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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 Princeton (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 Princeton. 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 hospitals and 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.

Princeton is located in Johnston 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 Johnston County: Harnett, Nash, Sampson, Wake, Wayne & Wilson.

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

  • Johnston County     (The home county of Princeton)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Princeton, with the one closest to Princeton listed first.
    • Rains Crossroads
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
      • Rains Crossroads is located in Johnston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rains Crossroads
    • Pine Level
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
    • Micro
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
      • Micro is located in Johnston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Micro
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 553 people
    • Beulahtown
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
      • Beulahtown is located in Johnston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beulahtown
    • Redwood Village
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Redwood Village is located in Johnston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Redwood Village
    • Selma
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Selma is located in Johnston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Selma
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 7,323 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Selma <1>
    • Kenly
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
      • Kenly is located in Johnston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kenly
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,624 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Kenly <1>
    • Fairfield
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
      • Fairfield is located in Johnston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairfield
    • Smithfield
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
    • Bentonville
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Bentonville is located in Johnston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bentonville
    • West Smithfield
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
      • West Smithfield is located in Johnston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Smithfield
    • Wilson's Mills
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Wilson's Mills is located in Johnston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilson's Mills
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,847 people
  • Duplin County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Princeton, with the one closest to Princeton listed first.
    • Calypso
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
      • Calypso is located in Duplin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Calypso
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 528 people
    • Beautancus
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
      • Beautancus is located in Duplin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beautancus
    • Faison
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
    • Blizzards Crossroads
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Blizzards Crossroads is located in Duplin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blizzards Crossroads
    • Drummersville
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Drummersville is located in Duplin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Drummersville
    • Hills Crossroads
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Hills Crossroads is located in Duplin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hills Crossroads
    • Bowdens
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
      • Bowdens is located in Duplin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bowdens
    • Friendship
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
      • Friendship is located in Duplin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Friendship
    • Herrings Crossroads
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Herrings Crossroads is located in Duplin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Herrings Crossroads
    • Outlaws Bridge
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Outlaws Bridge is located in Duplin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Outlaws Bridge
    • Summerlins Crossroads
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Gradys Crossroads
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Gradys Crossroads is located in Duplin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gradys Crossroads
  • Greene County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Princeton, with the one closest to Princeton listed first.
    • Jason
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
      • Jason is located in Greene County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jason
    • Contentnea
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
      • Contentnea is located in Greene County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Contentnea
    • Speights Bridge
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
      • Speights Bridge is located in Greene County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Speights Bridge
    • Snow Hill
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
    • Walstonburg
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
      • Walstonburg is located in Greene County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walstonburg
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 207 people
    • Fieldsboro
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
      • Fieldsboro is located in Greene County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fieldsboro
    • Glenfield
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
      • Glenfield is located in Greene County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glenfield
  • Harnett County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Princeton, with the one closest to Princeton listed first.
    • Grove Park
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Grove Park is located in Harnett County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grove Park
    • Lakeside Village
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Lakeside Village is located in Harnett County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakeside Village
    • Dunn
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Dunn is located in Harnett County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunn
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 9,684 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Dunn <1>
    • Westhaven
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • Westhaven is located in Harnett County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westhaven
    • Coats
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • Coats is located in Harnett County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coats
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,520 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Coats <1>
    • Turlington
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • Turlington is located in Harnett County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Turlington
    • Barclaysville
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
      • Barclaysville is located in Harnett County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barclaysville
    • Erwin
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
      • Erwin is located in Harnett County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Erwin
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 5,202 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Erwin <1>
  • Lenoir County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Princeton, with the one closest to Princeton listed first.
    • La Grange
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
    • Fields
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Fields is located in Lenoir County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fields
  • Nash County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Princeton, with the one closest to Princeton listed first.
    • Bailey
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
    • Middlesex
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
      • Middlesex is located in Nash County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Middlesex
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 834 people
    • Rogers Crossroads
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
      • Rogers Crossroads is located in Nash County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rogers Crossroads
    • High Crossroads
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
      • High Crossroads is located in Nash County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for High Crossroads
    • Mount Pleasant
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
      • Mount Pleasant is located in Nash County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Pleasant
    • Murraytown
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
      • Murraytown is located in Nash County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Murraytown
    • Union Hope
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
      • Union Hope is located in Nash County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union Hope
    • Floods Chapel
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
      • Floods Chapel is located in Nash County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Floods Chapel
    • Rocky Cross
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
      • Rocky Cross is located in Nash County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rocky Cross
    • Samaria
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
      • Samaria is located in Nash County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Samaria
    • Stanhope
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
      • Stanhope is located in Nash County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stanhope
    • Cliftonville
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Cliftonville is located in Nash County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cliftonville
  • Sampson County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Princeton, with the one closest to Princeton listed first.
    • Newton Grove
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
    • Blackmans Mills
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Blackmans Mills is located in Sampson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blackmans Mills
    • Vann Crossroads
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Vann Crossroads is located in Sampson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vann Crossroads
    • Keener
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
      • Keener is located in Sampson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keener
    • Plain View
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Plain View is located in Sampson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plain View
    • Spiveys Corner
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Spiveys Corner is located in Sampson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spiveys Corner
    • Beaman Crossroads
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Beaman Crossroads is located in Sampson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beaman Crossroads
    • Kitty Fork
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Kitty Fork is located in Sampson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kitty Fork
  • Wake County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Princeton, with the one closest to Princeton listed first.
    • Shotwell
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Shotwell is located in Wake County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shotwell
    • Wendell
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
    • Zebulon
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
    • Eagle Rock
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Eagle Rock is located in Wake County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eagle Rock
    • Auburn
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Auburn is located in Wake County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Auburn
    • Emerald Village
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Emerald Village is located in Wake County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Emerald Village
    • Knightdale
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Mount Pleasant
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • Mount Pleasant is located in Wake County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Pleasant
    • Garner
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Wayne County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Princeton, with the one closest to Princeton listed first.
    • Raynor Town
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
      • Raynor Town is located in Wayne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Raynor Town
    • Nahunta
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Nahunta is located in Wayne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nahunta
    • Pikeville
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
    • Goldsboro
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Mar-Mac Village
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Mar-Mac Village is located in Wayne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mar-Mac Village
    • Mar-Mac
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Mar-Mac is located in Wayne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mar-Mac
    • Fremont
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Grantham
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
      • Grantham is located in Wayne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grantham
    • Genoa
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Genoa is located in Wayne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Genoa
    • Brogden
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Brogden is located in Wayne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brogden
    • Saulston
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
      • Saulston is located in Wayne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saulston
    • Berkeley Village
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Berkeley Village is located in Wayne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Berkeley Village
  • Wilson County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Princeton, with the one closest to Princeton listed first.
    • Lucama
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Scotts
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Scotts is located in Wilson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Scotts
    • Black Creek
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Black Creek is located in Wilson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Black Creek
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 767 people
    • Sims
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
    • Stantonsburg
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Eastwood
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Eastwood is located in Wilson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eastwood
    • Wilson
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Spring Lake
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Spring Lake is located in Wilson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spring Lake
    • Saratoga
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Saratoga is located in Wilson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saratoga
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 408 people
    • Elm City
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)

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

Cemeteries Near Princeton ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Princeton.

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

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

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

  • Evergreen Memorial Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
  • Bizzell Grove Memorial Gardens
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
  • Holloman Family Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holloman Family Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Holloman Family Cemetery is located 2 miles [3.2 km]<2> to the east of Pine Level.
    • The Holloman Family Cemetery has also been known as:
    • George B. Holloman Family Cemetery
  • Hephzibah Church Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
  • Thompson Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
  • Overby Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Hinnant Family Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hinnant Family Cemetery
    • The Hinnant Family Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Needham B. Hinnant Family Cemetery
  • Edgerton Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Crocker Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Sanders Chapel UMC Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
  • Greenwood Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
  • Peedin Family Burial Ground
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peedin Family Burial Ground
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Peedin Family Burial Ground is located outside and to the west of Selma.
    • The Peedin Family Burial Ground has also been known as:
    • Peedin Family Cemetery
    • Wiley Peedin Cemetery
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2526792 <3>
  • Continue List   (218 more) ...
    • Selma Memorial Cemetery
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Selma Memorial Gardens
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Selma Memorial Gardens
      • To give a relative sense of its location, the Selma Memorial Gardens is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the southwest of Selma.
      • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #48713 <3>
    • Walls Cemetery
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)

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>

The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Princeton had a population of 248 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Princeton had a population of 1,425 people.

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

  • Pine Level
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
  • Oliver
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
    • Oliver is located in Johnston County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oliver
  • Pinkney
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Pinkney is located in Wayne County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pinkney
  • Micro
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
    • Micro is located in Johnston County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Micro
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 553 people
  • Bagley
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
    • Bagley is located in Johnston County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bagley
  • Selma
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Selma is located in Johnston County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Selma
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 7,323 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Selma <1>
  • Kenly
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
    • Kenly is located in Johnston County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kenly
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,624 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Kenly <1>
  • Goldsboro
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
  • Greenleaf
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
    • Greenleaf is located in Wayne County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenleaf
  • Pikeville
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
  • Smithfield
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
  • Bentonville
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Bentonville is located in Johnston County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bentonville
  • Continue List   (15 more) ...
    • Fremont
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Wilson's Mills
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Wilson's Mills is located in Johnston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilson's Mills
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,847 people
    • Harper
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Harper is located in Johnston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harper

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

Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Princeton ...

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 75 newspapers that have been published in the area around Princeton.

We have organized these newspapers into two lists:

  • A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Princeton. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Princeton and those printed in the larger area surrounding Princeton.
  • An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 15 miles [24.1 km]<2> of Princeton.

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 Princeton:

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