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 Buford (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 Buford. 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 hospitals and doctors 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.
Buford 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 Buford. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Buford:
- Lancaster County (The home county of Buford)
- The following are listed by their distance from Buford, with the one closest to Buford listed first.
- Union
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Union is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union
- Primus
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Primus is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Primus
- Camp Creek
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Camp Creek is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Camp Creek
- Elgin
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Elgin is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elgin
- Lancaster
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Pleasant Hill
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Pleasant Hill is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Hill
- Lancaster Mill
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Lancaster Mill is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lancaster Mill
- Heath Springs
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Oakhurst
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Oakhurst is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakhurst
- Caskey
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Caskey is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caskey
- Irwin
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Irwin is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Irwin
- Riverside
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Riverside is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riverside
- Bell Town
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Bell Town is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bell Town
- Chester County
- The following are listed by their distance from Buford, with the one closest to Buford listed first.
- Fort Lawn
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Great Falls
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Edgemoor
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Lando
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Richburg
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Smith
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Smith is located in Chester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smith
- Chesterfield County
- The following are listed by their distance from Buford, with the one closest to Buford listed first.
- White Plains
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- White Plains is located in Chesterfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White Plains
- Pageland
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Jefferson
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Angelus
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Angelus is located in Chesterfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Angelus
- Mount Croghan
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Ruby
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Ruby is located in Chesterfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ruby
- Population from the 2020 Census: 334 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Ruby <1>
- McBee
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Chesterfield
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Fairfield County
- Mitford
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Mitford is located in Fairfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mitford
- Kershaw County
- The following are listed by their distance from Buford, with the one closest to Buford listed first.
- Kershaw
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Westville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Liberty Hill
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Pine Village
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Pine Village is located in Kershaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Village
- Bethune
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Cassatt
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Shepard
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Shepard is located in Kershaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shepard
- Lafayette Village
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Lafayette Village is located in Kershaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lafayette Village
- York County
- The following are listed by their distance from Buford, with the one closest to Buford listed first.
- Catawba
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Roddey
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Roddey is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roddey
- Roddey has also been known as:
- Coates Tavern
- Lesslie
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Lesslie is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lesslie
- Fort Mill
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Rock Hill
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Riverview
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Riverview is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riverview
- India Hook
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- India Hook is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for India Hook
- Tega Cay
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Anson County (NC)
- The following are listed by their distance from Buford, with the one closest to Buford listed first.
- Mineral Springs
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Mineral Springs is located in Anson County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mineral Springs
- Peachland
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Polkton
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Polkton is located in Anson County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Polkton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,288 people
- Jones Creek ‑ Historic
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Jones Creek is located in Anson County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jones Creek
- Mecklenburg County (NC)
- The following are listed by their distance from Buford, with the one closest to Buford listed first.
- Weddington
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Providence ‑ Historic
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Providence is located in Mecklenburg County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Providence
- Matthews
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Pineville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Mint Hill
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Union County (NC)
- The following are listed by their distance from Buford, with the one closest to Buford listed first.
- Trinity
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Trinity is located in Union County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trinity
- Jackson
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Jackson is located in Union County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jackson
- Altan
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Altan is located in Union County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Altan
- Jaars
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Jaars is located in Union County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jaars
- Mineral Springs
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Waxhaw
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Carmel Village
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Carmel Village is located in Union County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carmel Village
- Allens Crossroads
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Allens Crossroads is located in Union County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Allens Crossroads
- Rock Rest
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Rock Rest is located in Union County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock Rest
- Monroe
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Wesley Chapel
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Wingate
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- White Oak
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- White Oak is located in Union County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White Oak
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Buford, see our County-by-County Page for Buford.
Cemeteries Near Buford ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Buford.
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 Buford - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Buford covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Buford, with the one closest to Buford listed first.
- Tabernacle Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- New Bethel Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Caskey Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Fork Hill Baptist Church Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Baskins Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Blakeney Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Blackman Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Zoar UMC Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Clinton Memorial Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Old Presbyterian Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Five Fork Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Shiloh Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Continue List (147 more) ...
- West Side Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Lancaster Memorial Park
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- 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>
- McWorter Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 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.<3>
While we didn't find Buford in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Buford.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Buford, with the one closest to Buford listed first.
- New Cut
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- New Cut is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Cut
- Primus
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Primus is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Primus
- Tradesville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Tradesville is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tradesville
- Taxahaw
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Taxahaw is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Taxahaw
- Walkersville ‑ Historic
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Walkersville is located in Union County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walkersville
- Dudley
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Dudley is located in Chesterfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dudley
- Pleasant Hill
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Pleasant Hill is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Hill
- Altan
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Altan is located in Union County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Altan
- Oakhurst
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Oakhurst is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakhurst
- White Plains
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- White Plains is located in Chesterfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White Plains
- Riverside
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Riverside is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riverside
- Caskey
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Caskey is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caskey
- Continue List (13 more) ...
- Kershaw
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Jefferson
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Waxhaw
(14 miles [22.5 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 Buford. See our List of 1890's Communities around Buford.
Newspapers Published in Buford ...
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 25 newspapers that have been published in the area around Buford.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Buford, 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 Buford.
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 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 Buford:
- Websites specific to South Carolina
- Pages specific to Lancaster County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Chester County
- Chesterfield County
- Fairfield County
- Kershaw County
- York County
- Anson 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 Buford, 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 obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Buford) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |