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 Bethel (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 Bethel. 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 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.
Bethel is located in Perry 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 Perry County: Benton, Decatur, Hickman, Humphreys, Lewis & Wayne.
Below are the counties that are near Bethel. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Bethel:
- Perry County (The home county of Bethel)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
- Linden
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Flatwoods
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Beardstown
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Beardstown is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beardstown
- Mousetail ‑ Historic
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Mousetail is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mousetail
- Lobelville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Benton County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
- Coxburg
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Coxburg is located in Benton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coxburg
- Chaseville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Chaseville is located in Benton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chaseville
- Wildlife Cove Village
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Decatur County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
- Mount Lebanon
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Mount Lebanon is located in Decatur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Lebanon
- Estimated population in 2014: 29,387 people
- Decaturville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Oakview ‑ Historic
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Oakview is located in Decatur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakview
- Parsons
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Jeannette
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Jeannette is located in Decatur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jeannette
- Pleasant Hill
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Pleasant Hill is located in Decatur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Hill
- Estimated population in 2014: 566 people
- Sugar Tree
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Sugar Tree is located in Decatur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sugar Tree
- Dunbar
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Dunbar is located in Decatur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunbar
- Sulphur Springs ‑ Historic
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Sulphur Springs is located in Decatur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sulphur Springs
- Scotts Hill
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Hardin County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
- Johnson Ford
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Johnson Ford is located in Hardin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Johnson Ford
- Estimated population in 2014: 65,813 people
- Swift
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Swift is located in Hardin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Swift
- Estimated population in 2014: 5,874 people
- Saltillo
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Saltillo is located in Hardin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saltillo
- Population from the 2020 Census: 521 people
- Smiths Fork ‑ Historic
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Smiths Fork is located in Hardin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smiths Fork
- Centerview
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Centerview is located in Hardin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Centerview
- Estimated population in 2014: 244 people
- Paulks ‑ Historic
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Paulks is located in Hardin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Paulks
- Sibley
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Sibley is located in Hardin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sibley
- Henderson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
- Darden
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Darden is located in Henderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Darden
- Population from the 2010 Census: 399 people
- Poplar Springs
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Poplar Springs is located in Henderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Poplar Springs
- Chesterfield
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Chesterfield is located in Henderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chesterfield
- Population from the 2010 Census: 469 people
- Cedar Grove
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Cedar Grove is located in Henderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar Grove
- Sardis
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Reagan
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Farmville ‑ Historic
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Farmville is located in Henderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Farmville
- Hickman County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
- Pleasantville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Pleasantville is located in Hickman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasantville
- Hornertown
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Hornertown is located in Hickman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hornertown
- Estimated population in 2014: 412 people
- Whitfield
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Whitfield is located in Hickman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whitfield
- Aetna
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Aetna is located in Hickman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aetna
- Only
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Swan Bluff
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Swan Bluff is located in Hickman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Swan Bluff
- Centerville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Whitehouse
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Whitehouse is located in Hickman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whitehouse
- Graytown
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Graytown is located in Hickman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Graytown
- Estimated population in 2014: 1,528 people
- Nunnelly
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Nunnelly is located in Hickman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nunnelly
- Salt Lick
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Salt Lick is located in Hickman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Salt Lick
- Estimated population in 2014: 508 people
- Graham
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Graham is located in Hickman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Graham
- Humphreys County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
- Grandmother Ford
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Grandmother Ford is located in Humphreys County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grandmother Ford
- Estimated population in 2014: 307 people
- Buffalo
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Buffalo is located in Humphreys County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buffalo
- Bakerville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Bakerville is located in Humphreys County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bakerville
- Hurricane Mills
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Hustburg
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Hustburg is located in Humphreys County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hustburg
- Plant
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Plant is located in Humphreys County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plant
- New Johnsonville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Lawrence County
- Henryville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Henryville is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Henryville
- Lewis County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
- Hohenwald
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Kimmins
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Kimmins is located in Lewis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kimmins
- Voorhies
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Voorhies is located in Lewis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Voorhies
- Estimated population in 2014: 1,476 people
- Maury County
- Hampshire
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Wayne County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
- Slickrock Ford
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Slickrock Ford is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Slickrock Ford
- Estimated population in 2014: 179 people
- Ashland Ford
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Ashland Ford is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ashland Ford
- Estimated population in 2014: 4,674 people
- Clifton
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Waynesboro
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Sorby ‑ Historic
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Sorby is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sorby
- Collinwood
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Collinwood is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Collinwood
- Population from the 2020 Census: 932 people
- Lutts
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Bethel, see our County-by-County Page for Bethel.
Cemeteries Near Bethel ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Bethel.
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 Bethel - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Bethel covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
- Bethel Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Dr. O.A. Kirk Memorial Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dr. O.A. Kirk Memorial Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Dr. O.A. Kirk Memorial Cemetery is located less than 2 miles<3> to the south of Linden.
- The Dr. O.A. Kirk Memorial Cemetery has also been known as:
- Dr. Kirk Cemetery
- Kirk Memorial Cemetery
- Catron Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Webb Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Whitwell Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Hufstedler Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Ledbetter Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Fluty Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Kittrell Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- The Mound Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Taylor Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Gobelet Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Continue List (866 more) ...
- Flowers Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Dowdy Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Richardson Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
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 Bethel in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Bethel.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
- Linden
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Horner
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Horner is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Horner
- Beardstown
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Beardstown is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beardstown
- Pope
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Pope is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pope
- New Era ‑ Historic
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- New Era is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Era
- Pleasantville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Pleasantville is located in Hickman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasantville
- Mousetail ‑ Historic
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Mousetail is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mousetail
- Perryville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Perryville is located in Decatur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Perryville
- Lobelville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Toms Creek ‑ Historic
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Toms Creek is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Toms Creek
- Decaturville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Clifton
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Continue List (16 more) ...
- Nancy ‑ Historic
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Nancy is located in Lewis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nancy
- Hohenwald
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Oakview ‑ Historic
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Oakview is located in Decatur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakview
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Bethel. See our List of 1890's Communities around Bethel.
Newspapers Published in Bethel ...
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 34 newspapers that have been published in the area around Bethel.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Bethel, there are papers which were published within 23 miles [37 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Bethel.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we like to start with the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These websites either 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 Bethel:
- Websites specific to Tennessee
- Pages specific to Perry County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Benton County
- Decatur County
- Hardin County
- Henderson County
- Hickman County
- Humphreys County
- Lawrence County
- Lewis County
- Maury County
- Wayne County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Tennessee
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 'straight-line' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Bethel) 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 Bethel, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |