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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 Black Gate (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 Black Gate. 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 doctors and hospitals 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.

Black Gate is located in 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 Black Gate. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Black Gate:

  • Laurens County     (The home county of Black Gate)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Black Gate, with the one closest to Black Gate listed first.
    • Cross Hill
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
    • Anglers Haven
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Anglers Haven is located in Laurens County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Anglers Haven
    • Mountville
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
    • Collins Lakeside Village
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Waterloo
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Cold Point
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
      • Cold Point is located in Laurens County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cold Point
    • Lisbon ‑ Historic
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
      • Lisbon is located in Laurens County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lisbon
    • Kinards
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Joanna
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Ekom
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Ekom is located in Laurens County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ekom
    • Mount Gallagher
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Mount Gallagher is located in Laurens County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Gallagher
    • Clinton
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
    • Simpson ‑ Historic
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Simpson is located in Laurens County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Simpson
  • Abbeville County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Black Gate, with the one closest to Black Gate listed first.
    • Ware Shoals
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
    • Cana ‑ Historic
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
      • Cana is located in Abbeville County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cana
    • Donalds
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Abbeville
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
    • Due West
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
    • Honea Path
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Level Land
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
      • Level Land is located in Abbeville County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Level Land
  • Edgefield County
    • Johnston
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
  • Greenwood County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Black Gate, with the one closest to Black Gate listed first.
    • Ninety Six
      (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
    • Springdale
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
      • Springdale is located in Greenwood County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Springdale
    • Coronaca
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
      • Coronaca is located in Greenwood County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coronaca
    • Fairforest
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Fairforest is located in Greenwood County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairforest
    • Panola Village
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Panola Village is located in Greenwood County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Panola Village
    • Greenwood
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
    • Grendel Village
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
      • Grendel Village is located in Greenwood County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grendel Village
    • Mathews Village
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Mathews Village is located in Greenwood County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mathews Village
    • Greenwood Village
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
      • Greenwood Village is located in Greenwood County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenwood Village
    • Cokesbury
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
      • Cokesbury is located in Greenwood County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cokesbury
    • Hodges
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
    • Promised Land
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Promised Land is located in Greenwood County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Promised Land
    • Verdery
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Verdery is located in Greenwood County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Verdery
  • McCormick County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Black Gate, with the one closest to Black Gate listed first.
    • Liberty Hill
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Liberty Hill is located in McCormick County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Liberty Hill
    • McCormick
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Newberry County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Black Gate, with the one closest to Black Gate listed first.
    • Mudlick
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
      • Mudlick is located in Newberry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mudlick
    • Chappells
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Old Town Ferry
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Old Town Ferry is located in Newberry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Old Town Ferry
    • Silverstreet
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
    • Smyrna
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
    • Helena
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
      • Helena is located in Newberry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Helena
    • Newberry
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
    • Stoney Hill
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
      • Stoney Hill is located in Newberry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stoney Hill
    • Prosperity
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
    • Union
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
      • Union is located in Newberry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union
    • Whitmire
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Sondleys ‑ Historic
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
      • Sondleys is located in Newberry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sondleys
    • Slighs
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
      • Slighs is located in Newberry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Slighs
  • Saluda County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Black Gate, with the one closest to Black Gate listed first.
    • Hickory Grove
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
      • Hickory Grove is located in Saluda County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hickory Grove
    • Saluda
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Ward
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Spartanburg County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Black Gate, with the one closest to Black Gate listed first.
    • Enoree
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
    • Cross Anchor
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
  • Union County
    • Sedalia
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Sedalia is located in Union County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sedalia

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

Cemeteries Near Black Gate ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Black Gate.

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 Black Gate - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • Bethabara Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
  • Sauls Chapel Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
  • Cross Roads Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
  • Cross Hill Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
  • Franklin Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Bethlehem Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
  • Head Springs Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Bozeman - Scurry Graveyard
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Marshall Chapel Baptist Church Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
  • Waterloo Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
  • Smyrna Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
  • Fairview Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
  • Continue List   (282 more) ...
    • Beaverdam Cemetery
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
    • Little River Cemetery
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Little River Cemetery
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)

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 Black Gate in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Black Gate.

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

  • Cross Hill
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
  • Vaughanville
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
    • Vaughanville is located in Newberry County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vaughanville
  • Ninety Six
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • Mountville
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
  • Chappells
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
  • Waterloo
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
  • Milton
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Milton is located in Laurens County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Milton
  • Greenwood
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
  • Lisbon ‑ Historic
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
    • Lisbon is located in Laurens County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lisbon
  • Kinards
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
  • Silverstreet
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
  • Ekom
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Ekom is located in Laurens County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ekom
  • Continue List   (13 more) ...
    • Mount Gallagher
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Mount Gallagher is located in Laurens County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Gallagher
    • Hodges
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
    • Gary
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Gary is located in Newberry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gary

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

Newspapers Published in Black Gate ...

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 27 newspapers that have been published in the area around Black Gate.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Black Gate, 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 Black Gate.

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 Black Gate:

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 Black Gate, 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' (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- Black Gate) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.