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 Watts (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 Watts. 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 southwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors and hospitals were in the next county to the west. Almost all of the nearby churches and cemeteries were in the county to the south.
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 south 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.
Watts is located in Abbeville 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 Abbeville County: Elbert (GA), Anderson, Greenville, Greenwood, Laurens & McCormick.
Below are the counties that are near Watts. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Watts:
- Abbeville County (The home county of Watts)
- The following are listed by their distance from Watts, with the one closest to Watts listed first.
- Monterey ‑ Historic
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Monterey is located in Abbeville County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monterey
- Latimer
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Latimer is located in Abbeville County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Latimer
- Abbeville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Calhoun Falls
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Lowndesville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Antreville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Antreville is located in Abbeville County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Antreville
- Lake Secession
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Lake Secession is located in Abbeville County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Secession
- Cana ‑ Historic
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Cana is located in Abbeville County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cana
- Level Land
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Level Land is located in Abbeville County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Level Land
- Due West
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Donalds
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Honea Path
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Ware Shoals
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Anderson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Watts, with the one closest to Watts listed first.
- Iva
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- 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>
- Starr
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Deans
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Deans is located in Anderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deans
- Holland Store
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Holland Store is located in Anderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holland Store
- Holland Store has also been known as:
- Hollands
- Homeland Park
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Homeland Park is located in Anderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Homeland Park
- Anderson
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Belton
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Caldwell Village
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Caldwell Village is located in Anderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caldwell Village
- Andersonville ‑ Historic
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Andersonville is located in Anderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Andersonville
- Centerville Terrace Estates
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Centerville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Centerville is located in Anderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Centerville
- Anderson Village
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Anderson Village is located in Anderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Anderson Village
- Greenwood County
- The following are listed by their distance from Watts, with the one closest to Watts listed first.
- Verdery
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Verdery is located in Greenwood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Verdery
- Promised Land
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Promised Land is located in Greenwood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Promised Land
- Bradley
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Troy
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Hodges
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Greenwood Village
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Greenwood Village is located in Greenwood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenwood Village
- Greenwood
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Grendel Village
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Grendel Village is located in Greenwood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grendel Village
- Mathews Village
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Mathews Village is located in Greenwood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mathews Village
- Panola Village
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Panola Village is located in Greenwood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Panola Village
- Cokesbury
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Cokesbury is located in Greenwood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cokesbury
- Fairforest
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Fairforest is located in Greenwood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairforest
- Coronaca
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Coronaca is located in Greenwood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coronaca
- Laurens County
- The following are listed by their distance from Watts, with the one closest to Watts listed first.
- Collins Lakeside Village
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Mount Gallagher
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Mount Gallagher is located in Laurens County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Gallagher
- Princeton
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Princeton is located in Laurens County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Princeton
- Ekom
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Ekom is located in Laurens County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ekom
- Waterloo
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Simpson ‑ Historic
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Simpson is located in Laurens County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Simpson
- McCormick County
- The following are listed by their distance from Watts, with the one closest to Watts listed first.
- Mount Carmel
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Willington
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Willington is located in McCormick County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willington
- McCormick
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Liberty Hill
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Liberty Hill is located in McCormick County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Liberty Hill
- Plum Branch
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Parksville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Elbert County (GA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Watts, with the one closest to Watts listed first.
- Bowman Ferry
(14 miles [22.5 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
- Edinburg ‑ Historic
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Edinburg is located in Elbert County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edinburg
- Estimated population in 2019: 1,396 people
- Harmony
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Harmony is located in Elbert County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harmony
- Silk Mills
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Silk Mills is located in Elbert County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Silk Mills
- Estimated population in 2019: 277 people
- Elberton
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Centerville
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Centerville is located in Elbert County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Centerville
- Goss
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Goss is located in Elbert County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goss
- Dewy Rose
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Harper
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Harper is located in Elbert County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harper
- Hart County (GA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Watts, with the one closest to Watts listed first.
- Dooleys Ferry
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Dooleys Ferry is located in Hart County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dooleys Ferry
- Estimated population in 2019: 136 people
- Cooleys Ferry
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Cooleys Ferry is located in Hart County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cooleys Ferry
- Estimated population in 2019: 529 people
- Hartwell
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Crawfords Ferry
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Crawfords Ferry is located in Hart County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crawfords Ferry
- Estimated population in 2019: 473 people
- Lincoln County (GA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Watts, with the one closest to Watts listed first.
- Hesters Ferry
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Hesters Ferry is located in Lincoln County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hesters Ferry
- Estimated population in 2019: 911 people
- Lisbon ‑ Historic
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Lisbon is located in Lincoln County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lisbon
- Midway
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Midway is located in Lincoln County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Midway
- Goshen
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Goshen is located in Lincoln County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goshen
- Lincolnton
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Loce
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Loce is located in Lincoln County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Loce
- Oglethorpe County (GA)
- Palmetto
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Palmetto is located in Oglethorpe County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Palmetto
- Wilkes County (GA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Watts, with the one closest to Watts listed first.
- Tignall
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- New Town
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- New Town is located in Wilkes County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Town
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Watts, see our County-by-County Page for Watts.
Cemeteries Near Watts ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Watts.
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 Watts - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Watts covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Watts, with the one closest to Watts listed first.
- Warrenton Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Forest Lawn Memory Gardens
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Sharon Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Rocky River Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Lebanon Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Old Rocky River Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Calhoun Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Old Zion Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Salem Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Boyd Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Trinity Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Melrose Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Continue List (271 more) ...
- Hester Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Hopewell Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Hobson Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 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.<4>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that in 1895, Watts had railroad service and no post office.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Watts, with the one closest to Watts listed first.
- Monterey ‑ Historic
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Monterey is located in Abbeville County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monterey
- Latimer
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Latimer is located in Abbeville County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Latimer
- Calhoun Falls
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Dover ‑ Historic
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Dover is located in Abbeville County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dover
- Hester
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Hester is located in Abbeville County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hester
- Calhoun Mill
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Calhoun Mill is located in Abbeville County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Calhoun Mill
- Mount Carmel
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Darraugh
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Darraugh is located in Abbeville County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Darraugh
- Lowndesville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Antreville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Antreville is located in Abbeville County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Antreville
- Heardmont
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Heardmont is located in Elbert County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Heardmont
- Cana ‑ Historic
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Cana is located in Abbeville County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cana
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Level Land
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Level Land is located in Abbeville County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Level Land
- Due West
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Stansell ‑ Historic
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Stansell is located in Elbert County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stansell
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Watts. See our List of 1890's Communities around Watts.
Newspapers Published in Watts ...
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 31 newspapers that have been published in the area around Watts.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Watts, there are papers which were published within 18 miles [29 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Watts.
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 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 Watts:
- Websites specific to South Carolina
- Pages specific to Abbeville County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Anderson County
- Greenwood County
- Laurens County
- McCormick County
- Elbert County
- Hart County
- Lincoln County
- Oglethorpe County
- Wilkes 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> | 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 drawn from Point A (ie- Watts) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |
| <3> | 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. |
| <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 Watts, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |