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 Williams (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 Williams. 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 southwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most hospitals and doctors were in the next county to the west. 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 west 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.
Williams is located in Wayne 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 Wayne County: Duplin, Greene, Johnston, Lenoir, Sampson & Wilson.
Below are the counties that are near Williams. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Williams:
- Wayne County (The home county of Williams)
- The following are listed by their distance from Williams, with the one closest to Williams listed first.
- Mount Olive
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Dudley
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Seven Springs
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Brogden
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Brogden is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brogden
- Genoa
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Genoa is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Genoa
- Walnut Creek
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Walnut Creek is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walnut Creek
- Population from the 2020 Census: 864 people
- Elroy
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Elroy is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elroy
- Mar-Mac Village
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Mar-Mac Village is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mar-Mac Village
- Mar-Mac
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Mar-Mac is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mar-Mac
- Berkeley Village
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Berkeley Village is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Berkeley Village
- Goldsboro
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Grantham
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Grantham is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grantham
- Raynor Town
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Raynor Town is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Raynor Town
- Craven County
- Dover
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Dover is located in Craven County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dover
- Population from the 2020 Census: 384 people
- Duplin County
- The following are listed by their distance from Williams, with the one closest to Williams listed first.
- Hills Crossroads
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Hills Crossroads is located in Duplin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hills Crossroads
- Blizzards Crossroads
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Blizzards Crossroads is located in Duplin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blizzards Crossroads
- Beautancus
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Beautancus is located in Duplin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beautancus
- Drummersville
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Drummersville is located in Duplin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Drummersville
- Summerlins Crossroads
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Herrings Crossroads
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Herrings Crossroads is located in Duplin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Herrings Crossroads
- Outlaws Bridge
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Outlaws Bridge is located in Duplin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Outlaws Bridge
- Scotts Store
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Scotts Store is located in Duplin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Scotts Store
- Calypso
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Calypso is located in Duplin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Calypso
- Population from the 2020 Census: 528 people
- Red Hill
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Red Hill is located in Duplin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Hill
- Gradys Crossroads
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Gradys Crossroads is located in Duplin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gradys Crossroads
- Pleasant Grove
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Pleasant Grove is located in Duplin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Grove
- Friendship
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Friendship is located in Duplin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Friendship
- Greene County
- The following are listed by their distance from Williams, with the one closest to Williams listed first.
- Jason
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Jason is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jason
- Glenfield
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Glenfield is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glenfield
- Snow Hill
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Contentnea
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Contentnea is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Contentnea
- Hookerton
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Maury
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Maury is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maury
- Speights Bridge
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Speights Bridge is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Speights Bridge
- Johnston County
- The following are listed by their distance from Williams, with the one closest to Williams listed first.
- Bentonville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Bentonville is located in Johnston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bentonville
- Princeton
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Harper
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Harper is located in Johnston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harper
- Rains Crossroads
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Rains Crossroads is located in Johnston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rains Crossroads
- Pine Level
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Peacocks Crossroads
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Peacocks Crossroads is located in Johnston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peacocks Crossroads
- Kenly
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Micro
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Micro is located in Johnston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Micro
- Population from the 2020 Census: 553 people
- Redwood Village
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Redwood Village is located in Johnston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Redwood Village
- Selma
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- McKoy
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- McKoy is located in Johnston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McKoy
- Beulahtown
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Beulahtown is located in Johnston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beulahtown
- Fairfield
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Fairfield is located in Johnston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairfield
- Jones County
- The following are listed by their distance from Williams, with the one closest to Williams listed first.
- Hargetts Crossroads
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Hargetts Crossroads is located in Jones County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hargetts Crossroads
- Pleasant Hill
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Pleasant Hill is located in Jones County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Hill
- Taylors Corner
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Taylors Corner is located in Jones County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Taylors Corner
- Shady Grove
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Shady Grove is located in Jones County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shady Grove
- Wise Forks
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Wise Forks is located in Jones County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wise Forks
- Combs Fork
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Combs Fork is located in Jones County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Combs Fork
- Comfort
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Comfort is located in Jones County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Comfort
- Phillips Crossroads
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Phillips Crossroads is located in Jones County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Phillips Crossroads
- Sassers Mill
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Sassers Mill is located in Jones County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sassers Mill
- Lenoir County
- The following are listed by their distance from Williams, with the one closest to Williams listed first.
- La Grange
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Deep Run
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Deep Run is located in Lenoir County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deep Run
- Fields
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Fields is located in Lenoir County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fields
- Pink Hill
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Albrittons
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Albrittons is located in Lenoir County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Albrittons
- Kinston
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Loftins Crossroads
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Loftins Crossroads is located in Lenoir County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Loftins Crossroads
- Kinfield Village
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Kinfield Village is located in Lenoir County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kinfield Village
- Graingers
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Graingers is located in Lenoir County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Graingers
- Onslow County
- Huffmantown
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Huffmantown is located in Onslow County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Huffmantown
- Sampson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Williams, with the one closest to Williams listed first.
- Turkey
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Elliott
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Elliott is located in Sampson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elliott
- Moltonville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Moltonville is located in Sampson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moltonville
- Keener
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Keener is located in Sampson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keener
- Newton Grove
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Clinton
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Vann Crossroads
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Vann Crossroads is located in Sampson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vann Crossroads
- Blackmans Mills
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Blackmans Mills is located in Sampson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blackmans Mills
- Kitty Fork
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Kitty Fork is located in Sampson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kitty Fork
- Beaman Crossroads
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Beaman Crossroads is located in Sampson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beaman Crossroads
- Beulah
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Beulah is located in Sampson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beulah
- Bonnetsville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Bonnetsville is located in Sampson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bonnetsville
- Reynolds Crossroads
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Reynolds Crossroads is located in Sampson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reynolds Crossroads
- Wilson County
- Stantonsburg
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Williams, see our County-by-County Page for Williams.
Cemeteries Near Williams ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Williams.
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 Williams - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Williams covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Williams, with the one closest to Williams listed first.
- Jones Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Pate Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Pine View Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Maplewood Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Greenfield Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Carver Memorial Park
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Wilson Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Price Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Powell Family Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- St. Mary Of The Angels Catholic Church Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Isaac Hines / Liddell Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Smith Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Continue List (159 more) ...
- Wayne Memorial Park
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Arnett - Thompson Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- George W. Rouse Family Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 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 Williams in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Williams.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Williams, with the one closest to Williams listed first.
- Mount Olive
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Dudley
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Outlaws Bridge
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Outlaws Bridge is located in Duplin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Outlaws Bridge
- Seven Springs
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Faison
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Albertson
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Albertson is located in Duplin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Albertson
- Bowdens
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Bowdens is located in Duplin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bowdens
- Strabane
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Strabane is located in Lenoir County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Strabane
- Elroy
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Elroy is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elroy
- Best
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Best is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Best
- Leon
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Leon is located in Duplin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leon
- La Grange
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Goldsboro
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Warsaw
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Resaca
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Resaca is located in Duplin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Resaca
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Williams. See our List of 1890's Communities around Williams.
Newspapers Published in Williams ...
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 72 newspapers that have been published in the area around Williams.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Williams, there are papers which were published within 15 miles [24.1 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Williams.
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 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 Williams:
- Websites specific to North Carolina
- Pages specific to Wayne County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Craven County
- Duplin County
- Greene County
- Johnston County
- Jones County
- Lenoir County
- Onslow County
- Sampson County
- Wilson 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> | 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- Williams) 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 Williams, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |