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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 Cleveland (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 Cleveland. 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 northeast 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 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.

Cleveland is located in Bradley County and is the County Seat.

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 Bradley County: Murray (GA), Whitfield (GA), Hamilton, McMinn, Meigs & Polk.

Below are the counties that are near Cleveland. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Cleveland:

  • Bradley County     (The home county of Cleveland)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Cleveland, with the one closest to Cleveland listed first.
    • East Cleveland
      (Less than 2 miles to the east)
      • East Cleveland is located in Bradley County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Cleveland
      • Population from the 2010 Census: 1,608 people
    • South Cleveland
      (Less than 2 miles to the south)
      • South Cleveland is located in Bradley County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Cleveland
      • Population from the 2010 Census: 6,912 people
    • Countryside Village
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
      • Countryside Village is located in Bradley County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Countryside Village
    • Bent Tree Acres
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Bent Tree Acres is located in Bradley County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bent Tree Acres
      • Estimated population in 2014: 1,309 people
    • Wildwood Lake
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
      • Wildwood Lake is located in Bradley County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wildwood Lake
      • Population from the 2010 Census: 3,124 people
    • Hopewell Estates
      (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
      • Hopewell Estates is located in Bradley County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hopewell Estates
      • Population from the 2010 Census: 1,874 people
    • Hopewell
      (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
      • Hopewell is located in Bradley County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hopewell
    • McDonald
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Bellefounte
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Mineral Park
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Etola
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
    • Charleston
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Earnest ‑ Historic
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
      • Earnest is located in Bradley County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Earnest
  • Bledsoe County
  • Hamilton County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Cleveland, with the one closest to Cleveland listed first.
    • Apison
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Collegedale
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Howardville
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Ooltewah
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Auburn Hills
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Auburn Hills is located in Hamilton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Auburn Hills
      • Estimated population in 2014: 929 people
    • Harrison Ferry
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
      • Harrison Ferry is located in Hamilton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harrison Ferry
      • Population from the 2010 Census: 7,769 people
    • Birchwood
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Harrison
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
    • Lake Dweller
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
    • Lakesite
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
      • Lakesite is located in Hamilton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakesite
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,866 people
    • Soddy Lake Heights
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Soddy Lake Heights is located in Hamilton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Soddy Lake Heights
      • Estimated population in 2014: 13,190 people
    • Caramel Village
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
      • Caramel Village is located in Hamilton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caramel Village
    • Crabtree Hills
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
      • Crabtree Hills is located in Hamilton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crabtree Hills
      • Estimated population in 2014: 763 people
  • McMinn County
  • Meigs County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Cleveland, with the one closest to Cleveland listed first.
    • East View
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
      • East View is located in Meigs County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East View
      • Estimated population in 2014: 705 people
    • Beta
      (18 miles [29 km] to the north)
    • Cayuga Town ‑ Historic
      (18 miles [29 km] to the north)
      • Cayuga Town is located in Meigs County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cayuga Town
    • Goodfield
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
    • Calico
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
      • Calico is located in Meigs County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Calico
      • Estimated population in 2014: 495 people
    • Decatur
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
    • Cute ‑ Historic
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
      • Cute is located in Meigs County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cute
  • Monroe County
  • Polk County
  • Rhea County
  • Sequatchie County
  • Catoosa County (GA)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Cleveland, with the one closest to Cleveland listed first.
    • Mount Vernon
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Mount Vernon is located in Catoosa County (GA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Vernon
      • Estimated population in 2019: 2,371 people
    • Catoosa Springs
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Graysville
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Indian Springs
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Indian Springs is located in Catoosa County (GA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Indian Springs
    • Ringgold
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Poplar Springs
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Dafron
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
      • Dafron is located in Catoosa County (GA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dafron
      • Estimated population in 2019: 7,294 people
    • Ellie Spring
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
      • Ellie Spring is located in Catoosa County (GA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ellie Spring
      • Estimated population in 2019: 1,714 people
    • Boynton
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Lakeview
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Lakeview is located in Catoosa County (GA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakeview
    • Newnan Springs
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Newnan Springs is located in Catoosa County (GA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newnan Springs
      • Estimated population in 2019: 41,581 people
    • Fort Oglethorpe
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Midway
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
  • Fannin County (GA)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Cleveland, with the one closest to Cleveland listed first.
    • Fry
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Pierceville
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Murray County (GA)
  • Walker County (GA)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Cleveland, with the one closest to Cleveland listed first.
    • Dewberry Town
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Dewberry Town is located in Walker County (GA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dewberry Town
    • John Ross Estates
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
      • John Ross Estates is located in Walker County (GA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for John Ross Estates
      • Estimated population in 2018: 84,310 people
    • Park City
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Park City is located in Walker County (GA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Park City
    • Rossville
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Fairview
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Orchard Hills
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Orchard Hills is located in Walker County (GA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orchard Hills
      • Estimated population in 2019: 232 people
    • Lytle
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Lytle is located in Walker County (GA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lytle
      • Population from the 2010 Census: 37,115 people
    • Warren Terrace
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Warren Terrace is located in Walker County (GA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Warren Terrace
      • Estimated population in 2019: 1,720 people
    • Fantasy Hills
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Fantasy Hills is located in Walker County (GA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fantasy Hills
      • Estimated population in 2019: 316 people
    • Happy Valley
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Happy Valley is located in Walker County (GA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Happy Valley
      • Estimated population in 2019: 192 people
    • Lookout Mountain
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Rock City
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Rock City is located in Walker County (GA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock City
    • Chickamauga
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Whitfield County (GA)

For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Cleveland, see our County-by-County Page for Cleveland.

Cemeteries Near Cleveland ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Cleveland.

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 Cleveland - one of the links might be able to help.

If not found below, our Cemetery List for Cleveland covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.

The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Cleveland, with the one closest to Cleveland listed first.

  • Ft. Hill Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
  • Hill Crest Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
  • Hilcrest Memorial Gardens
    (Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
  • Unity Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
  • Fletcher Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
  • Prospect Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
  • Triplett Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Macedonia Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
  • Pirkle Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
  • Beaty Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
  • Carr Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
  • Johns Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • Continue List   (638 more) ...
    • Liberty Cemetery
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Macedonia Cemetery
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Ramsey Cemetery
      (4 miles [6.4 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.<3>

The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Cleveland had a population of 2,863 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Cleveland had a population of 45,948 people.

These communities are listed based on their distance from Cleveland, with the one closest to Cleveland listed first.

We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Cleveland. See our List of 1890's Communities around Cleveland.

Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Cleveland ...

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 Cleveland.

We have organized these newspapers into two lists:

  • A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Cleveland. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Cleveland and those printed in the larger area surrounding Cleveland.
  • An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 12 miles [19.3 km]<4> of Cleveland.

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 Cleveland:

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>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 Cleveland, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.
<4>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- Cleveland) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.