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 Shamokin (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 Shamokin. 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 hospitals 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.
Shamokin is located in Kershaw 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 Kershaw County: Chesterfield, Darlington, Fairfield, Lancaster, Lee, Richland & Sumter.
Below are the counties that are near Shamokin. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Shamokin:
- Kershaw County (The home county of Shamokin)
- The following are listed by their distance from Shamokin, with the one closest to Shamokin listed first.
- Lafayette Village
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Lafayette Village is located in Kershaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lafayette Village
- Shepard
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Shepard is located in Kershaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shepard
- Log Town ‑ Historic
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Log Town is located in Kershaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Log Town
- Camden
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Lugoff
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Cassatt
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Westville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Spring Village
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Spring Village is located in Kershaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spring Village
- Kershaw
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Bethune
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Pine Village
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Pine Village is located in Kershaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Village
- Liberty Hill
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Elgin
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Chester County
- The following are listed by their distance from Shamokin, with the one closest to Shamokin listed first.
- Great Falls
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Fort Lawn
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Chesterfield County
- The following are listed by their distance from Shamokin, with the one closest to Shamokin listed first.
- McBee
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Angelus
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Angelus is located in Chesterfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Angelus
- Jefferson
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- White Plains
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- White Plains is located in Chesterfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White Plains
- Darlington County
- The following are listed by their distance from Shamokin, with the one closest to Shamokin listed first.
- Pine Ridge
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Pine Ridge is located in Darlington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Ridge
- Lydia
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Prestwood Village
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Prestwood Village is located in Darlington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prestwood Village
- Hartsville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- North Hartsville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- North Hartsville is located in Darlington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Hartsville
- Fairfield County
- The following are listed by their distance from Shamokin, with the one closest to Shamokin listed first.
- Ridgeway
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Smallwood
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Smallwood is located in Fairfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smallwood
- Mitford
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Mitford is located in Fairfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mitford
- Winnsboro Mills
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Winnsboro Mills is located in Fairfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winnsboro Mills
- Winnsboro
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Rion
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Adger
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Adger is located in Fairfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adger
- Lancaster County
- The following are listed by their distance from Shamokin, with the one closest to Shamokin listed first.
- Oakhurst
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Oakhurst is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakhurst
- Heath Springs
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Pleasant Hill
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Pleasant Hill is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Hill
- Primus
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Primus is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Primus
- Elgin
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Elgin is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elgin
- Bell Town
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Bell Town is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bell Town
- Union
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Union is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union
- Lancaster
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Irwin
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Irwin is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Irwin
- Lancaster Mill
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Lancaster Mill is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lancaster Mill
- Camp Creek
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Camp Creek is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Camp Creek
- Lee County
- The following are listed by their distance from Shamokin, with the one closest to Shamokin listed first.
- Manville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Manville is located in Lee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Manville
- Bishopville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Alcot
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Alcot is located in Lee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alcot
- Elliott
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Richland County
- The following are listed by their distance from Shamokin, with the one closest to Shamokin listed first.
- Blythewood
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Woodfield
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Woodfield is located in Richland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodfield
- Arcadia Lakes
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Arcadia Lakes is located in Richland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arcadia Lakes
- Population from the 2020 Census: 874 people
- Dentsville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Ravenwood
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Ravenwood is located in Richland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ravenwood
- Belmont
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Brickyard Village
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Brickyard Village is located in Richland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brickyard Village
- Bruner
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Bruner is located in Richland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bruner
- Capitol View
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Capitol View is located in Richland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Capitol View
- Forest Acres
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Forest Acres is located in Richland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest Acres
- Population from the 2020 Census: 10,269 people
- Sumter County
- The following are listed by their distance from Shamokin, with the one closest to Shamokin listed first.
- Rembert
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Horatio
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Dalzell
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Claremont
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Claremont is located in Sumter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Claremont
- Oakland
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Oakland is located in Sumter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakland
- Stateburg
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Stateburg is located in Sumter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stateburg
- Cherryvale
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Cherryvale is located in Sumter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cherryvale
- Oswego
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Oswego is located in Sumter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oswego
- Cane Savannah
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Cane Savannah is located in Sumter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cane Savannah
- Wedgefield
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Mulberry
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Mulberry is located in Sumter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mulberry
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Shamokin, see our County-by-County Page for Shamokin.
Cemeteries Near Shamokin ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Shamokin.
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 Shamokin - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Shamokin covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Shamokin, with the one closest to Shamokin listed first.
- Forest Lawn Memorial Park
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Dekalb Baptist Church Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Chestnut Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Hermitage Baptist Church Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Parker Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- St. Matthews Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Quaker Burying Ground
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Jewish Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Smyrles Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- DuBose Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- McLeans Branch Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Hardshell Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hardshell Cemetery
- The Hardshell Cemetery has also been known as:
- Jackson Cemetery
- Continue List (197 more) ...
- Pine Grove Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- White Oak Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Ebenezer Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
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 Shamokin in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Shamokin.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Shamokin, with the one closest to Shamokin listed first.
- Dekalb
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Dekalb is located in Kershaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dekalb
- Cantey
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Cantey is located in Kershaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cantey
- Camden
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Antioch
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Antioch is located in Kershaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Antioch
- Westville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Flat Rock
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Flat Rock is located in Kershaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flat Rock
- Stockton ‑ Historic
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Stockton is located in Kershaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stockton
- Longtown
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Longtown is located in Fairfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Longtown
- Boykin
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Boykin is located in Kershaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boykin
- Pisgah
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Pisgah is located in Sumter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pisgah
- Kershaw
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Liberty Hill
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- Rembert
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Oakhurst
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Oakhurst is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakhurst
- Hagood
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Hagood is located in Sumter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hagood
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Shamokin. See our List of 1890's Communities around Shamokin.
Newspapers Published in Shamokin ...
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 56 newspapers that have been published in the area around Shamokin.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Shamokin, 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 Shamokin.
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 Shamokin:
- Websites specific to South Carolina
- Pages specific to Kershaw County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Chester County
- Chesterfield County
- Darlington County
- Fairfield County
- Lancaster County
- Lee County
- Richland County
- Sumter County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for South Carolina
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 Shamokin, 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- Shamokin) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |