayneville
- Heard
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Heard is located in Houston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Heard
- Grovania
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Grovania is located in Houston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grovania
- Tharpe ‑ Historic
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Tharpe is located in Houston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tharpe
- Hawkinsville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Empire
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Empire is located in Dodge County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Empire
- Perry
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Reids
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Reids is located in Twiggs County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reids
- Carne ‑ Historic
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Carne is located in Dodge County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carne
- Allentown
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Avondale
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Avondale is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avondale
- Elko
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Dubois
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Dubois is located in Dodge County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dubois
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Westlake. See our List of 1890's Communities around Westlake.
Newspapers Published in Westlake ...
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 15 newspapers that have been published in the area around Westlake.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Westlake, there are papers which were published within 14 miles [22.5 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Westlake.
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 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 Westlake:
- Websites specific to Georgia
- Pages specific to Twiggs County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Bibb County
- Bleckley County
- Crawford County
- Dodge County
- Dooly County
- Houston County
- Jones County
- Laurens County
- Macon County
- Peach County
- Pulaski County
- Wilcox 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> | 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 Westlake, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <4> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'point-to-point' distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Westlake) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |