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 Dresden (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 Dresden. 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 Dresden ...
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.
In past government published Postal Guides, Dresden was referred to as Dresden Courthouse.
You might be interested in other communities that are also named Dresden. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Dresden.
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.
For more information about how community names might have been affected by the Board of Geographic Names (BGN), see our page about Placename Rules.
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 northwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors and hospitals were in the next county to the west. 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 west 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.
Dresden is located in Weakley 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 Weakley County: Graves (KY), Carroll, Gibson, Henry & Obion.
Below are the counties that are near Dresden. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Dresden:
- Weakley County (The home county of Dresden)
- The following are listed by their distance from Dresden, with the one closest to Dresden listed first.
- Ore Springs
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Ore Springs is located in Weakley County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ore Springs
- Dunlap ‑ Historic
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Dunlap is located in Weakley County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunlap
- Estimated population in 2014: 5,068 people
- Ralston
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Ralston is located in Weakley County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ralston
- Gleason
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Sharon
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Tumbling
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Tumbling is located in Weakley County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tumbling
- Pillowville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Pillowville is located in Weakley County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pillowville
- Estimated population in 2014: 1,625 people
- Martin
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Latham
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Latham is located in Weakley County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Latham
- Greenfield
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Sidonia
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Sidonia is located in Weakley County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sidonia
- Terrell
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Terrell is located in Weakley County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Terrell
- Carroll County
- The following are listed by their distance from Dresden, with the one closest to Dresden listed first.
- McKenzie
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Wingo
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Wingo is located in Carroll County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wingo
- Hico
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Hico is located in Carroll County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hico
- Trezevant
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Atwood
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Atwood is located in Carroll County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Atwood
- Population from the 2020 Census: 915 people
- McLemoresville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- McLemoresville is located in Carroll County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McLemoresville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 326 people
- Huntingdon
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Whitthorne
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Whitthorne is located in Carroll County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whitthorne
- Hollow Rock
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Lavinia
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Anark
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Anark is located in Carroll County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Anark
- Bruceton
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Buena Vista
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Buena Vista is located in Carroll County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buena Vista
- Dyer County
- The following are listed by their distance from Dresden, with the one closest to Dresden listed first.
- Trimble
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Trimble is located in Dyer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trimble
- Population from the 2020 Census: 602 people
- Churchton
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Churchton is located in Dyer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Churchton
- Estimated population in 2014: 6,752 people
- Gibson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Dresden, with the one closest to Dresden listed first.
- Four Points
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Four Points is located in Gibson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Four Points
- Bradford
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Rutherford
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Whitway
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Whitway is located in Gibson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whitway
- Concord
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Concord is located in Gibson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Concord
- Union Central
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Union Central is located in Gibson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union Central
- Estimated population in 2014: 3,574 people
- Dyer
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Ledbetter
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Ledbetter is located in Gibson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ledbetter
- Estimated population in 2014: 29,427 people
- Tilghman
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Tilghman is located in Gibson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tilghman
- Milan
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Trenton
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Yorkville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Yorkville is located in Gibson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yorkville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 252 people
- Graball
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Graball is located in Gibson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Graball
- Population from the 2010 Census: 236 people
- Henry County
- The following are listed by their distance from Dresden, with the one closest to Dresden listed first.
- Cottage Grove
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- New Boston
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- New Boston is located in Henry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Boston
- Henry
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Whitlock
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Whitlock is located in Henry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whitlock
- Haglerville ‑ Historic
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Haglerville is located in Henry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Haglerville
- Paris
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Mandels ‑ Historic
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Mandels is located in Henry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mandels
- Estimated population in 2014: 10,349 people
- Puryear
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Puryear is located in Henry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Puryear
- Population from the 2020 Census: 653 people
- India
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- India is located in Henry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for India
- Oakland
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Oakland is located in Henry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakland
- Conyersville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Conyersville is located in Henry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Conyersville
- Spring Creek
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Spring Creek is located in Henry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spring Creek
- Estimated population in 2014: 2,009 people
- Manleyville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Manleyville is located in Henry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Manleyville
- Obion County
- The following are listed by their distance from Dresden, with the one closest to Dresden listed first.
- McConnell
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- McConnell is located in Obion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McConnell
- Pierce Station
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Pierce Station is located in Obion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pierce Station
- South Fulton
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Kenton
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Kenton is located in Obion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kenton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,190 people
- Rives
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Rives is located in Obion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rives
- Population from the 2020 Census: 310 people
- Union City
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Englewood
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Englewood is located in Obion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Englewood
- Estimated population in 2014: 1,532 people
- Troy
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Woodland Mills
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Woodland Mills is located in Obion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodland Mills
- Population from the 2020 Census: 358 people
- Obion
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Obion is located in Obion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Obion
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,043 people
- Calloway County (KY)
- The following are listed by their distance from Dresden, with the one closest to Dresden listed first.
- Protemus
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Protemus is located in Calloway County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Protemus
- Harris Grove
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Harris Grove is located in Calloway County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harris Grove
- Hazel
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- New Providence
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- New Providence is located in Calloway County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Providence
- Fulton County (KY)
- The following are listed by their distance from Dresden, with the one closest to Dresden listed first.
- Fulton
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Jordan
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Jordan is located in Fulton County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jordan
- Cayce
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Cayce is located in Fulton County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cayce
- Graves County (KY)
- The following are listed by their distance from Dresden, with the one closest to Dresden listed first.
- Lynnville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Lynnville is located in Graves County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lynnville
- Bell City
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Bell City is located in Graves County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bell City
- Water Valley
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Tri City
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Tri City is located in Graves County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tri City
- Sedalia
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Wingo
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Farmington
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Farmington is located in Graves County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Farmington
- Pryorsburg
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Pryorsburg is located in Graves County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pryorsburg
- Hickman County (KY)
- The following are listed by their distance from Dresden, with the one closest to Dresden listed first.
- Fulgham
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Fulgham is located in Hickman County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fulgham
- Moscow
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Moscow is located in Hickman County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moscow
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Dresden, see our County-by-County Page for Dresden.
Cemeteries Near Dresden ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Dresden.
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 Dresden - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Dresden covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Dresden, with the one closest to Dresden listed first.
- Sunrise Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Parham Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Malone Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Sunset Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Nailing Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Moran Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Travillian Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- West Union Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Taylor Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Travis Chapel Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Thompson Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Oak Grove Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Continue List (864 more) ...
- Liberty Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Liberty Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Bowers Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 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>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Dresden had a population of 420 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Dresden had a population of 2,907 people.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Dresden, with the one closest to Dresden listed first.
- Gleason
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Ralston
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Ralston is located in Weakley County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ralston
- Sharon
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Pillowville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Pillowville is located in Weakley County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pillowville
- Estimated population in 2014: 1,625 people
- Martin
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Greenfield
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Como
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Como is located in Henry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Como
- Palmersville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Palmersville is located in Weakley County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Palmersville
- Latham
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Latham is located in Weakley County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Latham
- Christmasville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Christmasville is located in Carroll County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Christmasville
- Gardner
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Gardner is located in Weakley County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gardner
- Cottage Grove
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Continue List (18 more) ...
- McConnell
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- McConnell is located in Obion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McConnell
- McKenzie
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Mount Pelia
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Mount Pelia is located in Weakley County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Pelia
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Dresden. See our List of 1890's Communities around Dresden.
Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Dresden ...
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 105 newspapers that have been published in the area around Dresden.
We have organized these newspapers into two lists:
- A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Dresden. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Dresden and those printed in the larger area surrounding Dresden.
- An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 23 miles [37 km]<3> of Dresden.
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 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 Dresden:
- Websites specific to Tennessee
- Pages specific to Weakley County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Carroll County
- Dyer County
- Gibson County
- Henry County
- Obion County
- Calloway County
- Fulton County
- Graves County
- Hickman 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 Dresden, 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' (or point-to-point) distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Dresden) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |