Our Genealogy Helper
Introduction ...
So far, we found very little information about Flat Rock. The little that we've found leads us believe that the community is historic.<1>
We've added Flat Rock to our Gazetteer with the hope that we can develop more information. If you can help us with Flat Rock, please Contact Us.
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 Flat Rock (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 Flat Rock. 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 Flat Rock ...
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.
Another variation: Flatrock.
You might be interested in other communities that are also named Flat Rock. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Flat Rock.
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 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.
Although our information shows that the community of Flat Rock is historic, it would have been located within present day Union 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 Union County: Cherokee, Chester, Fairfield, Laurens, Newberry, Spartanburg & York.
Below are the counties that are near Flat Rock. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Flat Rock:
- Union County (The home county of Flat Rock)
- The following are listed by their distance from Flat Rock, with the one closest to Flat Rock listed first.
- Kelly
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Kelly is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kelly
- Bailey Town ‑ Historic
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Bailey Town is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bailey Town
- Jonesville
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Bonham
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Bonham is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bonham
- Lockhart
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Union
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Buffalo
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Meador ‑ Historic
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Meador is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meador
- Colerain
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Colerain is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colerain
- Bishop Town ‑ Historic
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Bishop Town is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bishop Town
- Red Town ‑ Historic
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Red Town is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Town
- Sedalia
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Sedalia is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sedalia
- Carlisle
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Cherokee County
- The following are listed by their distance from Flat Rock, with the one closest to Flat Rock listed first.
- Gaffney
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- East Gaffney
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- East Gaffney is located in Cherokee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Gaffney
- Kings Creek
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Macedonia
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Macedonia is located in Cherokee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Macedonia
- Blacksburg
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Chesnee
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Chester County
- The following are listed by their distance from Flat Rock, with the one closest to Flat Rock listed first.
- Cabal
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Cabal is located in Chester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cabal
- Lowrys
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Lowrys is located in Chester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lowrys
- Population from the 2020 Census: 195 people
- Gayle Mill
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Gayle Mill is located in Chester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gayle Mill
- Chester
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Eureka Mill
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Eureka Mill is located in Chester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eureka Mill
- Smith
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Smith is located in Chester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smith
- Cornwell
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Cornwell is located in Chester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cornwell
- Laurens County
- The following are listed by their distance from Flat Rock, with the one closest to Flat Rock listed first.
- Tylersville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Tylersville is located in Laurens County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tylersville
- Renno
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Renno is located in Laurens County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Renno
- Dover ‑ Historic
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Dover is located in Laurens County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dover
- Newberry County
- Whitmire
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Spartanburg County
- The following are listed by their distance from Flat Rock, with the one closest to Flat Rock listed first.
- Pacolet Mills
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Central Pacolet
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Central Pacolet is located in Spartanburg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Central Pacolet
- Population from the 2020 Census: 247 people
- Pacolet
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- White Stone
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Glendale
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Clifton
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Cowpens
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Camp Croft
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Camp Croft is located in Spartanburg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Camp Croft
- Pauline
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Converse
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Zion Hill
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Zion Hill is located in Spartanburg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zion Hill
- Drayton
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Spartanburg
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- York County
- The following are listed by their distance from Flat Rock, with the one closest to Flat Rock listed first.
- Hopewell
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Hopewell is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hopewell
- Hickory Grove
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Blairsville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Blairsville is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blairsville
- Sharon
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Smyrna
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- McConnells
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- York
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Filbert
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Filbert is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Filbert
- Zadok ‑ Historic
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Zadok is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zadok
- Clover
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Newport
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Newport is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newport
- Bowling Green
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Cleveland County (NC)
- The following are listed by their distance from Flat Rock, with the one closest to Flat Rock listed first.
- Erwinsville ‑ Historic
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Erwinsville is located in Cleveland County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Erwinsville
- Earl
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Earl is located in Cleveland County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Earl
- Population from the 2020 Census: 261 people
- Grover
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Flint Hill ‑ Historic
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Flint Hill is located in Cleveland County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flint Hill
- Byersville ‑ Historic
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Byersville is located in Cleveland County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Byersville
- Durbro ‑ Historic
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Durbro is located in Cleveland County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Durbro
- Elbethel ‑ Historic
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Elbethel is located in Cleveland County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elbethel
- Patterson Springs
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Patterson Springs is located in Cleveland County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Patterson Springs
- Population from the 2020 Census: 628 people
- Pleasant Hill
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Pleasant Hill is located in Cleveland County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Hill
- Sharon
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Sharon is located in Cleveland County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sharon
- Boiling Springs
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Brittain Village
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Brittain Village is located in Cleveland County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brittain Village
- Cliffside
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Cliffside is located in Cleveland County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cliffside
- Rutherford County (NC)
- The following are listed by their distance from Flat Rock, with the one closest to Flat Rock listed first.
- Henrietta
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Henrietta is located in Rutherford County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Henrietta
- Six Points
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Six Points is located in Rutherford County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Six Points
- Harris
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Harris is located in Rutherford County (NC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harris
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Flat Rock, see our County-by-County Page for Flat Rock.
Cemeteries Near Flat Rock ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Flat Rock.
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 Flat Rock - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Flat Rock covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Flat Rock, with the one closest to Flat Rock listed first.
- Hames - Gault Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Flat Rock Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Smith Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Askew Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Johnson Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Kelly Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Going Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Foster Chapel Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Porter Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Mt. Joy Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- McKissick Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Wood Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Continue List (384 more) ...
- Fernandez Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Bethlehem Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Garner Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
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.
While we didn't find Flat Rock in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Flat Rock.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Flat Rock, with the one closest to Flat Rock listed first.
- Kelton
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Kelton is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kelton
- Jonesville
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Bonham
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Bonham is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bonham
- Gould ‑ Historic
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Gould is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gould
- Hopewell
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Hopewell is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hopewell
- Pacolet
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Union
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Cotton ‑ Historic
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Cotton is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cotton
- Bullock Creek
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Bullock Creek is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bullock Creek
- Hoodtown
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Hoodtown is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hoodtown
- West Springs
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- West Springs is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Springs
- Meador ‑ Historic
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Meador is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meador
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Hickory Grove
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Glenn Springs
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Glenn Springs is located in Spartanburg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glenn Springs
- Colerain
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Colerain is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colerain
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Flat Rock. See our List of 1890's Communities around Flat Rock.
Newspapers Published in Flat Rock ...
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 20 newspapers that have been published in the area around Flat Rock.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Flat Rock, there are papers which were published within 16 miles [25.7 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Flat Rock.
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 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 Flat Rock:
- Websites specific to South Carolina
- Pages specific to Union County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Cherokee County
- Chester County
- Laurens County
- Newberry County
- Spartanburg County
- York County
- Cleveland County
- Rutherford County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for South Carolina
Footnotes ...
| <1> | 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 Flat Rock, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <2> | While we're fans and frequent users of TripAdvisor, you should know that we're also members of the TripAdvisor affiliate program. |
| <3> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'point-to-point' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Flat Rock) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |