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 Hays Mill (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 Hays Mill. 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 Hays Mill ...
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 Hays Mill: Hays Ml. (or less commonly used: Hays Mll.)
- While the name of this community is Hays Mill, be aware that it's the common practice of mapmakers to remove the apostrophe from possessive names<1>. So Hays Mill may originally have been Hay's Mill.
Sometimes the trailing 's' might be dropped altogether, in which case Hays Mill might be written as Hay Mill.
You might be interested in other communities that are also named Hays Mill. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Hays Mill.
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 southeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors and hospitals were in the next county to the east. Almost all of the nearby churches and cemeteries were in the county to the south.
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 south 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.
Hays Mill is located in Sampson County.
To see how the shape of North Carolina's counties may have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.
The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Sampson County: Bladen, Cumberland, Duplin, Harnett, Johnston, Pender & Wayne.
Below are the counties that are near Hays Mill. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Hays Mill:
- Sampson County (The home county of Hays Mill)
- The following are listed by their distance from Hays Mill, with the one closest to Hays Mill listed first.
- Rebel City
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Rebel City is located in Sampson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rebel City
- Huntley
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Huntley is located in Sampson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Huntley
- Autryville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Autryville is located in Sampson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Autryville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 191 people
- Plain View
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Plain View is located in Sampson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plain View
- Spiveys Corner
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Spiveys Corner is located in Sampson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spiveys Corner
- Salemburg
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Beaman Crossroads
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Beaman Crossroads is located in Sampson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beaman Crossroads
- Reynolds Crossroads
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Reynolds Crossroads is located in Sampson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reynolds Crossroads
- Roseboro
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Kitty Fork
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Kitty Fork is located in Sampson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kitty Fork
- Vann Crossroads
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Vann Crossroads is located in Sampson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vann Crossroads
- Blackmans Mills
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Blackmans Mills is located in Sampson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blackmans Mills
- Bladen County
- The following are listed by their distance from Hays Mill, with the one closest to Hays Mill listed first.
- Jerome
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Jerome is located in Bladen County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jerome
- Ammon
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Ammon is located in Bladen County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ammon
- White Oak
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Ruskin
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Ruskin is located in Bladen County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ruskin
- Tar Heel
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Cumberland County
- The following are listed by their distance from Hays Mill, with the one closest to Hays Mill listed first.
- Falcon
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Falcon is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Falcon
- Population from the 2020 Census: 250 people
- Godwin
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Wade
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Stedman
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Eastover
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Eastover is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eastover
- Estimated population in 2015: 3,677 people
- Linden
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Vander
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Vander is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vander
- Judson
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Judson is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Judson
- Williams Village
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Williams Village is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Williams Village
- Fayetteville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Holly Springs
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Holly Springs is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holly Springs
- North Point Village
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- North Point Village is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Point Village
- Duplin County
- The following are listed by their distance from Hays Mill, with the one closest to Hays Mill listed first.
- Baltic
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Baltic is located in Duplin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Baltic
- Faison
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Bowdens
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Bowdens is located in Duplin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bowdens
- Calypso
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Calypso is located in Duplin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Calypso
- Population from the 2020 Census: 528 people
- Harnett County
- The following are listed by their distance from Hays Mill, with the one closest to Hays Mill listed first.
- Averasboro ‑ Historic
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Averasboro is located in Harnett County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Averasboro
- Dunn
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Grove Park
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Grove Park is located in Harnett County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grove Park
- Lakeside Village
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Lakeside Village is located in Harnett County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakeside Village
- Erwin
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Westhaven
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Westhaven is located in Harnett County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westhaven
- Fonville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Fonville is located in Harnett County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fonville
- Bunnlevel
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Bunnlevel is located in Harnett County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bunnlevel
- Walkertown
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Walkertown is located in Harnett County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walkertown
- Turlington
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Turlington is located in Harnett County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Turlington
- Harnett
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Harnett is located in Harnett County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harnett
- Senter
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Senter is located in Harnett County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Senter
- Hoke County
- Rockfish
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Rockfish is located in Hoke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rockfish
- Johnston County
- The following are listed by their distance from Hays Mill, with the one closest to Hays Mill listed first.
- McKoy
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- McKoy is located in Johnston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McKoy
- Peacocks Crossroads
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Peacocks Crossroads is located in Johnston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peacocks Crossroads
- Benson
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Allens Crossroads
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Allens Crossroads is located in Johnston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Allens Crossroads
- Harper
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Harper is located in Johnston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harper
- Bentonville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Bentonville is located in Johnston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bentonville
- Four Oaks
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Willow Springs
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Willow Springs is located in Johnston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willow Springs
- Robeson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Hays Mill, with the one closest to Hays Mill listed first.
- Parkton
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Saint Pauls
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Lumber Bridge
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Lumber Bridge is located in Robeson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lumber Bridge
- Population from the 2020 Census: 87 people
- Rex
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Rex is located in Robeson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rex
- Wake County
- The following are listed by their distance from Hays Mill, with the one closest to Hays Mill listed first.
- Kennebec
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Kennebec is located in Wake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kennebec
- Mount Pleasant
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Mount Pleasant is located in Wake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Pleasant
- Wayne County
- Grantham
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Grantham is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grantham
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Hays Mill, see our County-by-County Page for Hays Mill.
Cemeteries Near Hays Mill ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Hays Mill.
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 Hays Mill - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Hays Mill covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Hays Mill, with the one closest to Hays Mill listed first.
- Autry Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Williams Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Maxwell Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Hall Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Williams Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Hawley Family Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Jackson Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Halls Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Autry - Daniels Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Naylor Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Autry - Averitt Family Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Baggett Family Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Continue List (190 more) ...
- McCall Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Home Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Spell Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 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 Hays Mill in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Hays Mill.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Hays Mill, with the one closest to Hays Mill listed first.
- Clement
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Clement is located in Sampson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clement
- Mingo
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Mingo is located in Sampson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mingo
- Huntley
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Huntley is located in Sampson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Huntley
- Godwin
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Wade
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Stedman
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Autryville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Autryville is located in Sampson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Autryville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 191 people
- Hayne
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Hayne is located in Sampson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hayne
- Averasboro ‑ Historic
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Averasboro is located in Harnett County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Averasboro
- Carlos
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Carlos is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carlos
- Vander
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Vander is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vander
- Beaman Crossroads
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Beaman Crossroads is located in Sampson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beaman Crossroads
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Timothy
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Timothy is located in Sampson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Timothy
- Roseboro
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- McKoy
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- McKoy is located in Johnston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McKoy
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Hays Mill. See our List of 1890's Communities around Hays Mill.
Newspapers Published in Hays Mill ...
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 77 newspapers that have been published in the area around Hays Mill.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Hays Mill, there are papers which were published within 19 miles [30.6 km]<5>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Hays Mill.
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 Hays Mill:
- Websites specific to North Carolina
- Pages specific to Sampson County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Bladen County
- Cumberland County
- Duplin County
- Harnett County
- Hoke County
- Johnston County
- Robeson County
- Wake County
- Wayne County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for North Carolina
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 Hays Mill, 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 things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Hays Mill) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |