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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 Milford (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 Milford. 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 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 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.

Milford is located in Sumter 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 Sumter County: Calhoun, Clarendon, Florence, Kershaw, Lee & Richland.

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

  • Sumter County     (The home county of Milford)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Milford, with the one closest to Milford listed first.
    • Pinewood
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
    • Sumter Junction
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
      • Sumter Junction is located in Sumter County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sumter Junction
    • Privateer
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Privateer is located in Sumter County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Privateer
    • Wedgefield
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
    • Cane Savannah
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Cane Savannah is located in Sumter County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cane Savannah
    • Ashley Creek Village
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Ashley Creek Village is located in Sumter County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ashley Creek Village
    • Lakewood
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Lakewood is located in Sumter County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakewood
    • Stateburg
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
      • Stateburg is located in Sumter County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stateburg
    • Millwood
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Millwood is located in Sumter County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millwood
    • Cherryvale
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
      • Cherryvale is located in Sumter County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cherryvale
    • Claremont
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
      • Claremont is located in Sumter County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Claremont
    • South Sumter
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
      • South Sumter is located in Sumter County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Sumter
  • Calhoun County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Milford, with the one closest to Milford listed first.
    • Creston
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Creston is located in Calhoun County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Creston
    • Saint Matthews
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Cameron
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Cameron is located in Calhoun County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cameron
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 396 people
  • Clarendon County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Milford, with the one closest to Milford listed first.
    • Panola
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Panola is located in Clarendon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Panola
    • Paxville
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
    • Silver
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Silver is located in Clarendon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Silver
    • Summerton
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Alcolu
      (18 miles [29 km] to the east)
    • Manning
      (18 miles [29 km] to the east)
    • Davis Station
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
    • Jordan
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Jordan is located in Clarendon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jordan
    • Shad Moss village
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Shad Moss village is located in Clarendon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shad Moss village
    • Gable
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
    • Sardinia
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
    • New Zion
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
  • Orangeburg County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Milford, with the one closest to Milford listed first.
    • Elloree
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
    • Parler
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
      • Parler is located in Orangeburg County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parler
    • Santee
      (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
    • Jamison
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Jamison is located in Orangeburg County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jamison
    • Wren Village
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Wren Village is located in Orangeburg County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wren Village
    • Vance
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
      • 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>
    • Stilton
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Stilton is located in Orangeburg County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stilton
    • Brookdale
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
      • Brookdale is located in Orangeburg County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brookdale
    • Wilkinson Heights
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Wilkinson Heights is located in Orangeburg County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilkinson Heights
    • Orangeburg
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Eutawville
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Ferguson ‑ Historic
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Ferguson is located in Orangeburg County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ferguson
  • Richland County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Milford, with the one closest to Milford listed first.
    • Eastover
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Gadsden
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Weston
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
      • Weston is located in Richland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weston
    • Pinewood
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Pinewood is located in Richland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pinewood
    • Bruner
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Bruner is located in Richland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bruner
    • Hopkins
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Capitol View
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Capitol View is located in Richland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Capitol View
    • Arthurtown
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Arthurtown is located in Richland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arthurtown
    • Valencia Heights
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Valencia Heights is located in Richland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Valencia Heights

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

Cemeteries Near Milford ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Milford.

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

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

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

  • Bloom Hill Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
  • Singleton Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Coulter Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
  • Richardson Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
  • Calvary Baptist Church Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Calvary & Zion Hill Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Calvary & Zion Hill Cemetery
    • The Calvary & Zion Hill Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Calvary Baptist Church Cemetery
    • Zion Hill Cemetery
  • Reynolds Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
  • St. Luke AME Church Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Mt. Nebo Baptist Church Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Tom Seay Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
  • Goodin Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
  • Smith Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
  • Continue List   (180 more) ...
    • St. Phillip AME Church Cemetery
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Brown Cemetery
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Hillside Memorial Park
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)

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

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

  • Rimini
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
    • Rimini is located in Clarendon County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rimini
  • Panola
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Panola is located in Clarendon County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Panola
  • Privateer
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Privateer is located in Sumter County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Privateer
  • Wedgefield
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
  • Silver
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Silver is located in Clarendon County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Silver
  • Tindal
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Tindal is located in Sumter County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tindal
  • Cane Savannah
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Cane Savannah is located in Sumter County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cane Savannah
  • Saint Paul
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Saint Paul is located in Clarendon County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Paul
  • Summerton
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
  • Gadsden
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
  • Saint Matthews
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
  • Elloree
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Claremont
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
      • Claremont is located in Sumter County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Claremont
    • Brogdon
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
      • Brogdon is located in Sumter County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brogdon
    • Parler
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
      • Parler is located in Orangeburg County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parler

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

Newspapers Published in Milford ...

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 41 newspapers that have been published in the area around Milford.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Milford, there are papers which were published within 18 miles [29 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Milford.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we first turn to 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 Milford:

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 '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- Milford) 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 Milford, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.