Our Genealogy Helper
Introduction ...
So far, we found very little information about Bright. The little that we've found leads us believe that the community is historic.<1>
We've added Bright to our Gazetteer with the hope that we can develop more information. If you can help us with Bright, 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 Bright (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 Bright. 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.
Although our information shows that the community of Bright is historic, it would have been located within present day Hamblen 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 Hamblen County: Cocke, Grainger, Greene, Hawkins & Jefferson.
Below are the counties that are near Bright. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Bright:
- Hamblen County (The home county of Bright)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bright, with the one closest to Bright listed first.
- East Village
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- East Village is located in Hamblen County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Village
- Whitesburg
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Silver City
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Silver City is located in Hamblen County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Silver City
- Casablanca
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Casablanca is located in Hamblen County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Casablanca
- Estimated population in 2014: 2,223 people
- Morristown
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Monte Vista Estates
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Monte Vista Estates is located in Hamblen County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monte Vista Estates
- Estimated population in 2014: 2,860 people
- Collons Ferry
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Collons Ferry is located in Hamblen County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Collons Ferry
- Estimated population in 2014: 986 people
- Claiborne County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bright, with the one closest to Bright listed first.
- Evans Ferry
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Evans Ferry is located in Claiborne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Evans Ferry
- Population from the 2010 Census: 293 people
- Caney Valley
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Caney Valley is located in Claiborne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caney Valley
- Raven Hill
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Raven Hill is located in Claiborne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Raven Hill
- Springdale
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Springdale is located in Claiborne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Springdale
- Lone Mountain
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Lone Mountain is located in Claiborne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lone Mountain
- New Tazewell
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Tazewell
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Head of Barren
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Head of Barren is located in Claiborne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Head of Barren
- Sandlick
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Sandlick is located in Claiborne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sandlick
- Big Barren
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Big Barren is located in Claiborne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Big Barren
- Goin
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Goin is located in Claiborne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goin
- Minton Mill
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Minton Mill is located in Claiborne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Minton Mill
- Estimated population in 2014: 527 people
- Harrogate
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Cocke County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bright, with the one closest to Bright listed first.
- Bybee
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Parrottsville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Clevenger
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Clevenger is located in Cocke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clevenger
- Estimated population in 2014: 43,182 people
- Jaybird
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Jaybird is located in Cocke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jaybird
- Estimated population in 2014: 3,299 people
- Jimtown
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Jimtown is located in Cocke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jimtown
- Wilsonville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Wilsonville is located in Cocke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilsonville
- Bailey Town
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Bailey Town is located in Cocke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bailey Town
- Estimated population in 2014: 428 people
- Newport
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Bridgeport
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Bridgeport is located in Cocke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bridgeport
- Carson Springs
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Carson Springs is located in Cocke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carson Springs
- Edwina
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Edwina is located in Cocke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edwina
- West Myers
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- West Myers is located in Cocke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Myers
- Estimated population in 2014: 2,282 people
- Del Rio
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Grainger County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bright, with the one closest to Bright listed first.
- Wyatt Village
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Wyatt Village is located in Grainger County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wyatt Village
- Bean Station
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Marshalls Ferry
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Marshalls Ferry is located in Grainger County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marshalls Ferry
- Beans
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Beans is located in Grainger County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beans
- Estimated population in 2014: 3,084 people
- Bowen
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Bowen is located in Grainger County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bowen
- Thorn Hill
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Thorn Hill is located in Grainger County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thorn Hill
- Wa-Ni Village
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Wa-Ni Village is located in Grainger County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wa-Ni Village
- Oakland
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Oakland is located in Grainger County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakland
- Estimated population in 2014: 7,316 people
- Rutledge
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Dyers Ferry
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Dyers Ferry is located in Grainger County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dyers Ferry
- Estimated population in 2014: 16,839 people
- Lulaville
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Lulaville is located in Grainger County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lulaville
- Massengill Mill
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Massengill Mill is located in Grainger County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Massengill Mill
- Estimated population in 2014: 1,600 people
- Washburn
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Washburn is located in Grainger County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Washburn
- Greene County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bright, with the one closest to Bright listed first.
- Beulah
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Beulah is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beulah
- Marvin
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Marvin is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marvin
- Warrensburg
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Warrensburg is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Warrensburg
- Midway
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Mosheim
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Romeo
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Romeo is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Romeo
- Albany
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Albany is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Albany
- Little Chucky ‑ Historic
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Little Chucky is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Little Chucky
- Morelock ‑ Historic
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Morelock is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morelock
- Bright Hope
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Bright Hope is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bright Hope
- Ottway
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Ottway is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ottway
- Baileyton
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Sirenburg ‑ Historic
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Sirenburg is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sirenburg
- Hancock County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bright, with the one closest to Bright listed first.
