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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 Sheffield (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 Sheffield. 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 northwest 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 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 west 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.

Sheffield is located in Greenwood 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 Greenwood County: Abbeville, Edgefield, Laurens, McCormick, Newberry & Saluda.

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

  • Greenwood County     (The home county of Sheffield)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Sheffield, with the one closest to Sheffield listed first.
    • Greenwood Village
      (Less than 2 miles to the east)
      • Greenwood Village is located in Greenwood County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenwood Village
    • Greenwood
      (Less than 2 miles to the east)
    • Grendel Village
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Grendel Village is located in Greenwood County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grendel Village
    • Mathews Village
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Mathews Village is located in Greenwood County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mathews Village
    • Panola Village
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Panola Village is located in Greenwood County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Panola Village
    • Fairforest
      (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
      • Fairforest is located in Greenwood County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairforest
    • Promised Land
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
      • Promised Land is located in Greenwood County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Promised Land
    • Cokesbury
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
      • Cokesbury is located in Greenwood County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cokesbury
    • Verdery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Verdery is located in Greenwood County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Verdery
    • Coronaca
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Coronaca is located in Greenwood County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coronaca
    • Hodges
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Ninety Six
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
  • Abbeville County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Sheffield, with the one closest to Sheffield listed first.
    • Cana ‑ Historic
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
      • Cana is located in Abbeville County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cana
    • Abbeville
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
    • Ware Shoals
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
    • Donalds
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Due West
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Level Land
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
      • Level Land is located in Abbeville County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Level Land
    • Monterey ‑ Historic
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
      • Monterey is located in Abbeville County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monterey
    • Honea Path
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Antreville
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
      • Antreville is located in Abbeville County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Antreville
    • Calhoun Falls
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
    • Lake Secession
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
      • Lake Secession is located in Abbeville County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Secession
    • Latimer
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
      • Latimer is located in Abbeville County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Latimer
  • Anderson County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Sheffield, with the one closest to Sheffield listed first.
    • Belton
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Iva
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
      • Iva is located in Anderson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Iva
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,341 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Iva <1>
  • Greenville County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Sheffield, with the one closest to Sheffield listed first.
    • Fork Shoals
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • Fork Shoals is located in Greenville County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fork Shoals
    • Lickville
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • Lickville is located in Greenville County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lickville
  • Laurens County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Sheffield, with the one closest to Sheffield listed first.
    • Collins Lakeside Village
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Waterloo
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Anglers Haven
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
      • Anglers Haven is located in Laurens County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Anglers Haven
    • Mount Gallagher
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
      • Mount Gallagher is located in Laurens County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Gallagher
    • Cross Hill
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Ekom
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
      • Ekom is located in Laurens County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ekom
    • Mountville
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Cold Point
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
      • Cold Point is located in Laurens County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cold Point
    • Simpson ‑ Historic
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
      • Simpson is located in Laurens County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Simpson
    • Lisbon ‑ Historic
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Lisbon is located in Laurens County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lisbon
    • Princeton
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
      • Princeton is located in Laurens County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Princeton
    • Laurens
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
  • McCormick County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Sheffield, with the one closest to Sheffield listed first.
    • Liberty Hill
      (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
      • Liberty Hill is located in McCormick County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Liberty Hill
    • McCormick
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
    • Willington
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Willington is located in McCormick County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willington
    • Mount Carmel
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Plum Branch
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
    • Parksville
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
  • Newberry County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Sheffield, with the one closest to Sheffield listed first.
    • Chappells
      (18 miles [29 km] to the east)
    • Mudlick
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
      • Mudlick is located in Newberry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mudlick
    • Old Town Ferry
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
      • Old Town Ferry is located in Newberry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Old Town Ferry
    • Silverstreet
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
    • Smyrna
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
  • Saluda County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Sheffield, with the one closest to Sheffield listed first.
    • Hickory Grove
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
      • Hickory Grove is located in Saluda County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hickory Grove
    • Saluda
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
  • Elbert County (GA)
    • Bowman Ferry
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
      • Bowman Ferry is located in Elbert County (GA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bowman Ferry
      • Estimated population in 2019: 808 people
  • Lincoln County (GA)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Sheffield, with the one closest to Sheffield listed first.
    • Hesters Ferry
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Hesters Ferry is located in Lincoln County (GA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hesters Ferry
      • Estimated population in 2019: 911 people
    • Lisbon ‑ Historic
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Lisbon is located in Lincoln County (GA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lisbon
    • Goshen
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Goshen is located in Lincoln County (GA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goshen
    • Midway
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Midway is located in Lincoln County (GA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Midway

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

Cemeteries Near Sheffield ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Sheffield.

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

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

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

  • Hillcrest Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the east)
  • Beaulah Baptist Church Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the north)
  • Mathews Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
  • Save All Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
  • Magnolia Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
  • Fairview Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
  • Edgewood Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
  • Big Adams Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Morris Hill Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
  • St. John Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
  • Tolbert Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
  • Little Adams Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Continue List   (235 more) ...

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

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

  • Greenwood
    (Less than 2 miles to the east)
  • Cana ‑ Historic
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
    • Cana is located in Abbeville County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cana
  • Hodges
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Darraugh
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
    • Darraugh is located in Abbeville County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Darraugh
  • Ninety Six
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
  • Bradley
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
  • Waterloo
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
  • Cross Hill
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
  • Mount Gallagher
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
    • Mount Gallagher is located in Laurens County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Gallagher
  • Troy
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Troy is located in Greenwood County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Troy
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 101 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Troy <1>
  • Donalds
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
  • Due West
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
  • Continue List   (13 more) ...
    • Vaughanville
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
      • Vaughanville is located in Newberry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vaughanville
    • Ekom
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
      • Ekom is located in Laurens County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ekom
    • Dover ‑ Historic
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
      • Dover is located in Abbeville County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dover

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

Newspapers Published in Sheffield ...

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 45 newspapers that have been published in the area around Sheffield.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Sheffield, there are papers which were published within 14 miles [22.5 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Sheffield.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we begin with the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These helpful 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 Sheffield:

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 Sheffield, 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- Sheffield) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.