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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 Godsey (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 Godsey. 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 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.

Godsey is located in Greenwood 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 Greenwood County: Abbeville, Edgefield, Laurens, McCormick, Newberry & Saluda.

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

  • Greenwood County     (The home county of Godsey)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Godsey, with the one closest to Godsey listed first.
    • Ninety Six
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
    • Springdale
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
      • Springdale is located in Greenwood County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Springdale
    • Fairforest
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
      • Fairforest is located in Greenwood County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairforest
    • Coronaca
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Coronaca is located in Greenwood County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coronaca
    • Grendel Village
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
      • Grendel Village is located in Greenwood County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grendel Village
    • Mathews Village
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
      • Mathews Village is located in Greenwood County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mathews Village
    • Panola Village
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
      • Panola Village is located in Greenwood County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Panola Village
    • Greenwood Village
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
      • Greenwood Village is located in Greenwood County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenwood Village
    • Greenwood
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
    • Promised Land
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
      • Promised Land is located in Greenwood County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Promised Land
    • Cokesbury
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Cokesbury is located in Greenwood County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cokesbury
    • Verdery
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
      • Verdery is located in Greenwood County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Verdery
    • Bradley
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Abbeville County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Godsey, with the one closest to Godsey listed first.
    • Cana ‑ Historic
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
      • Cana is located in Abbeville County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cana
    • Ware Shoals
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Abbeville
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
    • Donalds
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Due West
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Honea Path
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Aiken County
    • Monetta
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Edgefield County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Godsey, with the one closest to Godsey listed first.
    • Johnston
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Edgefield
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
    • Trenton
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
  • Laurens County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Godsey, with the one closest to Godsey listed first.
    • Anglers Haven
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
      • Anglers Haven is located in Laurens County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Anglers Haven
    • Cross Hill
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
    • Mountville
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
    • Waterloo
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
    • Collins Lakeside Village
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Lisbon ‑ Historic
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
      • Lisbon is located in Laurens County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lisbon
    • Cold Point
      (18 miles [29 km] to the north)
      • Cold Point is located in Laurens County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cold Point
    • Kinards
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
    • Joanna
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
    • Ekom
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Ekom is located in Laurens County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ekom
    • Mount Gallagher
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Mount Gallagher is located in Laurens County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Gallagher
    • Clinton
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
    • Dover ‑ Historic
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
      • Dover is located in Laurens County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dover
  • Lexington County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Godsey, with the one closest to Godsey listed first.
    • Batesburg - Leesville
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Batesburg - Leesville is located in Lexington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Batesburg - Leesville
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 5,402 people
    • Batesburg
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
  • McCormick County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Godsey, with the one closest to Godsey listed first.
    • Liberty Hill
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Liberty Hill is located in McCormick County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Liberty Hill
    • McCormick
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Plum Branch
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Parksville
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Newberry County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Godsey, with the one closest to Godsey listed first.
    • Chappells
      (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
    • Mudlick
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
      • Mudlick is located in Newberry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mudlick
    • Old Town Ferry
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
      • Old Town Ferry is located in Newberry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Old Town Ferry
    • Silverstreet
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
    • Smyrna
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Helena
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Helena is located in Newberry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Helena
    • Newberry
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
    • Stoney Hill
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
      • Stoney Hill is located in Newberry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stoney Hill
    • Prosperity
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
    • Union
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
      • Union is located in Newberry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union
    • Slighs
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
      • Slighs is located in Newberry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Slighs
    • Sondleys ‑ Historic
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
      • Sondleys is located in Newberry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sondleys
    • Whitmire
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Saluda County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Godsey, with the one closest to Godsey listed first.
    • Hickory Grove
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
      • Hickory Grove is located in Saluda County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hickory Grove
    • Saluda
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Ward
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Ridge Spring
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)

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

Cemeteries Near Godsey ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Godsey.

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 Godsey - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • Marshall Chapel Baptist Church Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
  • Bozeman - Scurry Graveyard
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • Sauls Chapel Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
  • Cross Roads Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Chestnut Hill Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Bethabara Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
  • Friendship Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
  • Bethlehem Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
  • Save All Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
  • Old Pine Grove Cemetery
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
  • Trinity Lutheran Cemetery
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
  • Fairview Cemetery
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
  • Continue List   (300 more) ...
    • Magnolia Cemetery
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
    • Mathews Cemetery
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
    • Cross Hill 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.<4>

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

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

  • Ninety Six
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
  • Chappells
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • Vaughanville
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Vaughanville is located in Newberry County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vaughanville
  • Cross Hill
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
  • Greenwood
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
  • Mountville
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
  • Waterloo
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
  • Milton
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
    • Milton is located in Laurens County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Milton
  • Silverstreet
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
  • Meeting Street
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
    • Meeting Street is located in Edgefield County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meeting Street
  • Bradley
    (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Pleasant Lane
    (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
    • Pleasant Lane is located in Edgefield County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Lane
  • Continue List   (13 more) ...
    • Hodges
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Lisbon ‑ Historic
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
      • Lisbon is located in Laurens County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lisbon
    • Cana ‑ Historic
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
      • Cana is located in Abbeville County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cana

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

Newspapers Published in Godsey ...

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 26 newspapers that have been published in the area around Godsey.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Godsey, 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 Godsey.

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 Godsey:

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' distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Godsey) 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 Godsey, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.