- Yount Town
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Yount Town is located in Hancock County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yount Town
- Duck Creek
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Duck Creek is located in Hancock County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Duck Creek
- Trent Valley
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Trent Valley is located in Hancock County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trent Valley
- Estimated population in 2014: 4,157 people
- Xenophon
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Xenophon is located in Hancock County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Xenophon
- Sneedville
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Alanthus Hill
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Alanthus Hill is located in Hancock County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alanthus Hill
- Estimated population in 2014: 2,498 people
- Kyles Ford
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Willis
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Willis is located in Hancock County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willis
- Estimated population in 2014: 387 people
- Hawkins County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bright, with the one closest to Bright listed first.
- Mooresburg
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Red Bridge Ferry
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Red Bridge Ferry is located in Hawkins County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Bridge Ferry
- Estimated population in 2014: 1,135 people
- Mooresburg Springs
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Mooresburg Springs is located in Hawkins County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mooresburg Springs
- Population from the 2010 Census: 941 people
- Galbraith Springs
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Galbraith Springs is located in Hawkins County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Galbraith Springs
- Bulls Gap
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Persia
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Persia is located in Hawkins County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Persia
- Rogersville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Strahl
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Strahl is located in Hawkins County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Strahl
- Amis
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Amis is located in Hawkins County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Amis
- Eidson
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Eidson is located in Hawkins County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eidson
- Kepler
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Kepler is located in Hawkins County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kepler
- Surgoinsville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Chimneytop ‑ Historic
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Chimneytop is located in Hawkins County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chimneytop
- Jefferson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bright, with the one closest to Bright listed first.
- White Pine
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Leadvale
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Leadvale is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leadvale
- Talbott
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Edna
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Edna is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edna
- Rock Town
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Rock Town is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock Town
- Baneberry
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Jefferson City
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Alena ‑ Historic
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Alena is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alena
- Dandridge
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Flat Gap
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Flat Gap is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flat Gap
- New Market
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Piedmont
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Piedmont is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Piedmont
- Rocky Valley
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Rocky Valley is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rocky Valley
- Estimated population in 2014: 1,771 people
- Knox County
- Zacharytown
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Zacharytown is located in Knox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zacharytown
- Sevier County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bright, with the one closest to Bright listed first.
- Henry Crossroads
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Henry Crossroads is located in Sevier County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Henry Crossroads
- Kodak
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Millican Grove
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Millican Grove is located in Sevier County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millican Grove
- Union County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bright, with the one closest to Bright listed first.
- Haynes ‑ Historic
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Haynes is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Haynes
- Luttrell
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Luttrell is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Luttrell
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,088 people
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Bright, see our County-by-County Page for Bright.
Cemeteries Near Bright ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Bright.
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 Bright - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Bright covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Bright, with the one closest to Bright listed first.
- Davis Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Dodson Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Mays Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Bethesda Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Hamblen Memory Gardens Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Nicholson Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Ramsey Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Rocky Summit Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Dodson Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Livingston Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Morelock Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Dean Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Continue List (932 more) ...
- Meeks Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- New Adriel Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Samsel Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 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.
Bright itself is historic and was described in the Rand McNally Atlas as having a post office and no railroad service. In 2014, Bright had a population of 2,942 people.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Bright, with the one closest to Bright listed first.
- Russellville
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Mooresburg
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Whitesburg
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Bean Station
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Noeton ‑ Historic
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Noeton is located in Grainger County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Noeton
- Marshalls Ferry
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Marshalls Ferry is located in Grainger County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marshalls Ferry
- Morristown
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Springvale
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Springvale is located in Hamblen County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Springvale
- Galbraith Springs
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Galbraith Springs is located in Hawkins County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Galbraith Springs
- Tate Springs
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Tate Springs is located in Grainger County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tate Springs
- Witt
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Witt is located in Hamblen County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Witt
- Bulls Gap
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Saint Clair
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Saint Clair is located in Hawkins County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Clair
- Alpha
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Alpha is located in Hamblen County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alpha
- Beulah
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Beulah is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beulah
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Bright. See our List of 1890's Communities around Bright.
Newspapers Published in Bright ...
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 23 newspapers that have been published in the area around Bright.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Bright, there are papers which were published within 6 miles [9.7 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Bright.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we first visit 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 Bright:
- Websites specific to Tennessee
- Pages specific to Hamblen County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Claiborne County
- Cocke County
- Grainger County
- Greene County
- Hancock County
- Hawkins County
- Jefferson County
- Knox County
- Sevier County
- Union 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 Bright, 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 obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Bright) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |