Our Genealogy Helper
Introduction ...
So far, we found very little information about Austin. The little that we've found leads us believe that the community is historic.<1>
We've added Austin to our Gazetteer with the hope that we can develop more information. If you can help us with Austin, please Contact Us.
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 Austin (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 Austin. 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 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 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.
Although our information shows that the community of Austin is historic, it would have been located within present day Laurens County.
To see how the shape of South 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 Laurens County: Abbeville, Anderson, Greenville, Greenwood, Newberry, Spartanburg & Union.
Below are the counties that are near Austin. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Austin:
- Laurens County (The home county of Austin)
- The following are listed by their distance from Austin, with the one closest to Austin listed first.
- Simpson ‑ Historic
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Simpson is located in Laurens County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Simpson
- Ekom
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Ekom is located in Laurens County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ekom
- Mount Gallagher
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Mount Gallagher is located in Laurens County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Gallagher
- Cold Point
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Cold Point is located in Laurens County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cold Point
- Princeton
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Princeton is located in Laurens County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Princeton
- Laurens
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Lisbon ‑ Historic
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Lisbon is located in Laurens County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lisbon
- Gray Court
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Green Pond
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Green Pond is located in Laurens County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Green Pond
- Waterloo
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Collins Lakeside Village
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Mountville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Abbeville County
- The following are listed by their distance from Austin, with the one closest to Austin listed first.
- Ware Shoals
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Donalds
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Honea Path
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Due West
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Level Land
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Level Land is located in Abbeville County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Level Land
- Cana ‑ Historic
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Cana is located in Abbeville County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cana
- Abbeville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Antreville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Antreville is located in Abbeville County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Antreville
- Lake Secession
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Lake Secession is located in Abbeville County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Secession
- Monterey ‑ Historic
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Monterey is located in Abbeville County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monterey
- Anderson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Austin, with the one closest to Austin listed first.
- Belton
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Pelzer
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Williamston
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- West Pelzer
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- West Pelzer is located in Anderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Pelzer
- Population from the 2020 Census: 953 people
- Piedmont
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Anderson
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Caldwell Village
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Caldwell Village is located in Anderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caldwell Village
- Powderville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Powderville is located in Anderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Powderville
- Anderson Village
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Anderson Village is located in Anderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Anderson Village
- Homeland Park
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Homeland Park is located in Anderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Homeland Park
- Iva
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Iva is located in Anderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Iva
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,341 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Iva <2>
- Deans
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Deans is located in Anderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deans
- Greenville County
- The following are listed by their distance from Austin, with the one closest to Austin listed first.
- Fork Shoals
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Fork Shoals is located in Greenville County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fork Shoals
- Lickville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Lickville is located in Greenville County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lickville
- Fountain Inn
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Simpsonville
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Woodland Village
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Woodland Village is located in Greenville County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodland Village
- Five Forks
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Five Forks is located in Greenville County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Five Forks
- Mauldin
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Conestee
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Golden Grove
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Golden Grove is located in Greenville County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Golden Grove
- Gantt
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Gantt is located in Greenville County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gantt
- Pine Hill Village
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Pine Hill Village is located in Greenville County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Hill Village
- Pelham
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Pelham is located in Greenville County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pelham
- Greenwood County
- The following are listed by their distance from Austin, with the one closest to Austin listed first.
- Cokesbury
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Cokesbury is located in Greenwood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cokesbury
- Hodges
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Coronaca
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Coronaca is located in Greenwood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coronaca
- Greenwood Village
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Greenwood Village is located in Greenwood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenwood Village
- Greenwood
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Grendel Village
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Grendel Village is located in Greenwood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grendel Village
- Fairforest
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Fairforest is located in Greenwood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairforest
- Mathews Village
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Mathews Village is located in Greenwood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mathews Village
- Panola Village
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Panola Village is located in Greenwood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Panola Village
- Ninety Six
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Springdale
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Springdale is located in Greenwood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Springdale
- Promised Land
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Promised Land is located in Greenwood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Promised Land
- Newberry County
- The following are listed by their distance from Austin, with the one closest to Austin listed first.
- Mudlick
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Mudlick is located in Newberry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mudlick
- Chappells
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Smyrna
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Old Town Ferry
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Old Town Ferry is located in Newberry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Old Town Ferry
- Spartanburg County
- The following are listed by their distance from Austin, with the one closest to Austin listed first.
- Enoree
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Woodruff
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Crescent
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Crescent is located in Spartanburg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crescent
- Cross Anchor
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Green Pond
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Green Pond is located in Spartanburg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Green Pond
- Moore
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Reidville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Pauline
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Brookside Village
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Brookside Village is located in Spartanburg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brookside Village
- Roebuck
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Union County
- The following are listed by their distance from Austin, with the one closest to Austin listed first.
- Sedalia
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Sedalia is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sedalia
- Colerain
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Colerain is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colerain
- Bishop Town ‑ Historic
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Bishop Town is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bishop Town
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Austin, see our County-by-County Page for Austin.
Cemeteries Near Austin ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Austin.
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 Austin - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Austin covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Austin, with the one closest to Austin listed first.
- Friendship Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Hopewell Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Poplar Springs Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Henderson Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Chesnut Ridge Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Trinity Methodist Church Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- New Prospect Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Mt. Bethel Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Mt. Galliger Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Rabun Creek Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Bolt Family Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Kings Chapel Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Continue List (296 more) ...
- Mt. Pleasant Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- New Prospect Baptist Church Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Traynham Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 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.
While we didn't find Austin in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Austin.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Austin, with the one closest to Austin listed first.
- Ekom
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Ekom is located in Laurens County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ekom
- Brewerton
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Brewerton is located in Laurens County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brewerton
- Mount Gallagher
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Mount Gallagher is located in Laurens County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Gallagher
- Barksdale
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Barksdale is located in Laurens County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barksdale
- Princeton
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Princeton is located in Laurens County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Princeton
- Lisbon ‑ Historic
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Lisbon is located in Laurens County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lisbon
- Gray Court
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Waterloo
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Owings
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Owings is located in Laurens County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Owings
- Ora
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Ora is located in Laurens County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ora
- Donalds
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Fork Shoals
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Fork Shoals is located in Greenville County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fork Shoals
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Hodges
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Mountville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Lickville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Lickville is located in Greenville County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lickville
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Austin. See our List of 1890's Communities around Austin.
Newspapers Published in Austin ...
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 18 newspapers that have been published in the area around Austin.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Austin, 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 Austin.
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 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 Austin:
- Websites specific to South Carolina
- Pages specific to Laurens County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Abbeville County
- Anderson County
- Greenville County
- Greenwood County
- Newberry County
- Spartanburg County
- Union County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for South Carolina
Footnotes ...
| <1> | 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 Austin, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <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> | 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- Austin) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |