Our Genealogy Helper
Introduction ...
So far, we found very little information about Bear Branch. The little that we've found leads us believe that the community is historic.<1>
We've added Bear Branch to our Gazetteer with the hope that we can develop more information. If you can help us with Bear Branch, please Contact Us.
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 Bear Branch (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 Bear Branch. 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 Bear Branch ...
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.
For example, a typical abbreviation for Bear Branch: Bear Br. (or less commonly used: Bear Brnch.)
You might be interested in other communities that are also named Bear Branch. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Bear Branch.
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 northeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most 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.
Although our information shows that the community of Bear Branch is historic, it would have been located within present day DeKalb County.
To see how the shape of Tennessee's counties may have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.
The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of DeKalb County: Cannon, Putnam, Smith, Warren, White & Wilson.
Below are the counties that are near Bear Branch. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Bear Branch:
- DeKalb County (The home county of Bear Branch)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bear Branch, with the one closest to Bear Branch listed first.
- Young Bend
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Young Bend is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Young Bend
- Estimated population in 2014: 279 people
- Smithville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Philippi
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Philippi is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Philippi
- Youngblood ‑ Historic
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Youngblood is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Youngblood
- Johnsons Chapel
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Johnsons Chapel is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Johnsons Chapel
- Dowelltown
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Liberty
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Liberty is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Liberty
- Population from the 2020 Census: 330 people
- Temperance Hall
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Temperance Hall is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Temperance Hall
- Population from the 2010 Census: 5,791 people
- Alexandria
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Cannon County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bear Branch, with the one closest to Bear Branch listed first.
- Woods
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Woods is located in Cannon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woods
- Thomas Town ‑ Historic
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Thomas Town is located in Cannon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thomas Town
- Bluewing
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Bluewing is located in Cannon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bluewing
- Gassaway
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Gassaway is located in Cannon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gassaway
- Manus Town ‑ Historic
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Manus Town is located in Cannon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Manus Town
- Woodbury
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Auburntown
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Auburntown is located in Cannon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Auburntown
- Population from the 2020 Census: 266 people
- Burt
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Burt is located in Cannon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burt
- Burgen
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Burgen is located in Cannon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burgen
- Hollow Springs
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Hollow Springs is located in Cannon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hollow Springs
- Estimated population in 2014: 706 people
- Bradyville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Bradyville is located in Cannon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bradyville
- Coffee County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bear Branch, with the one closest to Bear Branch listed first.
- Naola ‑ Historic
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Naola is located in Coffee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Naola
- Gossburg
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Gossburg is located in Coffee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gossburg
- Teal ‑ Historic
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Teal is located in Coffee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Teal
- Winton Town
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Winton Town is located in Coffee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winton Town
- Forest Mill
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Forest Mill is located in Coffee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest Mill
- New Union
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- New Union is located in Coffee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Union
- Population from the 2010 Census: 1,431 people
- Beechgrove
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Busy Corner
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Busy Corner is located in Coffee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Busy Corner
- Manchester
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Grundy County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bear Branch, with the one closest to Bear Branch listed first.
- Beersheba Springs
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Beersheba Springs is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beersheba Springs
- Population from the 2020 Census: 461 people
- Altamont
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Jackson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bear Branch, with the one closest to Bear Branch listed first.
- Nameless
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Nameless is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nameless
- Mayfield ‑ Historic
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Mayfield is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mayfield
- Putnam County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bear Branch, with the one closest to Bear Branch listed first.
- Burton
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Burton is located in Putnam County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burton
- Boiling Springs
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Boiling Springs is located in Putnam County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boiling Springs
- Boma
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Boma is located in Putnam County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boma
- Ditty
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Ditty is located in Putnam County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ditty
- Burgess
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Burgess is located in Putnam County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burgess
- Huntland
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Huntland is located in Putnam County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Huntland
- Estimated population in 2014: 860 people
- Pekin ‑ Historic
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Pekin is located in Putnam County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pekin
- Estimated population in 2014: 2,114 people
- Baxter
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Lafayette
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Lafayette is located in Putnam County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lafayette
- Estimated population in 2014: 4,962 people
- Southtown Village
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Southtown Village is located in Putnam County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Southtown Village
- Burnett
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Burnett is located in Putnam County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burnett
- Estimated population in 2014: 418 people
- Cookeville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Rutherford County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bear Branch, with the one closest to Bear Branch listed first.
- Readyville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Milton
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Milton is located in Rutherford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Milton
- Kittrell
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Kittrell is located in Rutherford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kittrell
- Compton
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Compton is located in Rutherford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Compton
- Dillton
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Dillton is located in Rutherford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dillton
- Smith County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bear Branch, with the one closest to Bear Branch listed first.
- Hickman
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Hickman is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hickman
- Brush Creek
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Brush Creek is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brush Creek
- Chestnut Mound
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Chestnut Mound is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chestnut Mound
- Gordonsville
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Shaver Town
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Shaver Town is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shaver Town
- Bluff Creek
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Bluff Creek is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bluff Creek
- Estimated population in 2014: 1,734 people
- South Carthage
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- South Carthage is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Carthage
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,406 people
- Carthage
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Van Buren County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bear Branch, with the one closest to Bear Branch listed first.
