RoadsideThoughts
A Gazetteer for the United States and Canada
Home >> State of Georgia >> Appling County >> Zion >> Genealogy HelperIndex...

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 Zion (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 Zion. 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.

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

  • Appling County     (The home county of Zion)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Zion, with the one closest to Zion listed first.
    • Surrency
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
    • Baxley
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Phillipi
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Phillipi is located in Appling County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Phillipi
      • Population from the 2010 Census: 707 people
    • Graham
      (19 miles [30.6 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 Zion, with the one closest to Zion listed first.
    • Coffee
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
      • Coffee is located in Bacon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coffee
    • Alma
      (27 miles [43.5 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
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Guysie is located in Bacon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Guysie
      • Estimated population in 2019: 2,226 people
  • Evans County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Zion, with the one closest to Zion listed first.
    • Bellville
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
    • Hagan
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
    • Claxton
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Daisy
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
  • Jeff Davis County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Zion, with the one closest to Zion listed first.
    • Quinn ‑ Historic
      (22 miles [35.4 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
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
      • Tallahassee is located in Jeff Davis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tallahassee
      • Estimated population in 2019: 3,185 people
    • Hazlehurst
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
    • Lumber City Ferry
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • 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
  • Liberty County
    • Gum Branch
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
      • Gum Branch is located in Liberty County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gum Branch
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 269 people
  • Long County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Zion, with the one closest to Zion listed first.
    • Donald
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
      • Donald is located in Long County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Donald
      • Estimated population in 2019: 2,466 people
    • Ludowici
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
  • Montgomery County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Zion, with the one closest to Zion listed first.
    • Alston
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Uvalda
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Petross
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Petross is located in Montgomery County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Petross
    • Higgston
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Higgston is located in Montgomery County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Higgston
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 305 people
  • Pierce County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Zion, with the one closest to Zion listed first.
    • Mershon
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
    • Bristol
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
  • Tattnall County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Zion, with the one closest to Zion listed first.
    • Glennville
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
    • Reidsville
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
    • Mendes
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Mendes is located in Tattnall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mendes
      • Estimated population in 2019: 456 people
    • Midway
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Midway is located in Tattnall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Midway
      • Estimated population in 2019: 657 people
    • Collins
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
    • Manassas
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Cobbtown
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
      • Cobbtown is located in Tattnall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cobbtown
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 342 people
      • Former name for Cobbtown:
      • Cobb Town
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Cobbtown <1>
  • Telfair County
    • Lumber City
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
  • Toombs County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Zion, with the one closest to Zion listed first.
    • Toombs Central
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Toombs Central is located in Toombs County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Toombs Central
      • Estimated population in 2019: 486 people
    • Cedar Crossing
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Cedar Crossing is located in Toombs County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar Crossing
    • Rock Springs
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Rock Springs is located in Toombs County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock Springs
    • Ohoopee
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
      • Ohoopee is located in Toombs County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ohoopee
    • Santa Claus
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Santa Claus is located in Toombs County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Santa Claus
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 160 people
    • Lyons
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
    • Vidalia
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Charles
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Charles is located in Toombs County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Charles
  • Wayne County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Zion, with the one closest to Zion listed first.
    • Madray Springs
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Madray Springs is located in Wayne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Madray Springs
    • Odum
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Jesup
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
    • Doctortown
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Doctortown is located in Wayne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Doctortown
    • Screven
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)

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

Cemeteries Near Zion ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Zion.

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

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

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

  • Woods Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
  • Easons Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
  • Tillman Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
  • Joyner Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Yeoman Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
  • Davis Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • McArthur Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
  • Stripling Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
  • Moody - Tillman Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moody - Tillman Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Moody - Tillman Cemetery is located 7 miles [11.3 km]<2> to the northeast of Surrency.
    • The Moody - Tillman Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Blantons Chapel Cemetery
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #35427 <3>
  • Harden Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
  • Widincamp Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
  • Old Field Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Continue List   (294 more) ...
    • Harris Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
    • Thompson Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Stanfield 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.<4>

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

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

  • Altamaha
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
    • Altamaha is located in Tattnall County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Altamaha
    • Former name for Altamaha:
    • Atamaha
  • Wheaton
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Wheaton is located in Appling County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wheaton
  • Surrency
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
  • Tison
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Tison is located in Tattnall County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tison
  • Baxley
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Brentwood
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
    • Brentwood is located in Wayne County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brentwood
  • English Eddy
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
    • English Eddy is located in Toombs County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for English Eddy
  • Prentiss
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
    • Prentiss is located in Appling County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prentiss
  • Glennville
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
  • Reidsville
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
  • Pine Grove
    (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
    • Pine Grove is located in Appling County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Grove
  • Odum
    (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Birdford ‑ Historic
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
      • Birdford is located in Tattnall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Birdford
    • Johnsonville ‑ Historic
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
      • Johnsonville is located in Appling County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Johnsonville
    • Graham
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
      • Graham is located in Appling County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Graham
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 289 people

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

Newspapers Published in Zion ...

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 41 newspapers that have been published in the area around Zion.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Zion, there are papers which were published within 27 miles [43.5 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Zion.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we like to start with 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 Zion:

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 from Point A (ie- Zion) 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 Zion, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.