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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 Gourdin (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 Gourdin. 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.

Gourdin is located in Williamsburg 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 Williamsburg County: Berkeley, Clarendon, Florence, Georgetown & Marion.

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

  • Williamsburg County     (The home county of Gourdin)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Gourdin, with the one closest to Gourdin listed first.
    • Lane
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
      • Lane is located in Williamsburg County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lane
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 443 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Lane <1>
    • Salters
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
    • Greeleyville
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Kingstree
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
    • Cedar Creek ‑ Historic
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Cedar Creek is located in Williamsburg County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar Creek
    • Snow Town
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
      • Snow Town is located in Williamsburg County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Snow Town
    • Cades
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
    • Terrell Crossroad
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
      • Terrell Crossroad is located in Williamsburg County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Terrell Crossroad
    • Moore Crossroads
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
      • Moore Crossroads is located in Williamsburg County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moore Crossroads
    • Indiantown
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Indiantown is located in Williamsburg County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Indiantown
    • Nesmith
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Stuckey
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Stuckey is located in Williamsburg County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stuckey
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 217 people
    • Rome
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Rome is located in Williamsburg County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rome
  • Berkeley County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Gourdin, with the one closest to Gourdin listed first.
    • Saint Stephen
      (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
    • Harris Town
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
      • Harris Town is located in Berkeley County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harris Town
    • Judge Town
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Judge Town is located in Berkeley County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Judge Town
    • Russellville
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Pineville
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Region Town ‑ Historic
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
      • Region Town is located in Berkeley County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Region Town
    • Alvin
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Alvin is located in Berkeley County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alvin
    • Bonneau
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
    • Eadytown
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
      • Eadytown is located in Berkeley County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eadytown
    • Jamestown
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Wrangle Town ‑ Historic
      (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
      • Wrangle Town is located in Berkeley County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wrangle Town
    • Cross
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
    • Pinopolis
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
  • Clarendon County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Gourdin, with the one closest to Gourdin listed first.
    • Shad Moss village
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
      • Shad Moss village is located in Clarendon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shad Moss village
    • Jordan
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Jordan is located in Clarendon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jordan
    • Union Crossroads
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
      • Union Crossroads is located in Clarendon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union Crossroads
    • Davis Station
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
    • Manning
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
    • Alcolu
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
    • New Zion
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
    • Gable
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Sardinia
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Summerton
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
    • Turbeville
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
    • Silver
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Silver is located in Clarendon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Silver
  • Florence County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Gourdin, with the one closest to Gourdin listed first.
    • Wren Village
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
      • Wren Village is located in Florence County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wren Village
    • Lake City
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
  • Georgetown County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Gourdin, with the one closest to Gourdin listed first.
    • Andrews
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
    • Sampit
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
      • Sampit is located in Georgetown County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sampit
    • Willie Towne
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
      • Willie Towne is located in Georgetown County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willie Towne
  • Orangeburg County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Gourdin, with the one closest to Gourdin listed first.
    • Ferguson ‑ Historic
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
      • Ferguson is located in Orangeburg County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ferguson
    • Eutawville
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
    • Possum Town
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
      • Possum Town is located in Orangeburg County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Possum Town
    • Green Town
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • Green Town is located in Orangeburg County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Green Town
    • Vance
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
      • Vance is located in Orangeburg County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vance
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 153 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Vance <1>

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

Cemeteries Near Gourdin ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Gourdin.

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

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

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

  • Oldfield Plantation Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • St. Stephens Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • Sunset Memorial Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • Keller Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • Richmond Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
  • St. Stephen Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
  • Union Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Richmond Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
  • Lifeland Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
  • Russellville Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Betaw Plantation Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
  • Easley Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Easley Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Easley Cemetery is located less than 2 miles<2> to the east of Greeleyville.
    • The Easley Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Bradshaw Cemetery
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2484801 <3>
  • Continue List   (194 more) ...
    • Marion Memorial Garden Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Mt. Hope Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Keels Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)

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 Gourdin in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Gourdin.

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

  • Lane
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
    • Lane is located in Williamsburg County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lane
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 443 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Lane <1>
  • Saint Stephen
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • Salters Depot
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
    • Salters Depot is located in Williamsburg County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Salters Depot
  • Salters
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
  • Greeleyville
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
  • Alvin
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Alvin is located in Berkeley County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alvin
  • Suttons
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Suttons is located in Williamsburg County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Suttons
  • Trio
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
    • Trio is located in Williamsburg County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trio
  • Bonneau
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
  • Kingstree
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
  • Foreston
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Foreston is located in Clarendon County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Foreston
  • Eadytown
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
    • Eadytown is located in Berkeley County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eadytown
  • Continue List   (13 more) ...
    • Macbeth
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
      • Macbeth is located in Berkeley County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Macbeth
    • Earle
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
      • Earle is located in Williamsburg County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Earle
    • Bloomingvale
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
      • Bloomingvale is located in Williamsburg County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bloomingvale

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

Newspapers Published in Gourdin ...

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 22 newspapers that have been published in the area around Gourdin.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Gourdin, there are papers which were published within 23 miles [37 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Gourdin.

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 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 Gourdin:

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>Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' (or 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- Gourdin) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.
<3>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.
<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 Gourdin, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.