- Bone Cave
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Bone Cave is located in Van Buren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bone Cave
- Laurelburg
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Laurelburg is located in Van Buren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Laurelburg
- Meade ‑ Historic
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Meade is located in Van Buren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meade
- Cummingsville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Cummingsville is located in Van Buren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cummingsville
- Spencer
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Sopha ‑ Historic
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Sopha is located in Van Buren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sopha
- Estimated population in 2014: 3,104 people
- Sweetgum
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Sweetgum is located in Van Buren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sweetgum
- Chalybeate
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Chalybeate is located in Van Buren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chalybeate
- Warren County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bear Branch, with the one closest to Bear Branch listed first.
- Dibrell
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Dibrell is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dibrell
- Lucky
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Lucky is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lucky
- Gath
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Gath is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gath
- Horseshoe Falls ‑ Historic
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Horseshoe Falls is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Horseshoe Falls
- Daylight
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Daylight is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Daylight
- Fall City
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Fall City is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fall City
- Rowland Station ‑ Historic
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Rowland Station is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rowland Station
- Rowland
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Rowland is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rowland
- McMinnville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Campaign
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Campaign is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Campaign
- Centertown
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Centertown is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Centertown
- Population from the 2020 Census: 256 people
- Hillis ‑ Historic
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Hillis is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hillis
- White County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bear Branch, with the one closest to Bear Branch listed first.
- Drop ‑ Historic
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Drop is located in White County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Drop
- Pollard ‑ Historic
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Pollard is located in White County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pollard
- Peeled Chestnut
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Peeled Chestnut is located in White County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peeled Chestnut
- Darkey Springs
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Darkey Springs is located in White County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Darkey Springs
- Quebeck
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Fanchers Mills
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Fanchers Mills is located in White County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fanchers Mills
- Doyle
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Doyle is located in White County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Doyle
- Population from the 2020 Census: 587 people
- Methodist ‑ Historic
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Methodist is located in White County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Methodist
- Sparta
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Macedonia
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Macedonia is located in White County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Macedonia
- Cherry Creek
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Cherry Creek is located in White County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cherry Creek
- Clarktown
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Clarktown is located in White County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clarktown
- Estimated population in 2014: 146,806 people
- Wilson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bear Branch, with the one closest to Bear Branch listed first.
- Cottage Home
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Cottage Home is located in Wilson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cottage Home
- Estimated population in 2014: 88 people
- Round Top
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Round Top is located in Wilson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Round Top
- Statesville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Statesville is located in Wilson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Statesville
- Watertown
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Commerce
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Commerce is located in Wilson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Commerce
- Cainsville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Cainsville is located in Wilson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cainsville
- Saulsbury
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Saulsbury is located in Wilson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saulsbury
- Estimated population in 2014: 96 people
- Doaks Crossroads
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Doaks Crossroads is located in Wilson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Doaks Crossroads
- Doaks Crossroads has also been known as:
- Doaks
- Linwood
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Linwood is located in Wilson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Linwood
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Bear Branch, see our County-by-County Page for Bear Branch.
Cemeteries Near Bear Branch ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Bear Branch.
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 Bear Branch - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Bear Branch covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Bear Branch, with the one closest to Bear Branch listed first.
- Allen Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Martin Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Womack Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Griffith Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Church of Christ at Oak Grove Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Tittsworth Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Webb Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Cantrell Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Aaron Cantrell Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Holders Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Whorton Springs Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Jaco Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Continue List (729 more) ...
- Lander Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Fuston Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- White Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
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.
While we didn't find Bear Branch in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Bear Branch.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Bear Branch, with the one closest to Bear Branch listed first.
- Mount Sterling ‑ Historic
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Mount Sterling is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Sterling
- Dibrell
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Dibrell is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dibrell
- Keltonburg
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Keltonburg is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keltonburg
- Lucky
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Lucky is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lucky
- Evanston ‑ Historic
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Evanston is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Evanston
- Gath
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Gath is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gath
- Horseshoe Falls ‑ Historic
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Horseshoe Falls is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Horseshoe Falls
- Smithville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Jessie
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Jessie is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jessie
- Daylight
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Daylight is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Daylight
- Yager
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Yager is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yager
- Drop ‑ Historic
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Drop is located in White County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Drop
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Youngblood ‑ Historic
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Youngblood is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Youngblood
- Rowland
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Rowland is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rowland
- Pollard ‑ Historic
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Pollard is located in White County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pollard
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Bear Branch. See our List of 1890's Communities around Bear Branch.
Newspapers Published in Bear Branch ...
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 29 newspapers that have been published in the area around Bear Branch.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Bear Branch, there are papers which were published within 15 miles [24.1 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Bear Branch.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we first turn to 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 Bear Branch:
- Websites specific to Tennessee
- Pages specific to DeKalb County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Cannon County
- Coffee County
- Grundy County
- Jackson County
- Putnam County
- Rutherford County
- Smith County
- Van Buren County
- Warren County
- White County
- Wilson County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Tennessee
Footnotes ...
| <1> | 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 Bear Branch, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <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 'straight-line' (or point-to-point) distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Bear Branch) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |