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 Big Rock Ford (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 Big Rock Ford. 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 Big Rock Ford ...
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.
Another variation: Bigrock Ford.
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 southeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most hospitals and doctors were in the next county to the east. 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 east 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.
Big Rock Ford is located in Wayne 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 Wayne County: Lauderdale (AL), Decatur, Hardin, Lawrence, Lewis & Perry.
Below are the counties that are near Big Rock Ford. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Big Rock Ford:
- Wayne County (The home county of Big Rock Ford)
- The following are listed by their distance from Big Rock Ford, with the one closest to Big Rock Ford listed first.
- Slickrock Ford
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Slickrock Ford is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Slickrock Ford
- Estimated population in 2014: 179 people
- Ashland Ford
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Ashland Ford is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ashland Ford
- Estimated population in 2014: 4,674 people
- Waynesboro
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Clifton
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Sorby ‑ Historic
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Sorby is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sorby
- Collinwood
(21 miles [33.8 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
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Whittens Stand ‑ Historic
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Whittens Stand is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whittens Stand
- Corning ‑ Historic
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Corning is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Corning
- Estimated population in 2014: 1,210 people
- Decatur County
- The following are listed by their distance from Big Rock Ford, with the one closest to Big Rock Ford listed first.
- Mount Lebanon
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Mount Lebanon is located in Decatur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Lebanon
- Estimated population in 2014: 29,387 people
- Dunbar
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Dunbar is located in Decatur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunbar
- Decaturville
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Pleasant Hill
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Pleasant Hill is located in Decatur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Hill
- Estimated population in 2014: 566 people
- Parsons
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Scotts Hill
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Jeannette
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Jeannette is located in Decatur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jeannette
- Oakview ‑ Historic
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Oakview is located in Decatur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakview
- Sulphur Springs ‑ Historic
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Sulphur Springs is located in Decatur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sulphur Springs
- Sugar Tree
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Sugar Tree is located in Decatur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sugar Tree
- Hardin County
- The following are listed by their distance from Big Rock Ford, with the one closest to Big Rock Ford listed first.
- Johnson Ford
(15 miles [24.1 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
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Swift is located in Hardin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Swift
- Estimated population in 2014: 5,874 people
- Smiths Fork ‑ Historic
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Smiths Fork is located in Hardin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smiths Fork
- Saltillo
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Saltillo is located in Hardin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saltillo
- Population from the 2020 Census: 521 people
- Centerview
(23 miles [37 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
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Paulks is located in Hardin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Paulks
- Sibley
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Sibley is located in Hardin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sibley
- Belle Meade
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Belle Meade is located in Hardin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belle Meade
- Estimated population in 2014: 3,017 people
- New Town
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- New Town is located in Hardin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Town
- Savannah
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Lowryville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Lowryville is located in Hardin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lowryville
- Henderson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Big Rock Ford, with the one closest to Big Rock Ford listed first.
- Darden
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Darden is located in Henderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Darden
- Population from the 2010 Census: 399 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
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Chesterfield
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Chesterfield is located in Henderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chesterfield
- Population from the 2010 Census: 469 people
- Poplar Springs
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Poplar Springs is located in Henderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Poplar Springs
- Reagan
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Hickman County
- The following are listed by their distance from Big Rock Ford, with the one closest to Big Rock Ford listed first.
- Pleasantville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Pleasantville is located in Hickman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasantville
- Hornertown
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Hornertown is located in Hickman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hornertown
- Estimated population in 2014: 412 people
- Aetna
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Aetna is located in Hickman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aetna
- Whitfield
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Whitfield is located in Hickman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whitfield
- Only
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Swan Bluff
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Swan Bluff is located in Hickman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Swan Bluff
- Centerville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Humphreys County
- The following are listed by their distance from Big Rock Ford, with the one closest to Big Rock Ford listed first.
- Grandmother Ford
(27 miles [43.5 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
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Buffalo is located in Humphreys County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buffalo
- Lawrence County
- The following are listed by their distance from Big Rock Ford, with the one closest to Big Rock Ford listed first.
- Henryville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Henryville is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Henryville
- Park Grove
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Park Grove is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Park Grove
- Westpoint
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Westpoint is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westpoint
- Flatwoods
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Flatwoods is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flatwoods
- Lewis County
- The following are listed by their distance from Big Rock Ford, with the one closest to Big Rock Ford listed first.
- Voorhies
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Voorhies is located in Lewis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Voorhies
- Estimated population in 2014: 1,476 people
- Hohenwald
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Kimmins
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Kimmins is located in Lewis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kimmins
- Perry County
- The following are listed by their distance from Big Rock Ford, with the one closest to Big Rock Ford listed first.
- Flatwoods
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Linden
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Beardstown
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Beardstown is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beardstown
- Mousetail ‑ Historic
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Mousetail is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mousetail
- Lobelville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Big Rock Ford, see our County-by-County Page for Big Rock Ford.
Cemeteries Near Big Rock Ford ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Big Rock Ford.
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 Big Rock Ford - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Big Rock Ford covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Big Rock Ford, with the one closest to Big Rock Ford listed first.
- Flatwoods Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Chappell Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Bromley Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Henry Culp Family Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Crossno Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crossno Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Crossno Cemetery is located 7 miles [11.3 km]<2> to the northeast of Clifton.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #11038 <3>
- Riley Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Little Hope Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Popes Chapel Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Bell Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Sharp Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Culp Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Zion Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Continue List (847 more) ...
- Merideth Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Pitts Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Whitehead Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 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.<4>
While we didn't find Big Rock Ford in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Big Rock Ford.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Big Rock Ford, with the one closest to Big Rock Ford listed first.
- Horner
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Horner is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Horner
- New Era ‑ Historic
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- New Era is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Era
- Clifton
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Waynesboro
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Linden
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Sorby ‑ Historic
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Sorby is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sorby
- Nancy ‑ Historic
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Nancy is located in Lewis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nancy
- Pope
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Pope is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pope
- Bath Springs
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Voorhies
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Voorhies is located in Lewis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Voorhies
- Estimated population in 2014: 1,476 people
- Pleasantville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Pleasantville is located in Hickman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasantville
- Perryville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Perryville is located in Decatur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Perryville
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- Houston
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Houston is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Houston
- Hohenwald
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Beardstown
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Beardstown is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beardstown
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Big Rock Ford. See our List of 1890's Communities around Big Rock Ford.
Newspapers Published in Big Rock Ford ...
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 33 newspapers that have been published in the area around Big Rock Ford.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Big Rock Ford, there are papers which were published within 21 miles [33.8 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Big Rock Ford.
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 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 Big Rock Ford:
- Websites specific to Tennessee
- Pages specific to Wayne County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Decatur County
- Hardin County
- Henderson County
- Hickman County
- Humphreys County
- Lawrence County
- Lewis County
- Perry 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> | 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- Big Rock Ford) 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 Big Rock Ford, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |