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 Olive Branch (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 Olive Branch. 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 Olive Branch ...
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.
For example, a typical abbreviation for Olive Branch: Olive Br. (or less commonly used: Olive Brnch.)
You might be interested in other communities that are also named Olive Branch. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Olive Branch.
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 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.
Olive Branch is located in Union 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 Union County: Anson, Cabarrus, Mecklenburg, Stanly, Chesterfield (SC) & Lancaster (SC).
Below are the counties that are near Olive Branch. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Olive Branch:
- Union County (The home county of Olive Branch)
- The following are listed by their distance from Olive Branch, with the one closest to Olive Branch listed first.
- Fairfield
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Fairfield is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairfield
- Marshville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Wingate
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Unionville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Unionville is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Unionville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 7,344 people
- Fairview
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Fairview is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairview
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,984 people
- Rock Rest
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Rock Rest is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock Rest
- Allens Crossroads
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Allens Crossroads is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Allens Crossroads
- Monroe
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Carmel Village
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Carmel Village is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carmel Village
- Hemby Bridge
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Hemby Bridge is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hemby Bridge
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,846 people
- Lake Park
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Lake Park is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Park
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,999 people
- Altan
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Altan is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Altan
- Anson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Olive Branch, with the one closest to Olive Branch listed first.
- Burnsville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Burnsville is located in Anson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burnsville
- Sugar Town
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Sugar Town is located in Anson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sugar Town
- Peachland
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Roper ‑ Historic
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Roper is located in Anson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roper
- Polkton
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Polkton is located in Anson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Polkton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,288 people
- Ansonville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Ansonville is located in Anson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ansonville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 586 people
- Mineral Springs
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Mineral Springs is located in Anson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mineral Springs
- Wadesboro
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Jones Creek ‑ Historic
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Jones Creek is located in Anson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jones Creek
- Lilesville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Morven
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Morven is located in Anson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morven
- Population from the 2020 Census: 465 people
- Cairo
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Cairo is located in Anson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cairo
- Cabarrus County
- The following are listed by their distance from Olive Branch, with the one closest to Olive Branch listed first.
- Midland
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Bosts Mill ‑ Historic
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Bosts Mill is located in Cabarrus County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bosts Mill
- Georgeville
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Georgeville is located in Cabarrus County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Georgeville
- Mount Pleasant
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Harrisburg
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Concord
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Rimer
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Rimer is located in Cabarrus County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rimer
- Poplar Tent
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Poplar Tent is located in Cabarrus County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Poplar Tent
- Mecklenburg County
- The following are listed by their distance from Olive Branch, with the one closest to Olive Branch listed first.
- Allen
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Allen is located in Mecklenburg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Allen
- Mint Hill
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Matthews
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Weddington
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Providence ‑ Historic
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Providence is located in Mecklenburg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Providence
- Newell
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Newell is located in Mecklenburg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newell
- Chantilly
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Chantilly is located in Mecklenburg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chantilly
- Belmont
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Belmont is located in Mecklenburg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belmont
- Charlotte
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Montgomery County
- The following are listed by their distance from Olive Branch, with the one closest to Olive Branch listed first.
- Mount Gilead
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Mount Gilead is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Gilead
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,141 people
- Wadeville
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Wadeville is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wadeville
- Troy
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Troy is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Troy
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,293 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Troy <1>
- Blaine
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Blaine is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blaine
- Eldorado
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Eldorado is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eldorado
- Shiloh ‑ Historic
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Shiloh is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shiloh
- Richmond County
- Mangum
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Mangum is located in Richmond County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mangum
- Rowan County
- The following are listed by their distance from Olive Branch, with the one closest to Olive Branch listed first.
- Gold Hill
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Garfield ‑ Historic
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Garfield is located in Rowan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garfield
- Stanly County
- The following are listed by their distance from Olive Branch, with the one closest to Olive Branch listed first.
- Oakboro
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Stanfield
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Red Cross
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Red Cross is located in Stanly County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Cross
- Population from the 2020 Census: 769 people
- Locust
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Lambert
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Lambert is located in Stanly County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lambert
- Norwood
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Bloomington
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Bloomington is located in Stanly County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bloomington
- Cedar Village
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Cedar Village is located in Stanly County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar Village
- Albemarle
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Plyer
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Plyer is located in Stanly County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plyer
- Millingport
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Millingport is located in Stanly County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millingport
- Badin
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Chesterfield County (SC)
- The following are listed by their distance from Olive Branch, with the one closest to Olive Branch listed first.
- Mount Croghan
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Pageland
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Ruby
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Ruby is located in Chesterfield County (SC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ruby
- Population from the 2020 Census: 334 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Ruby <1>
- White Plains
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- White Plains is located in Chesterfield County (SC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White Plains
- Chesterfield
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Lancaster County (SC)
- Colonial Village
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Colonial Village is located in Lancaster County (SC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colonial Village
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Olive Branch, see our County-by-County Page for Olive Branch.
Cemeteries Near Olive Branch ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Olive Branch.
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 Olive Branch - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Olive Branch covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Olive Branch, with the one closest to Olive Branch listed first.
- Baucoms Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Davis Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Williams Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Pine View Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Barbees Grove Baptist Church Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Oakboro Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Presson Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Wingate Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Richmond - Sturdivant Cemetery
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Bethlehem Cemetery
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Hill Family Cemetery
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Union Cemetery
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Continue List (113 more) ...
- Bentons Crossroads Cemetery
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Community Baptist Church Cemetery
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Emmanuel Cemetery
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
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 Olive Branch had a population of 218 people in 1895 with a post office and no railroad service.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Olive Branch, with the one closest to Olive Branch listed first.
- Peachland
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Polkton
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Polkton is located in Anson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Polkton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,288 people
- Cottonville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Cottonville is located in Stanly County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cottonville
- Unionville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Unionville is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Unionville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 7,344 people
- Ansonville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Ansonville is located in Anson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ansonville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 586 people
- Cedar Hill
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Cedar Hill is located in Anson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar Hill
- Poplar Hill ‑ Historic
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Poplar Hill is located in Anson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Poplar Hill
- Rock Rest
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Rock Rest is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock Rest
- Norwood
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Furrs ‑ Historic
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Furrs is located in Cabarrus County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Furrs
- Monroe
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Bloomington
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Bloomington is located in Stanly County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bloomington
- Continue List (18 more) ...
- Wadesboro
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Georgeville
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Georgeville is located in Cabarrus County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Georgeville
- Bosts Mill ‑ Historic
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Bosts Mill is located in Cabarrus County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bosts Mill
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Olive Branch. See our List of 1890's Communities around Olive Branch.
Newspapers Published in Olive Branch ...
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 56 newspapers that have been published in the area around Olive Branch.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Olive Branch, there are papers which were published within 18 miles [29 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Olive Branch.
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 helpful 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 Olive Branch:
- Websites specific to North Carolina
- Pages specific to Union County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Anson County
- Cabarrus County
- Mecklenburg County
- Montgomery County
- Richmond County
- Rowan County
- Stanly County
- Chesterfield County
- Lancaster County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for North Carolina
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 Olive Branch, 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' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Olive Branch) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |