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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 Johnsontown (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 Johnsontown. 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.

Johnsontown is located in Bladen 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 Bladen County: Columbus, Cumberland, Pender, Robeson & Sampson.

Below are the counties that are near Johnsontown. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Johnsontown:

  • Bladen County     (The home county of Johnsontown)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Johnsontown, with the one closest to Johnsontown listed first.
    • Ammon
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
      • Ammon is located in Bladen County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ammon
    • Yorick
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Yorick is located in Bladen County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yorick
    • Ruskin
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
      • Ruskin is located in Bladen County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ruskin
    • White Oak
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
    • Elizabethtown
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
    • White Lake
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Mount Olive
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
      • Mount Olive is located in Bladen County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Olive
    • Dublin
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Dublin is located in Bladen County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dublin
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 328 people
    • Jerome
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Jerome is located in Bladen County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jerome
    • Tar Heel
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
    • Abbottsburg
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Abbottsburg is located in Bladen County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Abbottsburg
    • Clarkton
      (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
    • Bladenboro
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
  • Columbus County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Johnsontown, with the one closest to Johnsontown listed first.
    • Rico
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
      • Rico is located in Columbus County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rico
    • Mount Olive
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Mount Olive is located in Columbus County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Olive
    • Whiteville
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
    • Hallsboro
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
      • Hallsboro is located in Columbus County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hallsboro
    • Lake Waccamaw
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
    • Sandyfield
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Sandyfield is located in Columbus County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sandyfield
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 415 people
    • Evergreen
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Evergreen is located in Columbus County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Evergreen
    • Bolton
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
    • Redbug
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
      • Redbug is located in Columbus County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Redbug
    • Boardman
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Boardman is located in Columbus County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boardman
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 152 people
  • Cumberland County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Johnsontown, with the one closest to Johnsontown listed first.
    • Stedman
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
    • Judson
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Judson is located in Cumberland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Judson
    • Vander
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
      • Vander is located in Cumberland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vander
    • Ardulusa
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Ardulusa is located in Cumberland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ardulusa
    • Hope Mills
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Williams Village
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Williams Village is located in Cumberland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Williams Village
    • Eastover
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Eastover is located in Cumberland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eastover
      • Estimated population in 2015: 3,677 people
    • Fayetteville
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Cumberland
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Timberlake
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Timberlake is located in Cumberland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Timberlake
    • Highland Village
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Highland Village is located in Cumberland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Highland Village
    • Holly Springs
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Holly Springs is located in Cumberland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holly Springs
    • Kingsford
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Kingsford is located in Cumberland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kingsford
  • Duplin County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Johnsontown, with the one closest to Johnsontown listed first.
    • Harrells
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
      • Harrells is located in Duplin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harrells
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 191 people
    • Concord
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
      • Concord is located in Duplin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Concord
    • Brices Crossroads
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
      • Brices Crossroads is located in Duplin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brices Crossroads
    • Duff Creek
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
      • Duff Creek is located in Duplin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Duff Creek
    • Safe
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
      • Safe is located in Duplin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Safe
    • Baltic
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Baltic is located in Duplin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Baltic
  • Pender County
    • Atkinson
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
  • Robeson County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Johnsontown, with the one closest to Johnsontown listed first.
    • Allenton
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Allenton is located in Robeson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Allenton
    • Rozier Siding ‑ Historic
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
      • Rozier Siding is located in Robeson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rozier Siding
    • Saint Pauls
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
    • Barker Ten Mile
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
      • Barker Ten Mile is located in Robeson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barker Ten Mile
    • Lumberton
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
    • Saddletree
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
      • Saddletree is located in Robeson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saddletree
    • Parkton
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Rex
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
      • Rex is located in Robeson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rex
    • Rennert
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • Rennert is located in Robeson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rennert
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 373 people
    • Lowe
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
      • Lowe is located in Robeson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lowe
    • Lumber Bridge
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
      • Lumber Bridge is located in Robeson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lumber Bridge
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 87 people
  • Sampson County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Johnsontown, with the one closest to Johnsontown listed first.
    • Garland
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
    • McDaniels
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
      • McDaniels is located in Sampson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McDaniels
    • Tomahawk
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
      • Tomahawk is located in Sampson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tomahawk
    • Ingold
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Ingold is located in Sampson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ingold
    • Roseboro
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
    • Snow Hill
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Snow Hill is located in Sampson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Snow Hill
    • Kerr
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
      • Kerr is located in Sampson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kerr
    • Autryville
      (18 miles [29 km] to the north)
      • Autryville is located in Sampson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Autryville
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 191 people
    • Concord
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
      • Concord is located in Sampson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Concord
    • Salemburg
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
    • Beulah
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Beulah is located in Sampson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beulah
    • Bonnetsville
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Bonnetsville is located in Sampson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bonnetsville
    • Delway
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
      • Delway is located in Sampson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Delway

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

Cemeteries Near Johnsontown ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Johnsontown.

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

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

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

  • Sand Hill Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • Melvin Family Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Marshburn Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Carroll Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Smith Memorial Gardens Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
  • Dyson Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
  • Norris Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
  • Friendship Bible Holiness Church Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
  • Benson Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
  • Mt. Olive Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
  • Melvin Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
  • Smith Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
  • Continue List   (251 more) ...
    • Melvin Cemetery
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Johnson Cemetery
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
    • McGill Cemetery
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)

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 Johnsontown in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Johnsontown.

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

  • Ammon
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
    • Ammon is located in Bladen County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ammon
  • Elizabethtown
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
  • Parkersburg
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Parkersburg is located in Sampson County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parkersburg
  • Garland
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
  • Jerome
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Jerome is located in Bladen County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jerome
  • Tar Heel
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
  • Tomahawk
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
    • Tomahawk is located in Sampson County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tomahawk
  • Ingold
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Ingold is located in Sampson County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ingold
  • Roseboro
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
  • Clear Run
    (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
    • Clear Run is located in Sampson County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clear Run
  • Hayne
    (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
    • Hayne is located in Sampson County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hayne
  • Abbottsburg
    (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Abbottsburg is located in Bladen County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Abbottsburg
  • Continue List   (15 more) ...
    • Kerr
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
      • Kerr is located in Sampson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kerr
    • Tolarsville
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
      • Tolarsville is located in Robeson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tolarsville
    • Autryville
      (18 miles [29 km] to the north)
      • Autryville is located in Sampson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Autryville
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 191 people

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

Newspapers Published in Johnsontown ...

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 21 newspapers that have been published in the area around Johnsontown.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Johnsontown, there are papers which were published within 25 miles [40.2 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Johnsontown.

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 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 Johnsontown:

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' (or 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- Johnsontown) 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 Johnsontown, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.