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 Five Forks (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 Five Forks. 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.
Name Variations for Five Forks ...
When searching records, keep in mind that names and their spelling can change over time. Our sources include documents like maps, railroad schedules, Travel, Express and Shipping Guides. Many of these documents date from the 1800's and it's common to find spelling differences.
Although we can't give a definitive list, hopefully the following will give you a feel for the variations that might occur.
For example, a typical abbreviation for Five Forks: Five Frks.
You might be interested in other communities that are also named Five Forks. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Five Forks.
If you have information about these names (such as the reason for the change, date of change, the origin of the name), please Contact Us.
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 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 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.
Five Forks is located in Chesterfield 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 Chesterfield County: Anson (NC), Richmond (NC), Union (NC), Darlington, Kershaw, Lancaster & Marlboro.
Below are the counties that are near Five Forks. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Five Forks:
- Chesterfield County (The home county of Five Forks)
- The following are listed by their distance from Five Forks, with the one closest to Five Forks listed first.
- White Plains
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- White Plains is located in Chesterfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White Plains
- Pageland
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Jefferson
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Mount Croghan
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Angelus
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Angelus is located in Chesterfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Angelus
- Ruby
(15 miles [24.1 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>
- Chesterfield
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- McBee
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Patrick
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Chester County
- The following are listed by their distance from Five Forks, with the one closest to Five Forks listed first.
- Fort Lawn
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Great Falls
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Darlington County
- Pine Ridge
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Pine Ridge is located in Darlington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Ridge
- Kershaw County
- The following are listed by their distance from Five Forks, with the one closest to Five Forks listed first.
- Kershaw
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Westville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Pine Village
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Pine Village is located in Kershaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Village
- Bethune
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Cassatt
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Liberty Hill
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Shepard
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Shepard is located in Kershaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shepard
- Lancaster County
- The following are listed by their distance from Five Forks, with the one closest to Five Forks listed first.
- Union
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Union is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union
- Primus
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Primus is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Primus
- Camp Creek
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Camp Creek is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Camp Creek
- Oakhurst
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Oakhurst is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakhurst
- Pleasant Hill
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Pleasant Hill is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Hill
- Elgin
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Elgin is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elgin
- Heath Springs
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Lancaster
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Lancaster Mill
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Lancaster Mill is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lancaster Mill
- Caskey
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Caskey is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caskey
- Irwin
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Irwin is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Irwin
- Riverside
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Riverside is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riverside
- York County
- The following are listed by their distance from Five Forks, with the one closest to Five Forks listed first.
- Catawba
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Roddey
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Roddey is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roddey
- Roddey has also been known as:
- Coates Tavern
- Lesslie
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Lesslie is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lesslie
- Anson County (NC)
- The following are listed by their distance from Five Forks, with the one closest to Five Forks listed first.
- Mineral Springs
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Mineral Springs is located in Anson County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mineral Springs
- Peachland
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Jones Creek ‑ Historic
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Jones Creek is located in Anson County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jones Creek
- Polkton
(23 miles [37 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
- Morven
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Morven is located in Anson County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morven
- Population from the 2020 Census: 465 people
- Sugar Town
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Sugar Town is located in Anson County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sugar Town
- Wadesboro
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- McFarlan
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- McFarlan is located in Anson County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McFarlan
- Population from the 2020 Census: 107 people
- Burnsville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Burnsville is located in Anson County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burnsville
- Lilesville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Mecklenburg County (NC)
- The following are listed by their distance from Five Forks, with the one closest to Five Forks listed first.
- Weddington
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Matthews
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Providence ‑ Historic
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Providence is located in Mecklenburg County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Providence
- Union County (NC)
- The following are listed by their distance from Five Forks, with the one closest to Five Forks listed first.
- Trinity
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Trinity is located in Union County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trinity
- Altan
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Altan is located in Union County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Altan
- Allens Crossroads
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Allens Crossroads is located in Union County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Allens Crossroads
- Rock Rest
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Rock Rest is located in Union County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock Rest
- Jackson
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Jackson is located in Union County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jackson
- Wingate
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Carmel Village
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Carmel Village is located in Union County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carmel Village
- Marshville
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Jaars
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Jaars is located in Union County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jaars
- Monroe
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Mineral Springs
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Waxhaw
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Five Forks, see our County-by-County Page for Five Forks.
Cemeteries Near Five Forks ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Five Forks.
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 Five Forks - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Five Forks covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Five Forks, with the one closest to Five Forks listed first.
- Five Fork Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Blakeney Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- White Plains Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Pageland Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Blackman Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Rose Hill Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Greenlawn Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Greenlawn Memorial Park
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenlawn Memorial Park
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Greenlawn Memorial Park is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the northwest of Pageland.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #70198 <2>
- Smyrna Baptist Church Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smyrna Baptist Church Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Smyrna Baptist Church Cemetery is located 2 miles [3.2 km]<3> to the northwest of Pageland.
- The Smyrna Baptist Church Cemetery has also been known as:
- Horne Family Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2240965 <2>
- Zoar UMC Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Zion Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Jefferson Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Continue List (151 more) ...
- Miller - Lowery Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Hopewell Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Fork Creek Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 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.<4>
While we didn't find Five Forks in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Five Forks.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Five Forks, with the one closest to Five Forks listed first.
- White Plains
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- White Plains is located in Chesterfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White Plains
- Dudley
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Dudley is located in Chesterfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dudley
- Taxahaw
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Taxahaw is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Taxahaw
- Tradesville
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Tradesville is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tradesville
- Jefferson
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Altan
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Altan is located in Union County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Altan
- Hornsboro
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Hornsboro is located in Chesterfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hornsboro
- Primus
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Primus is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Primus
- Mount Croghan
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- New Cut
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- New Cut is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Cut
- Catarrh
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Catarrh is located in Chesterfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Catarrh
- Walkersville ‑ Historic
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Walkersville is located in Union County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walkersville
- Continue List (16 more) ...
- Long Pine
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Long Pine is located in Anson County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Long Pine
- Rock Rest
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Rock Rest is located in Union County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock Rest
- Pleasant Hill
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Pleasant Hill is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Hill
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Five Forks. See our List of 1890's Communities around Five Forks.
Newspapers Published in Five Forks ...
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 Five Forks.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Five Forks, there are papers which were published within 21 miles [33.8 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Five Forks.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we begin with the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These professional and volunteer 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 Five Forks:
- Websites specific to South Carolina
- Pages specific to Chesterfield County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Chester County
- Darlington County
- Kershaw County
- Lancaster 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> | 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 from Point A (ie- Five Forks) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |
| <4> | 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 Five Forks, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |