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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 Oaks Crossroads (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 Oaks Crossroads. 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 Oaks Crossroads ...

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.

  • A typical abbreviation for Oaks Crossroads: Oaks Xrds.
  • While the name of this community is Oaks Crossroads, be aware that it's the common practice of mapmakers to remove the apostrophe from possessive names<1>. So Oaks Crossroads may originally have been Oak's Crossroads.

    Sometimes the trailing 's' might be dropped altogether, in which case Oaks Crossroads might be written as Oak Crossroads.

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.

Oaks Crossroads is located in Orangeburg 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 Orangeburg County: Aiken, Bamberg, Barnwell, Berkeley, Calhoun, Clarendon, Colleton, Dorchester & Lexington.

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

  • Orangeburg County     (The home county of Oaks Crossroads)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Oaks Crossroads, with the one closest to Oaks Crossroads listed first.
    • Elloree
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
    • Parler
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
      • Parler is located in Orangeburg County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parler
    • Santee
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
    • Bowman
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Wells
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Wells is located in Orangeburg County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wells
    • Vance
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
      • 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 <2>
    • Wren Village
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Wren Village is located in Orangeburg County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wren Village
    • Brookdale
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
      • Brookdale is located in Orangeburg County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brookdale
    • Wilkinson Heights
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
      • Wilkinson Heights is located in Orangeburg County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilkinson Heights
    • Stilton
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Stilton is located in Orangeburg County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stilton
    • Rowesville
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Orangeburg
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
    • Jamison
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Jamison is located in Orangeburg County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jamison
  • Bamberg County
    • Bamberg
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Berkeley County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Oaks Crossroads, with the one closest to Oaks Crossroads listed first.
    • Sandridge
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Sandridge is located in Berkeley County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sandridge
    • Eadytown
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
      • Eadytown is located in Berkeley County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eadytown
    • Cross
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
  • Calhoun County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Oaks Crossroads, with the one closest to Oaks Crossroads listed first.
    • Cameron
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Cameron is located in Calhoun County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cameron
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 396 people
    • Creston
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
      • Creston is located in Calhoun County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Creston
    • Saint Matthews
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Clarendon County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Oaks Crossroads, with the one closest to Oaks Crossroads listed first.
    • Panola
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
      • Panola is located in Clarendon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Panola
    • Summerton
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
    • Silver
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Silver is located in Clarendon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Silver
    • Davis Station
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Paxville
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
    • Shad Moss village
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
      • Shad Moss village is located in Clarendon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shad Moss village
    • Jordan
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Jordan is located in Clarendon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jordan
    • Manning
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Alcolu
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Colleton County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Oaks Crossroads, with the one closest to Oaks Crossroads listed first.
    • Johnsville
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
      • Johnsville is located in Colleton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Johnsville
    • Canadys
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
    • Smoaks
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
  • Dorchester County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Oaks Crossroads, with the one closest to Oaks Crossroads listed first.
    • Reevesville
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
    • Saint George
      (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
    • Harleyville
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
    • Grover
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
    • Dorchester
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Ridgeville
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Richland County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Oaks Crossroads, with the one closest to Oaks Crossroads listed first.
    • Gadsden
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
    • Eastover
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
    • Weston
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • Weston is located in Richland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weston
  • Sumter County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Oaks Crossroads, with the one closest to Oaks Crossroads listed first.
    • Pinewood
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Sumter Junction
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
      • Sumter Junction is located in Sumter County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sumter Junction
    • Privateer
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Privateer is located in Sumter County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Privateer
    • Wedgefield
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)

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

Cemeteries Near Oaks Crossroads ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Oaks Crossroads.

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 Oaks Crossroads - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • Bochette Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the east)
  • Pitthan V. Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
  • McGrew Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
  • Gresham Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
  • Walnut Grove Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
  • Island Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
  • New Mt. Zion Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • Murcheys Landing Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
  • Oak Grove Baptist Church Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • Antioch Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • Jerusalem Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
  • Pineville Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Continue List   (224 more) ...
    • Shiloh Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Lewis Shuler Family Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Shuler - Lewis Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)

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

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

  • Felderville
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
    • Felderville is located in Orangeburg County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Felderville
  • Elloree
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
  • Parler
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
    • Parler is located in Orangeburg County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parler
  • Dantzler
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
    • Dantzler is located in Orangeburg County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dantzler
  • Bowman
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
  • Wells
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Wells is located in Orangeburg County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wells
  • Vance
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
    • 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 <2>
  • Rowesville
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
  • Stilton
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Stilton is located in Orangeburg County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stilton
  • Felder
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
    • Felder is located in Orangeburg County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Felder
  • Jamison
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Jamison is located in Orangeburg County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jamison
  • Sixty Six
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Sixty Six is located in Orangeburg County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sixty Six
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Holly Hill
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Connors ‑ Historic
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Connors is located in Orangeburg County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Connors
    • Saint Paul
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Saint Paul is located in Clarendon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Paul

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

Newspapers Published in Oaks Crossroads ...

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 35 newspapers that have been published in the area around Oaks Crossroads.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Oaks Crossroads, there are papers which were published within 18 miles [29 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Oaks Crossroads.

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 either 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 Oaks Crossroads:

Footnotes ...

<1>It's generally believed that possessive apostrophes are removed to prevent confusion on maps where the apostrophe may be confused with a cartographic symbol. While this is generally true, it's not uncommon to find possessive apostrophes in administrative names (such as towns or counties).
<2>While we're fans and frequent users of TripAdvisor, you should know that we're also members of the TripAdvisor affiliate program.
<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 Oaks Crossroads, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.
<4>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 drawn from Point A (ie- Oaks Crossroads) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.