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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 Wiles Crossroads (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 Wiles Crossroads. 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.

Name Variations for Wiles Crossroads ...

When searching records, keep in mind that names and their spelling can change over time. Our sources include documents like maps, railroad schedules, Travel, Express and Shipping Guides. Many of these documents date from the 1800's and it's common to find spelling differences.

Although we can't give a definitive list, hopefully the following will give you a feel for the variations that might occur.

  • A typical abbreviation for Wiles Crossroads: Wiles Xrds.
  • While the name of this community is Wiles Crossroads, be aware that it's the common practice of mapmakers to remove the apostrophe from possessive names<1>. So Wiles Crossroads may originally have been Wile's Crossroads.

    Sometimes the trailing 's' might be dropped altogether, in which case Wiles Crossroads might be written as Wile Crossroads.

If you have information about these names (such as the reason for the change, date of change, the origin of the name), please Contact Us.

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 hospitals and doctors 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.

Wiles Crossroads is located in Calhoun 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 Calhoun County: Clarendon, Lexington, Orangeburg, Richland & Sumter.

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

  • Calhoun County     (The home county of Wiles Crossroads)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Wiles Crossroads, with the one closest to Wiles Crossroads listed first.
    • Creston
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
      • Creston is located in Calhoun County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Creston
    • Saint Matthews
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Cameron
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
      • Cameron is located in Calhoun County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cameron
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 396 people
  • Clarendon County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Wiles Crossroads, with the one closest to Wiles Crossroads listed first.
    • Panola
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
      • Panola is located in Clarendon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Panola
    • Paxville
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
    • Silver
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
      • Silver is located in Clarendon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Silver
    • Summerton
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
    • Davis Station
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
    • Alcolu
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
    • Manning
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
    • Jordan
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
      • Jordan is located in Clarendon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jordan
    • Shad Moss village
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
      • Shad Moss village is located in Clarendon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shad Moss village
  • Lancaster County
  • Lexington County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Wiles Crossroads, with the one closest to Wiles Crossroads listed first.
    • Swansea
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
    • Gaston
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
      • Gaston is located in Lexington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gaston
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,712 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Gaston <2>
    • Glenn Village
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Glenn Village is located in Lexington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glenn Village
    • Pineridge
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Pineridge is located in Lexington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pineridge
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,419 people
    • Cayce
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Cayce is located in Lexington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cayce
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 13,994 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Cayce <2>
    • Styx ‑ Historic
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Styx is located in Lexington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Styx
    • South Congaree
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • South Congaree is located in Lexington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Congaree
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,485 people
    • Springdale
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Springdale is located in Lexington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Springdale
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,732 people
    • West Columbia
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Orangeburg County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Wiles Crossroads, with the one closest to Wiles Crossroads listed first.
    • Jamison
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Jamison is located in Orangeburg County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jamison
    • Elloree
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Wren Village
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Wren Village is located in Orangeburg County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wren Village
    • Stilton
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Stilton is located in Orangeburg County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stilton
    • Brookdale
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Brookdale is located in Orangeburg County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brookdale
    • Parler
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Parler is located in Orangeburg County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parler
    • Wilkinson Heights
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Wilkinson Heights is located in Orangeburg County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilkinson Heights
    • Orangeburg
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
    • Santee
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
    • Edisto
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Edisto is located in Orangeburg County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edisto
    • Vance
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
      • Vance is located in Orangeburg County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vance
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 153 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Vance <2>
    • Cordova
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
  • Richland County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Wiles Crossroads, with the one closest to Wiles Crossroads listed first.
    • Gadsden
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Eastover
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
    • Weston
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Weston is located in Richland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weston
    • Pinewood
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Pinewood is located in Richland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pinewood
    • Bruner
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Bruner is located in Richland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bruner
    • Hopkins
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
    • Capitol View
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
      • Capitol View is located in Richland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Capitol View
    • Arthurtown
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Arthurtown is located in Richland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arthurtown
    • Valencia Heights
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Valencia Heights is located in Richland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Valencia Heights
    • Hollywood
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Hollywood is located in Richland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hollywood
    • Brickyard Village
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Brickyard Village is located in Richland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brickyard Village
    • Forest Acres
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Forest Acres is located in Richland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest Acres
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 10,269 people
  • Sumter County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Wiles Crossroads, with the one closest to Wiles Crossroads listed first.
    • Sumter Junction
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Sumter Junction is located in Sumter County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sumter Junction
    • Pinewood
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
    • Wedgefield
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Privateer
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Privateer is located in Sumter County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Privateer
    • Cane Savannah
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
      • Cane Savannah is located in Sumter County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cane Savannah
    • Stateburg
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
      • Stateburg is located in Sumter County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stateburg
    • Claremont
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
      • Claremont is located in Sumter County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Claremont
    • Ashley Creek Village
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Ashley Creek Village is located in Sumter County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ashley Creek Village
    • Cherryvale
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Cherryvale is located in Sumter County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cherryvale
    • Lakewood
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Lakewood is located in Sumter County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakewood
    • Millwood
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Millwood is located in Sumter County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millwood
    • Oakland
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Oakland is located in Sumter County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakland

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

Cemeteries Near Wiles Crossroads ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Wiles Crossroads.

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 Wiles Crossroads - one of the links might be able to help.

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

The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Wiles Crossroads, with the one closest to Wiles Crossroads 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.<5>

While we didn't find Wiles Crossroads in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Wiles Crossroads.

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

  • Saint Matthews
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Rimini
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
    • Rimini is located in Clarendon County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rimini
  • Gadsden
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
  • Jamison
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Jamison is located in Orangeburg County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jamison
  • Elloree
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
  • Weston
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Weston is located in Richland County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weston
  • Stilton
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Stilton is located in Orangeburg County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stilton
  • Panola
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
    • Panola is located in Clarendon County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Panola
  • Congaree
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Congaree is located in Richland County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Congaree
  • Wedgefield
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
  • Privateer
    (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Privateer is located in Sumter County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Privateer
  • Parler
    (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Parler is located in Orangeburg County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parler
  • Continue List   (13 more) ...
    • Silver
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
      • Silver is located in Clarendon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Silver
    • Felderville
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
      • Felderville is located in Orangeburg County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Felderville
    • Saint Paul
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
      • Saint Paul is located in Clarendon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Paul

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

Newspapers Published in Wiles Crossroads ...

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 28 newspapers that have been published in the area around Wiles Crossroads.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Wiles Crossroads, there are papers which were published within 19 miles [30.6 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Wiles Crossroads.

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 Wiles Crossroads:

Footnotes ...

<1>It's generally believed that possessive apostrophes are removed to prevent confusion on maps where the apostrophe may be confused with a cartographic symbol. While this is generally true, it's not uncommon to find possessive apostrophes in administrative names (such as towns or counties).
<2>While we're fans and frequent users of TripAdvisor, you should know that we're also members of the TripAdvisor affiliate program.
<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>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- Wiles Crossroads) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.
<5>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 Wiles Crossroads, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.