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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 Pond Town (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 Pond Town. 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 southeast 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 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 east 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.

Pond Town is located in Hampton 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 Hampton County: Effingham (GA), Screven (GA), Allendale, Bamberg, Beaufort, Colleton & Jasper.

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

  • Hampton County     (The home county of Pond Town)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Pond Town, with the one closest to Pond Town listed first.
    • Crocketville
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
    • Hampton
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Brunson
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
    • Varnville
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
    • Miley
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
    • Gifford
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Luray
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Estill
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Furman
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
    • Early Branch
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Scotia
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
    • Barkerville
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
      • Barkerville is located in Hampton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barkerville
      • Barkerville has also been known as:
      • Haywardville
  • Allendale County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Pond Town, with the one closest to Pond Town listed first.
    • Fairfax
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Sycamore
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Allendale
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Ulmer
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
    • Martin
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
  • Bamberg County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Pond Town, with the one closest to Pond Town listed first.
    • Ehrhardt
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Olar
      (18 miles [29 km] to the north)
      • 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>
    • Govan
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
      • Govan is located in Bamberg County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Govan
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 57 people
    • Bamberg
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
    • Denmark
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
  • Barnwell County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Pond Town, with the one closest to Pond Town listed first.
    • Kline
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
    • Hilda
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
    • Barnwell
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Snelling
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Snelling is located in Barnwell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Snelling
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 259 people
    • Hattieville
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Hattieville is located in Barnwell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hattieville
  • Beaufort County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Pond Town, with the one closest to Pond Town listed first.
    • Yemassee
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Tomotley
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Tomotley is located in Beaufort County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tomotley
    • Sheldon
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Colleton County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Pond Town, with the one closest to Pond Town listed first.
    • Islandton
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
    • Ashton
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Ashton is located in Colleton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ashton
    • Lodge
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Sniders Crossroads
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
      • Sniders Crossroads is located in Colleton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sniders Crossroads
    • Williams
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
    • Ruffin
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
    • Smoaks
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Johnsville
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Johnsville is located in Colleton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Johnsville
    • Walterboro
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
    • Drawdy
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
      • Drawdy is located in Colleton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Drawdy
    • White Hall
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
      • White Hall is located in Colleton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White Hall
    • Ritter
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
      • Ritter is located in Colleton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ritter
  • Jasper County
  • Orangeburg County
    • Branchville
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Effingham County (GA)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Pond Town, with the one closest to Pond Town listed first.
    • Two Sisters Ferry
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
      • Two Sisters Ferry is located in Effingham County (GA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Two Sisters Ferry
      • Estimated population in 2019: 3,063 people
    • Clyo
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
  • Screven County (GA)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Pond Town, with the one closest to Pond Town listed first.
    • Millhaven
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • Millhaven is located in Screven County (GA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millhaven
    • Hilltonia
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
      • Hilltonia is located in Screven County (GA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hilltonia
      • Population from the 2010 Census: 262 people
    • Hiltonia
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)

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

Cemeteries Near Pond Town ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Pond Town.

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 Pond Town - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • Gooding Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
  • Crocketville Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
  • Hampton Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • Varnville Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Browning Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Cherry Grove Christian Church Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Mt. Zion Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
  • Miller Creek Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
  • Crapse Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
  • Wesley Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
  • Harter Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
  • Allen Chapel Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
  • Continue List   (181 more) ...
    • Ginn Family Cemetery
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
      • The Ginn Family Cemetery is located on private property - be sure to secure permission before visiting.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ginn Family Cemetery
    • Live Oak Cemetery
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
    • Thames Cemetery
      (10 miles [16.1 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 Pond Town in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Pond Town.

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

  • Hampton
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
  • Crocketville
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
  • Brunson
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
  • Varnville
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
  • Miley
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
  • Fairfax
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Gifford
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Almeda
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Almeda is located in Hampton County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Almeda
  • Luray
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
  • Sycamore
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
  • Islandton
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
  • Ashton
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Ashton is located in Colleton County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ashton
  • Continue List   (15 more) ...
    • Allendale
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Estill
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Cummings
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Cummings is located in Hampton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cummings

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

Newspapers Published in Pond Town ...

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 31 newspapers that have been published in the area around Pond Town.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Pond Town, there are papers which were published within 27 miles [43.5 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Pond Town.

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 professional and volunteer 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 Pond Town:

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 Pond Town, 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 obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Pond Town) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.