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 Bell Town (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 Bell Town. 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.
Bell Town is located in Lancaster 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 Lancaster County: Mecklenburg (NC), Union (NC), Chester, Chesterfield, Fairfield, Kershaw & York.
Below are the counties that are near Bell Town. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Bell Town:
- Lancaster County (The home county of Bell Town)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bell Town, with the one closest to Bell Town listed first.
- Irwin
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Irwin is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Irwin
- Lancaster Mill
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Lancaster Mill is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lancaster Mill
- Caskey
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Caskey is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caskey
- Elgin
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Elgin is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elgin
- Lancaster
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Pleasant Hill
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Pleasant Hill is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Hill
- Riverside
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Riverside is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riverside
- Heath Springs
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Oakhurst
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Oakhurst is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakhurst
- Primus
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Primus is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Primus
- Camp Creek
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Camp Creek is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Camp Creek
- Springdell
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Springdell is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Springdell
- Union
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Union is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union
- Chester County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bell Town, with the one closest to Bell Town listed first.
- Fort Lawn
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Great Falls
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Richburg
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Lando
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Edgemoor
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Blackstock
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Cornwell
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Cornwell is located in Chester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cornwell
- Smith
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Smith is located in Chester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smith
- Eureka Mill
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Eureka Mill is located in Chester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eureka Mill
- Chester
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Gayle Mill
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Gayle Mill is located in Chester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gayle Mill
- Lowrys
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Lowrys is located in Chester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lowrys
- Population from the 2020 Census: 195 people
- Chesterfield County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bell Town, with the one closest to Bell Town listed first.
- White Plains
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- White Plains is located in Chesterfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White Plains
- Jefferson
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Pageland
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Angelus
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Angelus is located in Chesterfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Angelus
- Fairfield County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bell Town, with the one closest to Bell Town listed first.
- Mitford
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Mitford is located in Fairfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mitford
- White Oak
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Woodward
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Woodward is located in Fairfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodward
- Adger
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Adger is located in Fairfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adger
- Winnsboro
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Ridgeway
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Winnsboro Mills
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Winnsboro Mills is located in Fairfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winnsboro Mills
- Smallwood
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Smallwood is located in Fairfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smallwood
- Rion
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Kershaw County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bell Town, with the one closest to Bell Town listed first.
- Liberty Hill
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Kershaw
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Westville
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Lafayette Village
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Lafayette Village is located in Kershaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lafayette Village
- Shepard
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Shepard is located in Kershaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shepard
- Lugoff
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Camden
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Cassatt
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Log Town ‑ Historic
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Log Town is located in Kershaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Log Town
- Richland County
- Blythewood
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- York County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bell Town, with the one closest to Bell Town listed first.
- Catawba
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Roddey
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Roddey is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roddey
- Roddey has also been known as:
- Coates Tavern
- Lesslie
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Lesslie is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lesslie
- Rock Hill
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Fort Mill
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Riverview
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Riverview is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riverview
- India Hook
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- India Hook is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for India Hook
- McConnells
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Newport
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Newport is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newport
- Tega Cay
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Mecklenburg County (NC)
- Weddington
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Union County (NC)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bell Town, with the one closest to Bell Town listed first.
- Jaars
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Jaars is located in Union County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jaars
- Jackson
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Jackson is located in Union County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jackson
- Waxhaw
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Mineral Springs
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Trinity
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Trinity is located in Union County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trinity
- Altan
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Altan is located in Union County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Altan
- Marvin
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Marvin is located in Union County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marvin
- Population from the 2020 Census: 6,920 people
- Wesley Chapel
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- White Oak
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- White Oak is located in Union County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White Oak
- Carmel Village
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Carmel Village is located in Union County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carmel Village
- Monroe
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Rock Rest
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Rock Rest is located in Union County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock Rest
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Bell Town, see our County-by-County Page for Bell Town.
Cemeteries Near Bell Town ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Bell Town.
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 Bell Town - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Bell Town covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Bell Town, with the one closest to Bell Town listed first.
- Camp Creek Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Mt. Carmel Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Mt. Carmel Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Stroud Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Howze Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Greenlawn Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Mackey Walker Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Elmwood Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Lancaster Memorial Park
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lancaster Memorial Park
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Lancaster Memorial Park is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the southwest of Lancaster.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #70478 <2>
- Browns - Strouds Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Gunthorne Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Kingsbury Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Continue List (176 more) ...
- Hudson Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Union Ezella Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Rock Hill Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
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>
While we didn't find Bell Town in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Bell Town.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Bell Town, with the one closest to Bell Town listed first.
- Fort Lawn
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Caskey
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Caskey is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caskey
- Rossville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Rossville is located in Chester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rossville
- Bascomville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Bascomville is located in Chester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bascomville
- Pleasant Hill
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Pleasant Hill is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Hill
- Riverside
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Riverside is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riverside
- Landsford
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Landsford is located in Chester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Landsford
- Liberty Hill
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Richburg
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Oakhurst
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Oakhurst is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakhurst
- Primus
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Primus is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Primus
- Wellridge
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Wellridge is located in Chester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wellridge
- Continue List (17 more) ...
- New Cut
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- New Cut is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Cut
- Knox
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Knox is located in Chester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Knox
- Catawba
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Bell Town. See our List of 1890's Communities around Bell Town.
Newspapers Published in Bell Town ...
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 11 newspapers that have been published in the area around Bell Town.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Bell Town, there are papers which were published within 16 miles [25.7 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Bell Town.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we start with 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 Bell Town:
- Websites specific to South Carolina
- Pages specific to Lancaster County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Chester County
- Chesterfield County
- Fairfield County
- Kershaw County
- Richland County
- York County
- Mecklenburg County
- Union County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for South 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 Bell Town, 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 things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Bell Town) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |