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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 Providence (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 Providence. 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 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.

Providence is located in Berkeley 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 Berkeley County: Charleston, Dorchester, Georgetown, Orangeburg & Williamsburg.

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

  • Berkeley County     (The home county of Providence)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Providence, with the one closest to Providence listed first.
    • Bonneau
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Wrangle Town ‑ Historic
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Wrangle Town is located in Berkeley County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wrangle Town
    • Harris Town
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
      • Harris Town is located in Berkeley County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harris Town
    • Alvin
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Alvin is located in Berkeley County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alvin
    • Bethera
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Moncks Corner
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Pinopolis
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
    • Saint Stephen
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
    • Russellville
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Cordesville
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
    • Jamestown
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
    • Judge Town
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Judge Town is located in Berkeley County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Judge Town
    • Huger
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
  • Charleston County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Providence, with the one closest to Providence listed first.
    • Otranto
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
      • Otranto is located in Charleston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Otranto
    • Awendaw
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Pineland
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
      • Pineland is located in Charleston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pineland
    • Lincolnville
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Lincolnville is located in Charleston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lincolnville
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,624 people
    • North Charleston
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
    • McClellanville
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Dorchester
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
      • Dorchester is located in Charleston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dorchester
    • Mount Pleasant
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
  • Clarendon County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Providence, with the one closest to Providence listed first.
    • Shad Moss village
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Shad Moss village is located in Clarendon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shad Moss village
    • Jordan
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Jordan is located in Clarendon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jordan
  • Dorchester County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Providence, with the one closest to Providence listed first.
    • Summerville
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
    • Brownsville
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Brownsville is located in Dorchester County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brownsville
    • Chandler Village
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Chandler Village is located in Dorchester County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chandler Village
    • Flowertown Village
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Flowertown Village is located in Dorchester County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flowertown Village
    • Ridgeville
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Dorchester
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
  • Georgetown County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Providence, with the one closest to Providence listed first.
    • Andrews
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
    • Sampit
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
      • Sampit is located in Georgetown County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sampit
  • Orangeburg County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Providence, with the one closest to Providence listed first.
    • Ferguson ‑ Historic
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Ferguson is located in Orangeburg County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ferguson
    • Eutawville
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
    • 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
    • Possum Town
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • Possum Town is located in Orangeburg County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Possum Town
    • Holly Hill
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
  • Williamsburg County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Providence, with the one closest to Providence listed first.
    • Cedar Creek ‑ Historic
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Cedar Creek is located in Williamsburg County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar Creek
    • Lane
      (17 miles [27.4 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>
    • Greeleyville
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
    • Salters
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
    • Kingstree
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
    • Snow Town
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Snow Town is located in Williamsburg County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Snow Town

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

Cemeteries Near Providence ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Providence.

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

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

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

  • Providence Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the east)
  • Macedonia Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
  • Taylor Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
  • Hoods Chapel Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
  • Oak Grove Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
  • Full Gospel Mission Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
  • Gravel Hill Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
  • Bonneau Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
  • Rehobeth Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
  • Hickory Grove Pentecostal Holiness Church Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Biggin Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Johnson Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • Continue List   (171 more) ...
    • Cordesville Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
    • Reed Corner Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Mt. Calvary Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)

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

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

  • Bonneau
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
  • Macbeth
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
    • Macbeth is located in Berkeley County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Macbeth
  • Bethera
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Alvin
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Alvin is located in Berkeley County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alvin
  • Moncks Corner
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
  • Saint Stephen
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
  • Suttons
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Suttons is located in Williamsburg County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Suttons
  • Huger
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
  • Strawberry
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Strawberry is located in Berkeley County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Strawberry
  • Palmerville
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
    • Palmerville is located in Berkeley County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Palmerville
  • Long Ridge
    (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Long Ridge is located in Berkeley County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Long Ridge
  • Lane
    (17 miles [27.4 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>
  • Continue List   (13 more) ...
    • Eadytown
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Eadytown is located in Berkeley County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eadytown
    • Mount Holly
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
      • Mount Holly is located in Berkeley County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Holly
    • Trio
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
      • Trio is located in Williamsburg County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trio

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

Newspapers Published in Providence ...

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 3 newspapers that have been published in the area around Providence.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Providence, there are papers which were published within 8 miles [12.9 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Providence.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we like to 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 Providence:

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' distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Providence) 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 Providence, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.