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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 Wheaton (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 Wheaton. 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 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.

Wheaton 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 Wheaton. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Wheaton:

  • Appling County     (The home county of Wheaton)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Wheaton, with the one closest to Wheaton listed first.
    • Baxley
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
    • Surrency
      (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
    • Phillipi
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
      • Phillipi is located in Appling County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Phillipi
      • Population from the 2010 Census: 707 people
    • Graham
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
      • Graham is located in Appling County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Graham
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 289 people
  • Bacon County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Wheaton, with the one closest to Wheaton listed first.
    • Coffee
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
      • Coffee is located in Bacon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coffee
    • Alma
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
      • 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>
    • Guysie
      (20 miles [32.2 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 Wheaton, with the one closest to Wheaton listed first.
    • Nicholls
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
    • West Green
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
  • Jeff Davis County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Wheaton, with the one closest to Wheaton listed first.
    • Quinn ‑ Historic
      (15 miles [24.1 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
    • Tallahassee
      (20 miles [32.2 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
    • Hazlehurst
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
    • Denton
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
    • Lumber City Ferry
      (25 miles [40.2 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
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
      • Kirkland is located in Jeff Davis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kirkland
  • Long County
    • Donald
      (25 miles [40.2 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 Wheaton, with the one closest to Wheaton listed first.
    • Uvalda
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
    • Alston
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Petross
      (29 miles [46.7 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 Wheaton, with the one closest to Wheaton listed first.
    • Mershon
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
    • Bristol
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
    • Patterson
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
    • Offerman
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
  • Tattnall County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Wheaton, with the one closest to Wheaton listed first.
    • Reidsville
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
    • Glennville
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
    • Mendes
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Mendes is located in Tattnall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mendes
      • Estimated population in 2019: 456 people
    • Midway
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Midway is located in Tattnall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Midway
      • Estimated population in 2019: 657 people
    • Collins
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
  • Telfair County
    • Lumber City
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
  • Toombs County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Wheaton, with the one closest to Wheaton listed first.
    • Cedar Crossing
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
      • Cedar Crossing is located in Toombs County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar Crossing
    • Toombs Central
      (20 miles [32.2 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
      (23 miles [37 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
    • Ohoopee
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
      • Ohoopee is located in Toombs County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ohoopee
    • Lyons
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
  • Wayne County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Wheaton, with the one closest to Wheaton listed first.
    • Odum
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
    • Madray Springs
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
      • Madray Springs is located in Wayne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Madray Springs
    • Screven
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
    • Jesup
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Doctortown
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
      • Doctortown is located in Wayne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Doctortown

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

Cemeteries Near Wheaton ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Wheaton.

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 Wheaton - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • Old Pleasant Grove Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Graham Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Old Field Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
  • Deen Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
  • Lynn Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Beckworth Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • Surrency Grove Baptist Church Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
  • Surrency Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • Joyner Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
  • Omega Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
  • Carter Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Baxley Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
  • Continue List   (268 more) ...
    • Overstreet Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Carter Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Davis Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)

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 Wheaton had a population of 74 people in 1895 with railroad service and no post office.

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

  • Baxley
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
  • Surrency
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • Prentiss
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
    • Prentiss is located in Appling County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prentiss
  • Brentwood
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
    • Brentwood is located in Wayne County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brentwood
  • Pine Grove
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
    • Pine Grove is located in Appling County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Grove
  • Graham
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
    • Graham is located in Appling County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Graham
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 289 people
  • Altamaha
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
    • Altamaha is located in Tattnall County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Altamaha
    • Former name for Altamaha:
    • Atamaha
  • Johnsonville ‑ Historic
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
    • Johnsonville is located in Appling County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Johnsonville
  • English Eddy
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
    • English Eddy is located in Toombs County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for English Eddy
  • Odum
    (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
  • Ritch
    (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
    • Ritch is located in Wayne County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ritch
  • Tison
    (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
    • Tison is located in Tattnall County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tison
  • Continue List   (12 more) ...
    • Screven
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
    • Glennville
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
    • Reidsville
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)

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

Newspapers Published in Wheaton ...

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 Wheaton.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Wheaton, there are papers which were published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Wheaton.

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 Wheaton:

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 Wheaton, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.
<4>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- Wheaton) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.