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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 Dyer (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 Dyer. 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 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 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.

Dyer is located in Gibson 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 Gibson County: Carroll, Crockett, Dyer, Madison & Weakley.

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

  • Gibson County     (The home county of Dyer)
  • Carroll County
  • Crockett County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Dyer, with the one closest to Dyer listed first.
    • Elizabeth
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Elizabeth is located in Crockett County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elizabeth
      • Estimated population in 2014: 14,271 people
    • Crockett Mills
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Friendship
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Maury Junction
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Maury Junction is located in Crockett County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maury Junction
      • Estimated population in 2014: 679 people
    • Gadsden
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
      • Gadsden is located in Crockett County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gadsden
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 468 people
    • Alamo
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
    • Maury City
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Maury City is located in Crockett County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maury City
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 653 people
    • Fruitvale
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
    • Chestnut Bluff
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
    • Johnsons Grove
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
    • Bells
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
  • Dyer County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Dyer, with the one closest to Dyer listed first.
    • Churchton
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
      • Churchton is located in Dyer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Churchton
      • Estimated population in 2014: 6,752 people
    • Tatumville
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
    • Trimble
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Trimble is located in Dyer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trimble
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 602 people
    • Tigrett
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Newbern
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
    • Bishop
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
    • Meacham
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
    • Bruceville
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Bruceville is located in Dyer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bruceville
      • Estimated population in 2014: 1,453 people
    • Dyersburg
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
    • Fowlkes
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
    • Middle City
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
      • Middle City is located in Dyer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Middle City
    • Bogota
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
    • Unionville
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
  • Haywood County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Dyer, with the one closest to Dyer listed first.
    • Owl City
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Owl City is located in Haywood County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Owl City
    • Bradford
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Bradford is located in Haywood County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bradford
      • Estimated population in 2014: 1,017 people
  • Henderson County
    • McHaney ‑ Historic
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
      • McHaney is located in Henderson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McHaney
  • Lake County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Dyer, with the one closest to Dyer listed first.
    • Owl City
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Owl City is located in Lake County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Owl City
    • Ridgely
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Lauderdale County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Dyer, with the one closest to Dyer listed first.
    • Halls
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Gates
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
  • Madison County
  • Obion County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Dyer, with the one closest to Dyer listed first.
    • Kenton
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
    • Obion
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Obion is located in Obion County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Obion
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,043 people
    • Rives
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
    • Troy
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Troy is located in Obion County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Troy
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,328 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Troy <1>
    • Englewood
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Englewood is located in Obion County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Englewood
      • Estimated population in 2014: 1,532 people
    • Hornbeak
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
    • McConnell
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
    • Union City
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
    • Pierce Station
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
    • Woodland Mills
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
      • Woodland Mills is located in Obion County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodland Mills
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 358 people
    • Samburg
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
    • South Fulton
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
  • Weakley County
  • Fulton County (KY)

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

Cemeteries Near Dyer ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Dyer.

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

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

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

  • Dyer Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
  • Bobbitt Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
  • Keas Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
  • Clear Creek Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
  • Beech Grove Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
  • Bucksnort Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
  • Griers Chapel Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
  • New Bethlehem Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
  • Mt. Olive Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
  • Good Hope Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Holly Spring Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Mt. Sinai Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
  • Continue List   (529 more) ...
    • Poplar Grove Cemetery
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
    • Keeley Cemetery
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
    • Flowers Cemetery
      (4 miles [6.4 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.<2>

The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Dyer had a population of 606 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Dyer had a population of 2,203 people.

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

  • Rutherford
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
  • Trenton
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
  • Yorkville
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
    • Yorkville is located in Gibson County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yorkville
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 252 people
  • Kenton
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
  • Idlewild
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
    • Idlewild is located in Gibson County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Idlewild
  • Bradford
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
  • Brazil
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
  • Mason Hall
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Mason Hall is located in Obion County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mason Hall
  • Tatumville
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
  • Fruitland
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
    • Fruitland is located in Gibson County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fruitland
  • Greenfield
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Gibson Wells
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
    • Gibson Wells is located in Gibson County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gibson Wells
  • Continue List   (15 more) ...
    • Stokes
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Stokes is located in Dyer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stokes
    • Gann
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
      • Gann is located in Gibson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gann
    • Sharon
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)

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

Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Dyer ...

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 106 newspapers that have been published in the area around Dyer.

We have organized these newspapers into two lists:

  • A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Dyer. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Dyer and those printed in the larger area surrounding Dyer.
  • An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 22 miles [35.4 km]<3> of Dyer.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we begin with the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These helpful 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 Dyer:

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 Dyer, 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 obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Dyer) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.