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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 Lees (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 Lees. 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 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.

Lees is located in Bamberg 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 Bamberg County: Allendale, Barnwell, Colleton, Hampton & Orangeburg.

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

  • Bamberg County     (The home county of Lees)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Lees, with the one closest to Lees listed first.
    • Denmark
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
    • Govan
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
      • Govan is located in Bamberg County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Govan
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 57 people
    • Bamberg
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
    • Olar
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
      • Olar is located in Bamberg County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Olar
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 228 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Olar <1>
    • Ehrhardt
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
  • Aiken County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Lees, with the one closest to Lees listed first.
    • Salley
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
    • Windsor
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
    • Perry
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
    • Kitchings Mill
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Kitchings Mill is located in Aiken County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kitchings Mill
      • Kitchings Mill has also been known as:
      • Kinchens Mill
    • Wagener
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Oakwood
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Oakwood is located in Aiken County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakwood
    • Camp Rawls
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Camp Rawls is located in Aiken County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Camp Rawls
    • Montmorenci
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Seivern
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Seivern is located in Aiken County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seivern
    • New Ellenton
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
    • Hawthorne ‑ Historic
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
      • Hawthorne is located in Aiken County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hawthorne
    • Talatha
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
      • Talatha is located in Aiken County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Talatha
  • Allendale County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Lees, with the one closest to Lees listed first.
    • Ulmer
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
    • Sycamore
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
    • Allendale
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
    • Martin
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Fairfax
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
  • Barnwell County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Lees, with the one closest to Lees listed first.
    • Blackville
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
    • Hilda
      (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
    • Reynold
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
      • Reynold is located in Barnwell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reynold
    • Whaley
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Whaley is located in Barnwell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whaley
    • Elko
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
      • Elko is located in Barnwell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elko
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 180 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Elko <1>
    • Barnwell
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Williston
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
    • Snelling
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Snelling is located in Barnwell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Snelling
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 259 people
    • Kline
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Hattieville
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Hattieville is located in Barnwell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hattieville
  • Colleton County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Lees, with the one closest to Lees listed first.
    • Lodge
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
    • Ashton
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Ashton is located in Colleton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ashton
    • Johnsville
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Johnsville is located in Colleton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Johnsville
    • Smoaks
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Williams
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Hampton County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Lees, with the one closest to Lees listed first.
    • Brunson
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
    • Miley
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
    • Crocketville
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
    • Pond Town
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
      • Pond Town is located in Hampton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pond Town
  • Lexington County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Lees, with the one closest to Lees listed first.
    • Swansea
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
    • Pelion
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
  • Orangeburg County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Lees, with the one closest to Lees listed first.
    • Norway
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Springfield
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
    • Cope
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
      • Cope is located in Orangeburg County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cope
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 70 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Cope <1>
    • Neeses
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
    • Boiling Spring ‑ Historic
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Boiling Spring is located in Orangeburg County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boiling Spring
    • Bolen Town
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Bolen Town is located in Orangeburg County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bolen Town
    • Livingston
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
      • Livingston is located in Orangeburg County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Livingston
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 124 people
    • Cordova
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
    • North
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
      • North is located in Orangeburg County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 699 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for North <1>
    • Edisto
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Edisto is located in Orangeburg County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edisto
    • Rowesville
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
    • Orangeburg
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)

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

Cemeteries Near Lees ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Lees.

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

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

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

  • Jericho Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • Blackville City Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
  • Jowers Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
  • Capernaum Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
  • Denmark Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • Honeyford Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Zion Hill Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
  • Willow Swamp Baptist Church Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Hope Memorial Park
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
  • Bamberg County Memory Gardens
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
  • Norway Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
  • Frost Branch Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
  • Continue List   (193 more) ...

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

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

  • Blackville
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
  • Denmark
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
  • Ashleigh
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Ashleigh is located in Barnwell County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ashleigh
  • Walker
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Walker is located in Barnwell County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walker
  • Reynold
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
    • Reynold is located in Barnwell County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reynold
  • Govan
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
    • Govan is located in Bamberg County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Govan
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 57 people
  • Whaley
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Whaley is located in Barnwell County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whaley
  • Elko
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
    • Elko is located in Barnwell County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elko
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 180 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Elko <1>
  • Springfield
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
  • Bamberg
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
  • Williston
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
  • Boiling Spring ‑ Historic
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Boiling Spring is located in Orangeburg County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boiling Spring
  • Continue List   (13 more) ...
    • Snelling
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Snelling is located in Barnwell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Snelling
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 259 people
    • Salley
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
    • Sawyerdale
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
      • Sawyerdale is located in Orangeburg County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sawyerdale

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

Newspapers Published in Lees ...

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 42 newspapers that have been published in the area around Lees.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Lees, there are papers which were published within 24 miles [38.6 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Lees.

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 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 Lees:

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 Lees, 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' (or point-to-point) distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Lees) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.