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 Buffalo (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 Buffalo. 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 doctors and hospitals 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.
Buffalo is located in McCormick 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 McCormick County: Columbia (GA), Elbert (GA), Lincoln (GA), Abbeville, Edgefield & Greenwood.
Below are the counties that are near Buffalo. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Buffalo:
- McCormick County (The home county of Buffalo)
- The following are listed by their distance from Buffalo, with the one closest to Buffalo listed first.
- McCormick
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Willington
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Willington is located in McCormick County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willington
- Mount Carmel
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Plum Branch
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Liberty Hill
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Liberty Hill is located in McCormick County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Liberty Hill
- Parksville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Modoc
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Clarks Hill
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Abbeville County
- The following are listed by their distance from Buffalo, with the one closest to Buffalo listed first.
- Cana ‑ Historic
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Cana is located in Abbeville County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cana
- Abbeville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Calhoun Falls
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Latimer
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Latimer is located in Abbeville County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Latimer
- Monterey ‑ Historic
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Monterey is located in Abbeville County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monterey
- Lowndesville
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Antreville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Antreville is located in Abbeville County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Antreville
- Due West
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Level Land
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Level Land is located in Abbeville County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Level Land
- Lake Secession
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Lake Secession is located in Abbeville County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Secession
- Donalds
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Anderson County
- Iva
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- 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 <1>
- Edgefield County
- The following are listed by their distance from Buffalo, with the one closest to Buffalo listed first.
- Colliers
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Colliers is located in Edgefield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colliers
- Edgefield
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Greenwood County
- The following are listed by their distance from Buffalo, with the one closest to Buffalo listed first.
- Troy
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Bradley
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Verdery
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Verdery is located in Greenwood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Verdery
- Promised Land
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Promised Land is located in Greenwood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Promised Land
- Mathews Village
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Mathews Village is located in Greenwood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mathews Village
- Panola Village
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Panola Village is located in Greenwood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Panola Village
- Greenwood Village
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Greenwood Village is located in Greenwood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenwood Village
- Greenwood
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Fairforest
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Fairforest is located in Greenwood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairforest
- Grendel Village
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Grendel Village is located in Greenwood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grendel Village
- Hodges
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Springdale
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Springdale is located in Greenwood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Springdale
- Laurens County
- The following are listed by their distance from Buffalo, with the one closest to Buffalo listed first.
- Collins Lakeside Village
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Anglers Haven
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Anglers Haven is located in Laurens County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Anglers Haven
- Columbia County (GA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Buffalo, with the one closest to Buffalo listed first.
- Kiokee
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Kiokee is located in Columbia County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kiokee
- Appling
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Maddox
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Maddox is located in Columbia County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maddox
- Snead
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Snead is located in Columbia County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Snead
- Estimated population in 2019: 20,077 people
- Elbert County (GA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Buffalo, with the one closest to Buffalo listed first.
- Bowman Ferry
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Bowman Ferry is located in Elbert County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bowman Ferry
- Estimated population in 2019: 808 people
- Edinburg ‑ Historic
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Edinburg is located in Elbert County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edinburg
- Estimated population in 2019: 1,396 people
- Silk Mills
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Silk Mills is located in Elbert County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Silk Mills
- Estimated population in 2019: 277 people
- Elberton
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Lincoln County (GA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Buffalo, with the one closest to Buffalo listed first.
- Goshen
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Goshen is located in Lincoln County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goshen
- Hesters Ferry
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Hesters Ferry is located in Lincoln County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hesters Ferry
- Estimated population in 2019: 911 people
- Midway
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Midway is located in Lincoln County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Midway
- Lisbon ‑ Historic
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Lisbon is located in Lincoln County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lisbon
- Lincolnton
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Loce
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Loce is located in Lincoln County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Loce
- McDuffie County (GA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Buffalo, with the one closest to Buffalo listed first.
- Columbia Mine ‑ Historic
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Columbia Mine is located in McDuffie County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Columbia Mine
- Estimated population in 2019: 195,769 people
- Hamilton Crossroads
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Hamilton Crossroads is located in McDuffie County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hamilton Crossroads
- Estimated population in 2019: 1,117 people
- Wilkes County (GA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Buffalo, with the one closest to Buffalo listed first.
- Tignall
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Washington
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- New Town
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- New Town is located in Wilkes County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Town
- Lundberg
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Lundberg is located in Wilkes County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lundberg
- Estimated population in 2019: 831 people
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Buffalo, see our County-by-County Page for Buffalo.
Cemeteries Near Buffalo ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Buffalo.
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 Buffalo - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Buffalo covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Buffalo, with the one closest to Buffalo listed first.
- Buffalo Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Badwell Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Wideman Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- De La Howe Tomb
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Bordeaux Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Wideman - Harris - Wilks Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Indian Massacre Grave
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Lower Long Cane Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- McCormick City Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Overbrook Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Chisholm Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Willington Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Continue List (219 more) ...
- Republican Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Hopewell Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Chapel Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
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.<2>
While we didn't find Buffalo in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Buffalo.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Buffalo, with the one closest to Buffalo listed first.
- McCormick
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Troy
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Calhoun Mill
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Calhoun Mill is located in Abbeville County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Calhoun Mill
- Mount Carmel
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Goshen
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Goshen is located in Lincoln County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goshen
- Leverett
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Leverett is located in Lincoln County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leverett
- Plum Branch
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Bradley
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Lincolnton
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Double Branches
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Double Branches is located in Lincoln County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Double Branches
- Agnes ‑ Historic
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Agnes is located in Lincoln County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Agnes
- Watts
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Watts is located in Abbeville County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Watts
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Cana ‑ Historic
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Cana is located in Abbeville County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cana
- Hester
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Hester is located in Abbeville County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hester
- Calhoun Falls
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Buffalo. See our List of 1890's Communities around Buffalo.
Newspapers Published in Buffalo ...
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 32 newspapers that have been published in the area around Buffalo.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Buffalo, there are papers which were published within 15 miles [24.1 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Buffalo.
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 helpful 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 Buffalo:
- Websites specific to South Carolina
- Pages specific to McCormick County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Abbeville County
- Anderson County
- Edgefield County
- Greenwood County
- Laurens County
- Columbia County
- Elbert County
- Lincoln County
- McDuffie County
- Wilkes 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> | 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 Buffalo, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <3> | 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- Buffalo) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |