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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 Stafford (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 Stafford. 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 doctors 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.

Stafford 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 Stafford. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Stafford:

  • Hampton County     (The home county of Stafford)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Stafford, with the one closest to Stafford listed first.
    • Furman
      (Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
    • Scotia
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
    • Garnett
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Estill
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Luray
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Barkerville
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
      • Barkerville is located in Hampton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barkerville
      • Barkerville has also been known as:
      • Haywardville
    • Gifford
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
    • Hampton
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
    • Varnville
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
    • Early Branch
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
    • Brunson
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
    • Crocketville
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
    • Pond Town
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
      • Pond Town is located in Hampton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pond Town
  • Allendale County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Stafford, with the one closest to Stafford listed first.
    • Fairfax
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
    • Allendale
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
    • Sycamore
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
    • Ulmer
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
  • Bamberg County
    • Ehrhardt
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
  • Beaufort County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Stafford, with the one closest to Stafford listed first.
    • Yemassee
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
    • Tomotley
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
      • Tomotley is located in Beaufort County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tomotley
    • Sheldon
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
    • Seabrook
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
    • Lobeco
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
    • Laurel Bay
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Laurel Bay is located in Beaufort County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Laurel Bay
    • Hardeeville
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
    • Dale
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
    • Okatie
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Burton
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Colleton County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Stafford, with the one closest to Stafford listed first.
    • Islandton
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Sniders Crossroads
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
      • Sniders Crossroads is located in Colleton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sniders Crossroads
    • Ashton
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Ashton is located in Colleton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ashton
    • White Hall
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
      • White Hall is located in Colleton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White Hall
    • Lodge
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Ruffin
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Jasper County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Stafford, with the one closest to Stafford listed first.
    • Pineland
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
    • Tillman
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
    • Ridgeland
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Effingham County (GA)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Stafford, with the one closest to Stafford listed first.
    • Two Sisters Ferry
      (11 miles [17.7 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
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Haddonville
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
      • Haddonville is located in Effingham County (GA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Haddonville
      • Estimated population in 2019: 965 people
    • Springfield
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
    • Egypt
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
      • Egypt is located in Effingham County (GA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Egypt
    • Rincon
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
      • Rincon is located in Effingham County (GA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rincon
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 10,655 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Rincon <1>
    • Guyton
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Guyton is located in Effingham County (GA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Guyton
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,371 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Guyton <1>
    • Exley
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
      • Exley is located in Effingham County (GA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Exley
      • Population from the 2010 Census: 2,894 people
    • Marlow
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Marlow is located in Effingham County (GA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marlow
  • Screven County (GA)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Stafford, with the one closest to Stafford listed first.
    • Newington
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
    • Oliver
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
      • Oliver is located in Screven County (GA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oliver
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 228 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Oliver <1>
    • Captolo
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
      • Captolo is located in Screven County (GA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Captolo
    • Sylvania
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • Sylvania is located in Screven County (GA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sylvania
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,450 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Sylvania <1>
    • Cameron
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
      • Cameron is located in Screven County (GA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cameron
      • Estimated population in 2019: 5,012 people

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

Cemeteries Near Stafford ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Stafford.

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

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

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

  • DeLoach Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
  • Mt. Carmel Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • Smith Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
  • Nixville Baptist Church Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Black Swamp Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Black Swamp Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
  • Ginn Family Cemetery
    • 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
  • Horse Pond Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
  • Bostic Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Crapse Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
  • Grimes Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
  • Live Oak Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Continue List   (172 more) ...
    • Millpond Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
    • Hill Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
    • Davis Cemetery
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)

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.<2>

The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Stafford had a population of 68 people in 1895 with a post office and no railroad service.

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

  • Scotia
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
  • Garnett
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Brighton
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Brighton is located in Hampton County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brighton
  • Estill
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Horsegall
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Horsegall is located in Hampton County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Horsegall
  • Shirley
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
    • Shirley is located in Hampton County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shirley
  • Luray
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
  • Peeples ‑ Historic
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Peeples is located in Hampton County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peeples
  • Cummings
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Cummings is located in Hampton County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cummings
  • Almeda
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Almeda is located in Hampton County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Almeda
  • Gifford
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
  • Varnville
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
  • Continue List   (17 more) ...
    • Hampton
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
    • Eneck ‑ Historic
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
      • Eneck is located in Screven County (GA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eneck
    • Clyo
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)

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

Newspapers Published in Stafford ...

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 16 newspapers that have been published in the area around Stafford.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Stafford, there are papers which were published within 24 miles [38.6 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Stafford.

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 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 Stafford:

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>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 Stafford, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.
<3>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- Stafford) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.