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 Summerville (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 Summerville. 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.
Summerville is located in Richland 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 Richland County: Calhoun, Fairfield, Kershaw, Lexington, Newberry & Sumter.
Below are the counties that are near Summerville. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Summerville:
- Richland County (The home county of Summerville)
- The following are listed by their distance from Summerville, with the one closest to Summerville listed first.
- White Rock
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Lake Murray of Richland
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Ballentine
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Cedar Creek
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Cedar Creek is located in Richland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar Creek
- Dutch Village
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Dutch Village is located in Richland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dutch Village
- Saint Andrews
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Saint Andrews is located in Richland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Andrews
- Blythewood
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Belmont
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Columbia
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Arcadia Lakes
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Arcadia Lakes is located in Richland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arcadia Lakes
- Population from the 2020 Census: 874 people
- Brickyard Village
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Brickyard Village is located in Richland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brickyard Village
- Dentsville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Forest Acres
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Forest Acres is located in Richland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest Acres
- Population from the 2020 Census: 10,269 people
- Aiken County
- Monetta
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Chester County
- The following are listed by their distance from Summerville, with the one closest to Summerville listed first.
- Blackstock
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Cornwell
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Cornwell is located in Chester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cornwell
- Fairfield County
- The following are listed by their distance from Summerville, with the one closest to Summerville listed first.
- Jenkinsville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Rock Hill
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Rock Hill is located in Fairfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock Hill
- Monticello
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Monticello is located in Fairfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monticello
- Rion
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Blair
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Winnsboro Mills
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Winnsboro Mills is located in Fairfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winnsboro Mills
- Winnsboro
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Adger
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Adger is located in Fairfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adger
- Ridgeway
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Smallwood
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Smallwood is located in Fairfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smallwood
- White Oak
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Woodward
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Woodward is located in Fairfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodward
- Mitford
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Mitford is located in Fairfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mitford
- Kershaw County
- Elgin
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Lancaster County
- Springdale
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Laurens County
- Kinards
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Lexington County
- The following are listed by their distance from Summerville, with the one closest to Summerville listed first.
- Chapin
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Irmo
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Irmo is located in Lexington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Irmo
- Population from the 2020 Census: 12,734 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Irmo <1>
- Ella
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Ella is located in Lexington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ella
- Seven Oaks
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Lake Village
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Lake Village is located in Lexington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Village
- Lexington
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Clubhouse Crossroads
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Clubhouse Crossroads is located in Lexington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clubhouse Crossroads
- Oak Grove
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Oak Grove is located in Lexington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Grove
- Red Bank
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Red Bank is located in Lexington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Bank
- Arthur
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Arthur is located in Lexington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arthur
- Gilbert
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Summit
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Summit is located in Lexington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Summit
- Population from the 2020 Census: 486 people
- Springdale
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Springdale is located in Lexington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Springdale
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,732 people
- Newberry County
- The following are listed by their distance from Summerville, with the one closest to Summerville listed first.
- Peak
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Little Mountain
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Pomaria
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Slighs
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Slighs is located in Newberry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Slighs
- Sondleys ‑ Historic
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Sondleys is located in Newberry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sondleys
- Prosperity
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Union
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Union is located in Newberry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union
- Glymphville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Glymphville is located in Newberry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glymphville
- Stoney Hill
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Stoney Hill is located in Newberry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stoney Hill
- Newberry
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Helena
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Helena is located in Newberry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Helena
- Smyrna
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Silverstreet
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Saluda County
- The following are listed by their distance from Summerville, with the one closest to Summerville listed first.
- Hickory Grove
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Hickory Grove is located in Saluda County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hickory Grove
- Saluda
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Union County
- The following are listed by their distance from Summerville, with the one closest to Summerville listed first.
- Tuckertown
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Tuckertown is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tuckertown
- Sartor Town
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Sartor Town is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sartor Town
- Delta
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Delta is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Delta
- Carlisle
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Red Town ‑ Historic
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Red Town is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Town
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Summerville, see our County-by-County Page for Summerville.
Cemeteries Near Summerville ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Summerville.
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 Summerville - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Summerville covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Summerville, with the one closest to Summerville listed first.
- Thomas Boyd Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- David Bounts Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Stuck Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Jacob Eargle Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Schmitz Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Meetzer - Orris Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Peak Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Capers Chapel Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Capers Chapel Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Capers Chapel Cemetery is located 3 miles [4.8 km]<3> to the north of Chapin.
- Threewits Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Bickley Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Whites Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Owens Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Continue List (339 more) ...
- Bethel Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Henry Eargle Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Mt. Vernon Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
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 Summerville in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Summerville.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Summerville, with the one closest to Summerville listed first.
- Peak
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Alston
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Alston is located in Fairfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alston
- Chapin
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Wallaceville
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Wallaceville is located in Fairfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wallaceville
- White Rock
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Jenkinsville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Little Mountain
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Ballentine
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Pomaria
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Slighs
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Slighs is located in Newberry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Slighs
- Bookman
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Bookman is located in Richland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bookman
- Jennings
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Jennings is located in Fairfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jennings
- Continue List (13 more) ...
- Monticello
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Monticello is located in Fairfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monticello
- Dawkins
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Dawkins is located in Fairfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dawkins
- Walton ‑ Historic
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Walton is located in Newberry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walton
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Summerville. See our List of 1890's Communities around Summerville.
Newspapers Published in Summerville ...
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 20 newspapers that have been published in the area around Summerville.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Summerville, there are papers which were published within 16 miles [25.7 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Summerville.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we first visit 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 Summerville:
- Websites specific to South Carolina
- Pages specific to Richland County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Aiken County
- Chester County
- Fairfield County
- Kershaw County
- Lancaster County
- Laurens County
- Lexington County
- Newberry County
- Saluda County
- Union 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> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'point-to-point' distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Summerville) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |
| <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 Summerville, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |