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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 Riley (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 Riley. 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.

Riley is located in Calhoun 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 Calhoun County: Clarendon, Lexington, Orangeburg, Richland & Sumter.

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

  • Calhoun County     (The home county of Riley)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Riley, with the one closest to Riley listed first.
    • Saint Matthews
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Cameron
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Cameron is located in Calhoun County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cameron
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 396 people
    • Creston
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
      • Creston is located in Calhoun County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Creston
  • Aiken County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Riley, with the one closest to Riley listed first.
    • Perry
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
    • Salley
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
  • Bamberg County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Riley, with the one closest to Riley listed first.
    • Bamberg
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Denmark
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
  • Clarendon County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Riley, with the one closest to Riley listed first.
    • Panola
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
      • Panola is located in Clarendon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Panola
    • Silver
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
      • Silver is located in Clarendon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Silver
    • Summerton
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
    • Paxville
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
    • Davis Station
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
  • Dorchester County
    • Reevesville
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
  • Lancaster County
  • Lexington County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Riley, with the one closest to Riley listed first.
    • Swansea
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
    • Gaston
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Gaston is located in Lexington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gaston
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,712 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Gaston <1>
    • Glenn Village
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Glenn Village is located in Lexington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glenn Village
    • Pineridge
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Pineridge is located in Lexington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pineridge
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,419 people
    • South Congaree
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
      • South Congaree is located in Lexington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Congaree
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,485 people
    • Styx ‑ Historic
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Styx is located in Lexington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Styx
    • Pelion
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
    • Cayce
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Cayce is located in Lexington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cayce
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 13,994 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Cayce <1>
    • Springdale
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Springdale is located in Lexington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Springdale
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,732 people
    • West Columbia
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Arthur
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Arthur is located in Lexington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arthur
  • Orangeburg County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Riley, with the one closest to Riley listed first.
    • Jamison
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
      • Jamison is located in Orangeburg County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jamison
    • Stilton
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
      • Stilton is located in Orangeburg County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stilton
    • Wren Village
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
      • Wren Village is located in Orangeburg County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wren Village
    • Brookdale
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
      • Brookdale is located in Orangeburg County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brookdale
    • Wilkinson Heights
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
      • Wilkinson Heights is located in Orangeburg County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilkinson Heights
    • Orangeburg
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
    • Edisto
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Edisto is located in Orangeburg County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edisto
    • Elloree
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Cordova
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Bolen Town
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Bolen Town is located in Orangeburg County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bolen Town
    • Rowesville
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
    • North
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
      • 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>
    • Boiling Spring ‑ Historic
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
      • Boiling Spring is located in Orangeburg County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boiling Spring
  • Richland County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Riley, with the one closest to Riley listed first.
    • Gadsden
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
    • Weston
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
      • Weston is located in Richland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weston
    • Eastover
      (18 miles [29 km] to the north)
    • Pinewood
      (18 miles [29 km] to the north)
      • Pinewood is located in Richland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pinewood
    • Bruner
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
      • Bruner is located in Richland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bruner
    • Hopkins
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
    • Capitol View
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
      • Capitol View is located in Richland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Capitol View
    • Arthurtown
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Arthurtown is located in Richland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arthurtown
    • Valencia Heights
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Valencia Heights is located in Richland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Valencia Heights
    • Hollywood
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Hollywood is located in Richland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hollywood
    • Forest Acres
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
      • Forest Acres is located in Richland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest Acres
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 10,269 people
    • Columbia
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Brickyard Village
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • Brickyard Village is located in Richland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brickyard Village
  • Sumter County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Riley, with the one closest to Riley listed first.
    • Sumter Junction
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Sumter Junction is located in Sumter County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sumter Junction
    • Pinewood
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Wedgefield
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
    • Privateer
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Privateer is located in Sumter County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Privateer
    • Cane Savannah
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Cane Savannah is located in Sumter County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cane Savannah
    • Claremont
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Claremont is located in Sumter County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Claremont
    • Stateburg
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Stateburg is located in Sumter County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stateburg
    • Ashley Creek Village
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Ashley Creek Village is located in Sumter County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ashley Creek Village
    • Cherryvale
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Cherryvale is located in Sumter County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cherryvale
    • Horatio
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Lakewood
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Lakewood is located in Sumter County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakewood
    • Oakland
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Oakland is located in Sumter County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakland

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

Cemeteries Near Riley ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Riley.

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

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

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

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

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

  • Jamison
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
    • Jamison is located in Orangeburg County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jamison
  • Saint Matthews
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
  • Stilton
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
    • Stilton is located in Orangeburg County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stilton
  • Felder
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
    • Felder is located in Orangeburg County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Felder
  • Elloree
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
  • Gadsden
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
  • Rowesville
    (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
  • Rimini
    (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
    • Rimini is located in Clarendon County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rimini
  • Weston
    (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
    • Weston is located in Richland County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weston
  • North
    (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
    • 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>
  • Boiling Spring ‑ Historic
    (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
    • Boiling Spring is located in Orangeburg County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boiling Spring
  • Felderville
    (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
    • Felderville is located in Orangeburg County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Felderville
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Parler
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
      • Parler is located in Orangeburg County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parler
    • Woodford
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
      • Woodford is located in Orangeburg County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodford
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 169 people
    • Congaree
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
      • Congaree is located in Richland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Congaree

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

Newspapers Published in Riley ...

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 28 newspapers that have been published in the area around Riley.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Riley, there are papers which were published within 20 miles [32.2 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Riley.

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 Riley:

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