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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 Blaney West (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 Blaney West. 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.

Blaney West is located in Kershaw 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 Kershaw County: Chesterfield, Darlington, Fairfield, Lancaster, Lee, Richland & Sumter.

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

  • Kershaw County     (The home county of Blaney West)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Blaney West, with the one closest to Blaney West listed first.
    • Elgin
      (Less than 2 miles to the east)
      • Elgin is located in Kershaw County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elgin
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,585 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Elgin <1>
    • Spring Village
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
      • Spring Village is located in Kershaw County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spring Village
    • Lugoff
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Camden
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Log Town ‑ Historic
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
      • Log Town is located in Kershaw County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Log Town
    • Lafayette Village
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Lafayette Village is located in Kershaw County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lafayette Village
    • Shepard
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
      • Shepard is located in Kershaw County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shepard
    • Liberty Hill
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
    • Westville
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
    • Cassatt
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Kershaw
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Chester County
    • Great Falls
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
  • Fairfield County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Blaney West, with the one closest to Blaney West listed first.
    • Smallwood
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Smallwood is located in Fairfield County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smallwood
    • Ridgeway
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Rion
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Winnsboro Mills
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Winnsboro Mills is located in Fairfield County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winnsboro Mills
    • Winnsboro
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Adger
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Adger is located in Fairfield County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adger
    • Mitford
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
      • Mitford is located in Fairfield County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mitford
    • Rock Hill
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
      • Rock Hill is located in Fairfield County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock Hill
    • White Oak
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Jenkinsville
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
    • Monticello
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Monticello is located in Fairfield County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monticello
  • Lancaster County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Blaney West, with the one closest to Blaney West listed first.
    • Springdale
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Heath Springs
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
    • Oakhurst
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • Oakhurst is located in Lancaster County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakhurst
  • Lee County
    • Manville
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
      • Manville is located in Lee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Manville
  • Lexington County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Blaney West, with the one closest to Blaney West listed first.
    • West Columbia
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Cayce
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Cayce is located in Lexington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cayce
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 13,994 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Cayce <1>
    • Seven Oaks
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Springdale
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Springdale is located in Lexington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Springdale
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,732 people
    • Irmo
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
      • Irmo is located in Lexington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Irmo
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 12,734 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Irmo <1>
    • Arthur
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
      • Arthur is located in Lexington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arthur
    • Oak Grove
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
      • Oak Grove is located in Lexington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Grove
    • Pineridge
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Pineridge is located in Lexington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pineridge
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,419 people
    • Glenn Village
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Glenn Village is located in Lexington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glenn Village
    • South Congaree
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
      • South Congaree is located in Lexington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Congaree
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,485 people
    • Styx ‑ Historic
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Styx is located in Lexington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Styx
    • Lexington
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Gaston
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Gaston is located in Lexington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gaston
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,712 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Gaston <1>
  • Newberry County
    • Peak
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • Peak is located in Newberry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peak
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 65 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Peak <1>
  • Richland County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Blaney West, with the one closest to Blaney West listed first.
    • Woodfield
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Woodfield is located in Richland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodfield
    • Blythewood
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
    • Arcadia Lakes
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Arcadia Lakes is located in Richland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arcadia Lakes
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 874 people
    • Dentsville
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Ravenwood
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Ravenwood is located in Richland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ravenwood
    • Belmont
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Brickyard Village
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Brickyard Village is located in Richland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brickyard Village
    • Capitol View
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Capitol View is located in Richland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Capitol View
    • Forest Acres
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Forest Acres is located in Richland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest Acres
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 10,269 people
    • Bruner
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
      • Bruner is located in Richland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bruner
    • Valencia Heights
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Valencia Heights is located in Richland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Valencia Heights
    • Arthurtown
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Arthurtown is located in Richland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arthurtown
    • Columbia
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Sumter County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Blaney West, with the one closest to Blaney West listed first.
    • Rembert
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
    • Horatio
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Claremont
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Claremont is located in Sumter County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Claremont
    • Stateburg
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Stateburg is located in Sumter County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stateburg
    • Oakland
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Oakland is located in Sumter County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakland
    • Dalzell
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
    • Cherryvale
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Cherryvale is located in Sumter County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cherryvale
    • Wedgefield
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Sumter Junction
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Sumter Junction is located in Sumter County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sumter Junction
    • Cane Savannah
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Cane Savannah is located in Sumter County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cane Savannah
    • Millwood
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Millwood is located in Sumter County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millwood

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

Cemeteries Near Blaney West ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Blaney West.

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 Blaney West - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • Good Aim Baptist Church Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
  • Richland County Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Spears Creek Baptist Church Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • Porter Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • St. Pauls Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Ft. Jackson National Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Salem Church Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Salem Church Cemetery
    • The Salem Church Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Salem Cemetery
  • Mt. Pleasant Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
  • Concord Baptist Church Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Browns Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Enon Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Enon Cemetery
    • The Enon Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Enon Church Cemetery
    • Enon Methodist Church Cemetery
  • Bardell Graveyard
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
  • Continue List   (251 more) ...
    • Mt. Prospect Cemetery
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Prospect Cemetery
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Sawneys Creek 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.<3>

While we didn't find Blaney West in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Blaney West.

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

  • Killian
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
    • Killian is located in Richland County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Killian
  • Sharp
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
    • Sharp is located in Richland County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sharp
  • Camden
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Ridgeway
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Longtown
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
    • Longtown is located in Fairfield County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Longtown
  • Boykin
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
    • Boykin is located in Kershaw County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boykin
  • Stockton ‑ Historic
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
    • Stockton is located in Kershaw County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stockton
  • Pleasant ‑ Historic
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
    • Pleasant is located in Richland County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant
  • Cantey
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Cantey is located in Kershaw County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cantey
  • Hagood
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Hagood is located in Sumter County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hagood
  • Rembert
    (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
  • Simpson
    (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Simpson is located in Fairfield County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Simpson
  • Continue List   (16 more) ...
    • Columbia
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Childs
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Childs is located in Richland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Childs
    • Lever ‑ Historic
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
      • Lever is located in Richland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lever

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

Newspapers Published in Blaney West ...

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 51 newspapers that have been published in the area around Blaney West.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Blaney West, there are papers which were published within 12 miles [19.3 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Blaney West.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we first visit 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 Blaney West:

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 Blaney West, 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 obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Blaney West) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.