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 Charleston (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 Charleston. 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 southeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most 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.
Charleston is located in Tipton 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 Tipton County: Crittenden (AR), Mississippi (AR), Fayette, Haywood, Lauderdale & Shelby.
Below are the counties that are near Charleston. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Charleston:
- Tipton County (The home county of Charleston)
- The following are listed by their distance from Charleston, with the one closest to Charleston listed first.
- Gift
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Gift is located in Tipton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gift
- Estimated population in 2014: 378 people
- Gailor
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Gailor is located in Tipton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gailor
- Estimated population in 2014: 468 people
- Mason
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Mount Carmel
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Mount Carmel is located in Tipton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Carmel
- Estimated population in 2014: 5,453 people
- Gainesville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Gainesville is located in Tipton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gainesville
- Estimated population in 2014: 958 people
- Covington
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Clopton
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Clopton is located in Tipton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clopton
- Estimated population in 2014: 9,889 people
- Brighton
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Idaville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Idaville is located in Tipton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Idaville
- Bride
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Bride is located in Tipton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bride
- Garland
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Garland is located in Tipton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 300 people
- Atoka
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Burlison
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Crockett County
- The following are listed by their distance from Charleston, with the one closest to Charleston listed first.
- Johnsons Grove
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Johnsons Grove is located in Crockett County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Johnsons Grove
- Chestnut Bluff
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Chestnut Bluff is located in Crockett County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chestnut Bluff
- Maury City
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Maury City is located in Crockett County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maury City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 653 people
- Bells
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Alamo
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Dyer County
- Bruceville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Bruceville is located in Dyer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bruceville
- Estimated population in 2014: 1,453 people
- Fayette County
- The following are listed by their distance from Charleston, with the one closest to Charleston listed first.
- Braden
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Gallaway
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Feathers Chapel
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Feathers Chapel is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Feathers Chapel
- Estimated population in 2014: 7,102 people
- Hickory Withe
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Hickory Withe is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hickory Withe
- Oakland
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Oakland is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 8,669 people
- Fayette Corners
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Fayette Corners is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fayette Corners
- Somerville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Macon
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Macon is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Macon
- Canadaville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Canadaville is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Canadaville
- Williston
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Williston is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Williston
- Population from the 2020 Census: 373 people
- Elba
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Elba is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elba
- New Bethel
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- New Bethel is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Bethel
- Estimated population in 2014: 3,324 people
- Moscow
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Hancock County
- Keeling
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Keeling is located in Hancock County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keeling
- Hardeman County
- The following are listed by their distance from Charleston, with the one closest to Charleston listed first.
- Vildo
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Vildo is located in Hardeman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vildo
- Whiteville
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Newcastle
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Newcastle is located in Hardeman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newcastle
- Haywood County
- The following are listed by their distance from Charleston, with the one closest to Charleston listed first.
- Stanton
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Fredonia
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Fredonia is located in Haywood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fredonia
- Ko Ko
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Ko Ko is located in Haywood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ko Ko
- Dancyville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Dancyville is located in Haywood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dancyville
- Nutbush
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Nutbush is located in Haywood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nutbush
- Brownsville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Eurekaton
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Eurekaton is located in Haywood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eurekaton
- Toulon
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Toulon is located in Haywood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Toulon
- Hillville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Hillville is located in Haywood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hillville
- Willow Grove
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Willow Grove is located in Haywood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willow Grove
- Woodville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Woodville is located in Haywood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodville
- Allens
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Allens is located in Haywood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Allens
- Bradford
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Bradford is located in Haywood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bradford
- Estimated population in 2014: 1,017 people
- Lauderdale County
- The following are listed by their distance from Charleston, with the one closest to Charleston listed first.
- Durhamville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Durhamville is located in Lauderdale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Durhamville
- Henning
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Glimp
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Glimp is located in Lauderdale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glimp
- Ripley
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Fort Pillow
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Fort Pillow is located in Lauderdale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fort Pillow
- Luckett
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Luckett is located in Lauderdale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Luckett
- Arp
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Arp is located in Lauderdale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arp
- Flippin
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Flippin is located in Lauderdale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flippin
- Fulton
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Fulton is located in Lauderdale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fulton
- Ashport
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Ashport is located in Lauderdale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ashport
- Edith
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Edith is located in Lauderdale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edith
- Gates
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Gates is located in Lauderdale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gates
- Population from the 2020 Census: 598 people
- Daniels Point Landing
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Daniels Point Landing is located in Lauderdale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Daniels Point Landing
- Estimated population in 2014: 2,874 people
- Madison County
- The following are listed by their distance from Charleston, with the one closest to Charleston listed first.
- Mercer
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Mercer is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mercer
- Providence
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Providence is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Providence
- Denmark
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Huntersville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Huntersville is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Huntersville
- Shelby County
- The following are listed by their distance from Charleston, with the one closest to Charleston listed first.
- Rosemark
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Rosemark is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rosemark
- Arlington
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Lakeland
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Millington
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Bartlett
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Spring Lake
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Spring Lake is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spring Lake
- Estimated population in 2014: 34,269 people
- Cordova
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Lucy
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Lucy is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lucy
- Cuba
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Cuba is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cuba
- Woodstock
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Woodstock is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodstock
- Mississippi County (AR)
- The following are listed by their distance from Charleston, with the one closest to Charleston listed first.
- Luxora
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Luxora is located in Mississippi County (AR)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Luxora
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,007 people
- Osceola
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Osceola is located in Mississippi County (AR)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Osceola
- Population from the 2020 Census: 6,576 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Osceola <1>
- Driver
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Driver is located in Mississippi County (AR)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Driver
- Wilson
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Wilson is located in Mississippi County (AR)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilson
- Population from the 2020 Census: 803 people
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Charleston, see our County-by-County Page for Charleston.
Cemeteries Near Charleston ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Charleston.
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 Charleston - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Charleston covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Charleston, with the one closest to Charleston listed first.
- Charleston Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- St. Matthews Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Trinity Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Cotton Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Salem Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Beech Chapel Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Scrub Oak Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- St. Paul Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Keeling Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Sharps Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Cedar Hill Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Pipkins Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Continue List (440 more) ...
- Porter Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Wesley Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Macedonia Mercer Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
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.<2>
While we didn't find Charleston in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Charleston.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Charleston, with the one closest to Charleston listed first.
- Keeling
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Keeling is located in Hancock County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keeling
- Tabernacle
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Tabernacle is located in Tipton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tabernacle
- Mason
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Stanton
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Gainesville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Gainesville is located in Tipton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gainesville
- Estimated population in 2014: 958 people
- Braden
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Orysa
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Orysa is located in Lauderdale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orysa
- Covington
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Rialto
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Rialto is located in Tipton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rialto
- Durhamville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Durhamville is located in Lauderdale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Durhamville
- Idaville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Idaville is located in Tipton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Idaville
- Henning
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Lambert
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Lambert is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lambert
- Brighton
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Gallaway
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Charleston. See our List of 1890's Communities around Charleston.
Newspapers Published in Charleston ...
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 42 newspapers that have been published in the area around Charleston.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Charleston, there are papers which were published within 21 miles [33.8 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Charleston.
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 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 Charleston:
- Websites specific to Tennessee
- Pages specific to Tipton County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Crockett County
- Dyer County
- Fayette County
- Hancock County
- Hardeman County
- Haywood County
- Lauderdale County
- Madison County
- Shelby County
- Mississippi 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> | 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 Charleston, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <3> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Charleston) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |