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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 Wattsville (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 Wattsville. 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 doctors and 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.

Wattsville is located in Laurens 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 Laurens County: Abbeville, Anderson, Greenville, Greenwood, Newberry, Spartanburg & Union.

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

  • Laurens County     (The home county of Wattsville)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Wattsville, with the one closest to Wattsville listed first.
    • Laurens
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Tylersville
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Tylersville is located in Laurens County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tylersville
    • Lisbon ‑ Historic
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
      • Lisbon is located in Laurens County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lisbon
    • Cold Point
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
      • Cold Point is located in Laurens County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cold Point
    • Clinton
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Simpson ‑ Historic
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Simpson is located in Laurens County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Simpson
    • Gray Court
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Dover ‑ Historic
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Dover is located in Laurens County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dover
    • Ekom
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Ekom is located in Laurens County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ekom
    • Mountville
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
    • Waterloo
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
    • Joanna
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Green Pond
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Green Pond is located in Laurens County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Green Pond
  • Abbeville County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Wattsville, with the one closest to Wattsville listed first.
    • Ware Shoals
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Donalds
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Honea Path
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
    • Due West
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Cana ‑ Historic
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Cana is located in Abbeville County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cana
    • Level Land
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Level Land is located in Abbeville County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Level Land
  • Anderson County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Wattsville, with the one closest to Wattsville listed first.
    • Pelzer
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
    • Belton
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
    • West Pelzer
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
      • West Pelzer is located in Anderson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Pelzer
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 953 people
    • Williamston
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
    • Piedmont
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Greenville County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Wattsville, with the one closest to Wattsville listed first.
    • Fountain Inn
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Fork Shoals
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
      • Fork Shoals is located in Greenville County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fork Shoals
    • Simpsonville
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Lickville
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
      • Lickville is located in Greenville County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lickville
    • Woodland Village
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Woodland Village is located in Greenville County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodland Village
    • Five Forks
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
      • Five Forks is located in Greenville County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Five Forks
    • Mauldin
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Mauldin is located in Greenville County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mauldin
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 25,562 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Mauldin <1>
    • Conestee
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Pelham
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Pelham is located in Greenville County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pelham
    • Golden Grove
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Golden Grove is located in Greenville County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Golden Grove
    • Pine Hill Village
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Pine Hill Village is located in Greenville County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Hill Village
    • East Gate Village
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • East Gate Village is located in Greenville County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Gate Village
    • Gantt
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Gantt is located in Greenville County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gantt
  • Greenwood County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Wattsville, with the one closest to Wattsville listed first.
    • Coronaca
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
      • Coronaca is located in Greenwood County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coronaca
    • Cokesbury
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Cokesbury is located in Greenwood County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cokesbury
    • Hodges
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Grendel Village
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
      • Grendel Village is located in Greenwood County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grendel Village
    • Greenwood
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
    • Ninety Six
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
    • Springdale
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
      • Springdale is located in Greenwood County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Springdale
    • Greenwood Village
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Greenwood Village is located in Greenwood County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenwood Village
    • Fairforest
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
      • Fairforest is located in Greenwood County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairforest
    • Panola Village
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
      • Panola Village is located in Greenwood County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Panola Village
    • Mathews Village
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
      • Mathews Village is located in Greenwood County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mathews Village
    • Promised Land
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Promised Land is located in Greenwood County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Promised Land
  • Newberry County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Wattsville, with the one closest to Wattsville listed first.
    • Mudlick
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
      • Mudlick is located in Newberry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mudlick
    • Whitmire
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
    • Smyrna
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
    • Chappells
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
    • Helena
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Helena is located in Newberry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Helena
    • Silverstreet
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Newberry
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Old Town Ferry
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Old Town Ferry is located in Newberry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Old Town Ferry
  • Spartanburg County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Wattsville, with the one closest to Wattsville listed first.
    • Enoree
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
    • Cross Anchor
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Woodruff
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
    • Crescent
      (18 miles [29 km] to the north)
      • Crescent is located in Spartanburg County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crescent
    • Green Pond
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
      • Green Pond is located in Spartanburg County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Green Pond
    • Moore
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
    • Pauline
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
    • Reidville
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
    • Roebuck
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
    • Brookside Village
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
      • Brookside Village is located in Spartanburg County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brookside Village
    • Camp Croft
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
      • Camp Croft is located in Spartanburg County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Camp Croft
    • Franklin Village
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
      • Franklin Village is located in Spartanburg County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Franklin Village
    • Startex
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
  • Union County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Wattsville, with the one closest to Wattsville listed first.
    • Sedalia
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
      • Sedalia is located in Union County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sedalia
    • Colerain
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Colerain is located in Union County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colerain
    • Bishop Town ‑ Historic
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
      • Bishop Town is located in Union County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bishop Town
    • Buffalo
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Delta
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
      • Delta is located in Union County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Delta
    • Red Town ‑ Historic
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
      • Red Town is located in Union County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Town
    • Union
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
    • Sartor Town
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
      • Sartor Town is located in Union County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sartor Town
    • Bonham
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Bonham is located in Union County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bonham
    • Tuckertown
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
      • Tuckertown is located in Union County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tuckertown
    • Jonesville
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Meador ‑ Historic
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Meador is located in Union County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meador
    • Carlisle
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)

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

Cemeteries Near Wattsville ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Wattsville.

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

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

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

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

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

  • Ora
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
    • Ora is located in Laurens County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ora
  • Lisbon ‑ Historic
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
    • Lisbon is located in Laurens County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lisbon
  • Tylersville
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Tylersville is located in Laurens County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tylersville
  • Barksdale
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Barksdale is located in Laurens County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barksdale
  • Clinton
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Enoree
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
  • Hillsville
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
    • Hillsville is located in Spartanburg County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hillsville
  • Gray Court
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
  • Ekom
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Ekom is located in Laurens County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ekom
  • Dover ‑ Historic
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Dover is located in Laurens County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dover
  • Owings
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Owings is located in Laurens County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Owings
  • Mountville
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
  • Continue List   (13 more) ...
    • Huntington ‑ Historic
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
      • Huntington is located in Laurens County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Huntington
    • Cross Anchor
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Waterloo
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)

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

Newspapers Published in Wattsville ...

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 Wattsville.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Wattsville, there are papers which were published within 21 miles [33.8 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Wattsville.

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 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 Wattsville:

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