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 Five Forks (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 Five Forks. 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 Five Forks ...
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.
Although we can't give a definitive list, hopefully the following will give you a feel for the variations that might occur.
For example, a typical abbreviation for Five Forks: Five Frks.
You might be interested in other communities that are also named Five Forks. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Five Forks.
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.
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 and doctors 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.
Five Forks is located in Decatur 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 Decatur County: Benton, Carroll, Hardin, Henderson, Perry & Wayne.
Below are the counties that are near Five Forks. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Five Forks:
- Decatur County (The home county of Five Forks)
- The following are listed by their distance from Five Forks, with the one closest to Five Forks listed first.
- Sulphur Springs ‑ Historic
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Sulphur Springs is located in Decatur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sulphur Springs
- Parsons
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Jeannette
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Jeannette is located in Decatur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jeannette
- Decaturville
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Mount Lebanon
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Mount Lebanon is located in Decatur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Lebanon
- Estimated population in 2014: 29,387 people
- Oakview ‑ Historic
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Oakview is located in Decatur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakview
- Sugar Tree
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Sugar Tree is located in Decatur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sugar Tree
- Scotts Hill
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Pleasant Hill
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Pleasant Hill is located in Decatur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Hill
- Estimated population in 2014: 566 people
- Dunbar
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Dunbar is located in Decatur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunbar
- Benton County
- The following are listed by their distance from Five Forks, with the one closest to Five Forks listed first.
- Chaseville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Chaseville is located in Benton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chaseville
- Coxburg
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Coxburg is located in Benton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coxburg
- Wildlife Cove Village
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Crossroads
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Crossroads is located in Benton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crossroads
- Estimated population in 2014: 1,728 people
- Sandy Point
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Sandy Point is located in Benton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sandy Point
- Camden
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Brevards Ferry
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Brevards Ferry is located in Benton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brevards Ferry
- Estimated population in 2014: 40,982 people
- Carroll County
- The following are listed by their distance from Five Forks, with the one closest to Five Forks listed first.
- Clarksburg
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Clarksburg is located in Carroll County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clarksburg
- Population from the 2020 Census: 376 people
- Anark
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Anark is located in Carroll County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Anark
- Concord
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Concord is located in Carroll County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Concord
- Buena Vista
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Buena Vista is located in Carroll County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buena Vista
- Bruceton
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Hollow Rock
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Cedar Grove
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Cedar Grove is located in Carroll County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar Grove
- Huntingdon
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Lavinia
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- McLemoresville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- McLemoresville is located in Carroll County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McLemoresville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 326 people
- Whitthorne
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Whitthorne is located in Carroll County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whitthorne
- Chester County
- The following are listed by their distance from Five Forks, with the one closest to Five Forks listed first.
- Jacks Creek
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Mifflin
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Mifflin is located in Chester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mifflin
- Milledgeville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Milledgeville is located in Chester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Milledgeville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 267 people
- Enville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Enville is located in Chester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Enville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 189 people
- Sweet Lips
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Sweet Lips is located in Chester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sweet Lips
- Hardin County
- The following are listed by their distance from Five Forks, with the one closest to Five Forks listed first.
- Saltillo
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Saltillo is located in Hardin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saltillo
- Population from the 2020 Census: 521 people
- Johnson Ford
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Johnson Ford is located in Hardin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Johnson Ford
- Estimated population in 2014: 65,813 people
- Swift
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Swift is located in Hardin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Swift
- Estimated population in 2014: 5,874 people
- Sibley
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Sibley is located in Hardin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sibley
- Centerview
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Centerview is located in Hardin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Centerview
- Estimated population in 2014: 244 people
- Paulks ‑ Historic
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Paulks is located in Hardin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Paulks
- Smiths Fork ‑ Historic
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Smiths Fork is located in Hardin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smiths Fork
- Henderson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Five Forks, with the one closest to Five Forks listed first.
- Darden
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Darden is located in Henderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Darden
- Population from the 2010 Census: 399 people
- Poplar Springs
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Poplar Springs is located in Henderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Poplar Springs
- Chesterfield
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Chesterfield is located in Henderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chesterfield
- Population from the 2010 Census: 469 people
- Farmville ‑ Historic
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Farmville is located in Henderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Farmville
- Lexington
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Parkers Crossroads
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Reagan
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Cedar Grove
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Cedar Grove is located in Henderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar Grove
- Union Cross
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Union Cross is located in Henderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union Cross
- Estimated population in 2014: 10,666 people
- Sardis
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Middle Fork
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Middle Fork is located in Henderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Middle Fork
- Atkins ‑ Historic
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Atkins is located in Henderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Atkins
- Estimated population in 2014: 13,664 people
- Hickman County
- The following are listed by their distance from Five Forks, with the one closest to Five Forks listed first.
- Pleasantville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Pleasantville is located in Hickman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasantville
- Only
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Humphreys County
- The following are listed by their distance from Five Forks, with the one closest to Five Forks listed first.
- Hustburg
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Hustburg is located in Humphreys County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hustburg
- Bakerville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Bakerville is located in Humphreys County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bakerville
- Buffalo
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Buffalo is located in Humphreys County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buffalo
- New Johnsonville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Grandmother Ford
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Grandmother Ford is located in Humphreys County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grandmother Ford
- Estimated population in 2014: 307 people
- Plant
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Plant is located in Humphreys County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plant
- Hurricane Mills
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Madison County
- The following are listed by their distance from Five Forks, with the one closest to Five Forks listed first.
- Claybrook
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Claybrook is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Claybrook
- Spring Creek
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Spring Creek is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spring Creek
- McNairy County
- Leapwood
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Leapwood is located in McNairy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leapwood
- Perry County
- The following are listed by their distance from Five Forks, with the one closest to Five Forks listed first.
- Mousetail ‑ Historic
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Mousetail is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mousetail
- Linden
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Beardstown
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Beardstown is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beardstown
- Lobelville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Flatwoods
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Wayne County
- The following are listed by their distance from Five Forks, with the one closest to Five Forks listed first.
- Clifton
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Slickrock Ford
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Slickrock Ford is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Slickrock Ford
- Estimated population in 2014: 179 people
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Five Forks, see our County-by-County Page for Five Forks.
Cemeteries Near Five Forks ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Five Forks.
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 Five Forks - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Five Forks covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Five Forks, with the one closest to Five Forks listed first.
- Box Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Gabbard Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Hill Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Mt. Ararat Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Hayes Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Stills Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- McMurry Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Long Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Arnold Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Hawkes Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Evans Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Derryberry Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Continue List (753 more) ...
- Duke Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Hendrix Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Cheney 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.<3>
While we didn't find Five Forks in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Five Forks.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Five Forks, with the one closest to Five Forks listed first.
- Bible Hill
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Bible Hill is located in Decatur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bible Hill
- Sulphur Springs ‑ Historic
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Sulphur Springs is located in Decatur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sulphur Springs
- Parsons
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Darden
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Darden is located in Henderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Darden
- Population from the 2010 Census: 399 people
- Beacon
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Beacon is located in Decatur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beacon
- Jeannette
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Jeannette is located in Decatur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jeannette
- Poplar Springs
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Poplar Springs is located in Henderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Poplar Springs
- Chesterfield
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Chesterfield is located in Henderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chesterfield
- Population from the 2010 Census: 469 people
- Decaturville
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Perryville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Perryville is located in Decatur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Perryville
- Mousetail ‑ Historic
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Mousetail is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mousetail
- Morgan ‑ Historic
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Morgan is located in Henderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morgan
- Continue List (13 more) ...
- Alberton
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Alberton is located in Henderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alberton
- Shady Hill
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Shady Hill is located in Henderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shady Hill
- Pope
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Pope is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pope
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Five Forks. See our List of 1890's Communities around Five Forks.
Newspapers Published in Five Forks ...
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 27 newspapers that have been published in the area around Five Forks.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Five Forks, there are papers which were published within 19 miles [30.6 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Five Forks.
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 Five Forks:
- Websites specific to Tennessee
- Pages specific to Decatur County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Benton County
- Carroll County
- Chester County
- Hardin County
- Henderson County
- Hickman County
- Humphreys County
- Madison County
- McNairy County
- Perry County
- Wayne 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> | 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 Five Forks, 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' (or point-to-point) distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Five Forks) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |