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 McDonald (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 McDonald. 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 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.
McDonald is located in Bradley 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 Bradley County: Murray (GA), Whitfield (GA), Hamilton, McMinn, Meigs & Polk.
Below are the counties that are near McDonald. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to McDonald:
- Bradley County (The home county of McDonald)
- The following are listed by their distance from McDonald, with the one closest to McDonald listed first.
- Mineral Park
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- South Cleveland
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- South Cleveland is located in Bradley County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Cleveland
- Population from the 2010 Census: 6,912 people
- Bent Tree Acres
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Bent Tree Acres is located in Bradley County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bent Tree Acres
- Estimated population in 2014: 1,309 people
- Cleveland
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Wildwood Lake
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Wildwood Lake is located in Bradley County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wildwood Lake
- Population from the 2010 Census: 3,124 people
- East Cleveland
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- East Cleveland is located in Bradley County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Cleveland
- Population from the 2010 Census: 1,608 people
- Countryside Village
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Countryside Village is located in Bradley County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Countryside Village
- Hopewell
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Hopewell is located in Bradley County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hopewell
- Hopewell Estates
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Hopewell Estates is located in Bradley County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hopewell Estates
- Population from the 2010 Census: 1,874 people
- Earnest ‑ Historic
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Earnest is located in Bradley County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Earnest
- Bellefounte
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Etola
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Charleston
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Bledsoe County
- Brayton
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Hamilton County
- The following are listed by their distance from McDonald, with the one closest to McDonald listed first.
- Collegedale
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Apison
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Ooltewah
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Howardville
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Auburn Hills
(7 miles [11.3 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
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Harrison Ferry
(9 miles [14.5 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
- Lake Dweller
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Lakesite
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Lakesite is located in Hamilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakesite
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,866 people
- Ryall Springs
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Ryall Springs is located in Hamilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ryall Springs
- Estimated population in 2014: 1,166 people
- Caramel Village
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Caramel Village is located in Hamilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caramel Village
- East Brainerd
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- East Brainerd is located in Hamilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Brainerd
- Middle Valley Estates
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Middle Valley Estates is located in Hamilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Middle Valley Estates
- Population from the 2010 Census: 12,684 people
- Marion County
- The following are listed by their distance from McDonald, with the one closest to McDonald listed first.
- Powells Crossroads
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Condra
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Whiteside
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Whitwell
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- McMinn County
- The following are listed by their distance from McDonald, with the one closest to McDonald listed first.
- Calhoun
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Lamontville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Luskville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Claxton
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Riceville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Goodsprings
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Etowah
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Grady
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Grady is located in McMinn County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grady
- Meigs County
- The following are listed by their distance from McDonald, with the one closest to McDonald listed first.
- East View
(15 miles [24.1 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
- Cayuga Town ‑ Historic
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Cayuga Town is located in Meigs County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cayuga Town
- Beta
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Goodfield
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Calico
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Calico is located in Meigs County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Calico
- Estimated population in 2014: 495 people
- Decatur
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Polk County
- The following are listed by their distance from McDonald, with the one closest to McDonald listed first.
- Oldfort
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Ocoee
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Ball Play
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Parksville
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Parksville is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parksville
- Benton
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Chestuee
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Chable ‑ Historic
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Chable is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chable
- Archville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Delano
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Servilla
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Rhea County
- The following are listed by their distance from McDonald, with the one closest to McDonald listed first.
- Graysville
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Bryan Hill
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Dayton
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Cumberland Spring
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Ogden
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Sequatchie County
- The following are listed by their distance from McDonald, with the one closest to McDonald listed first.
- Center Point
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Cartwright
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Daus
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Dunlap
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Catoosa County (GA)
- The following are listed by their distance from McDonald, with the one closest to McDonald listed first.
- Mount Vernon
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Mount Vernon is located in Catoosa County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Vernon
- Estimated population in 2019: 2,371 people
- Graysville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Catoosa Springs
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Indian Springs
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Indian Springs is located in Catoosa County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Indian Springs
- Ringgold
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Dafron
(16 miles [25.7 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
(16 miles [25.7 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
- Poplar Springs
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Boynton
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Newnan Springs
(17 miles [27.4 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
- Lakeview
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Lakeview is located in Catoosa County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakeview
- Midway
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Fort Oglethorpe
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Dade County (GA)
- The following are listed by their distance from McDonald, with the one closest to McDonald listed first.
- Wildwood
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Morganville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Morganville is located in Dade County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morganville
- Estimated population in 2019: 1,835 people
- Murray County (GA)
- The following are listed by their distance from McDonald, with the one closest to McDonald listed first.
- Gregory
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Gregory is located in Murray County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gregory
- Population from the 2010 Census: 7,432 people
- Tennga
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Cisco
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Temple Grove
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Temple Grove is located in Murray County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Temple Grove
- Estimated population in 2019: 4,795 people
- Sumac
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Crandall
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Eton
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Chatsworth
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Walker County (GA)
- The following are listed by their distance from McDonald, with the one closest to McDonald listed first.
- John Ross Estates
(19 miles [30.6 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
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Park City is located in Walker County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Park City
- Rossville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Dewberry Town
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Dewberry Town is located in Walker County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dewberry Town
- Fairview
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Orchard Hills
(20 miles [32.2 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
(21 miles [33.8 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
(21 miles [33.8 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
(22 miles [35.4 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
(22 miles [35.4 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
- Rock City
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Rock City is located in Walker County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock City
- Flintstone
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Lookout Mountain
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Whitfield County (GA)
- The following are listed by their distance from McDonald, with the one closest to McDonald listed first.
- Red Clay
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Parrett Crossing
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Parrett Crossing is located in Whitfield County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parrett Crossing
- Estimated population in 2019: 136 people
- Cohutta
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Varnell
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Plainview
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Plainview is located in Whitfield County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plainview
- Estimated population in 2019: 318 people
- Ruralvale
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Tunnel Hill
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Waring
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Crow ‑ Historic
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Rocky Face
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Trickum
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Dalton
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Union Point
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to McDonald, see our County-by-County Page for McDonald.
Cemeteries Near McDonald ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of McDonald.
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 McDonald - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for McDonald covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from McDonald, with the one closest to McDonald listed first.
- Lee Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Loftis Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Tucker Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Phillips Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Kelley Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Bethel Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Bancroft Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Pine Hill Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Blue Springs Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Triplett Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Price Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Stone Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Continue List (644 more) ...
- Varnell Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Sylar Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Tallant Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
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.<4>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that McDonald had a population of 91 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service.
These communities are listed based on their distance from McDonald, with the one closest to McDonald listed first.
- Black Fox
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Black Fox is located in Bradley County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Black Fox
- Snow Hill
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Snow Hill is located in Hamilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Snow Hill
- Ooltewah
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Apison
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Cleveland
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Howardville
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Red Clay
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Harrison
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Igous Ferry
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Igous Ferry is located in Hamilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Igous Ferry
- Tyner
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Tyner is located in Hamilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tyner
- Cohutta
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Earnest ‑ Historic
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Earnest is located in Bradley County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Earnest
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- Felker
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Felker is located in Bradley County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Felker
- Jersey
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Jersey is located in Hamilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jersey
- Mills ‑ Historic
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Mills is located in Whitfield County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mills
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around McDonald. See our List of 1890's Communities around McDonald.
Newspapers Published in McDonald ...
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 26 newspapers that have been published in the area around McDonald.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of McDonald, there are papers which were published within 6 miles [9.7 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for McDonald.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we first turn to 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 McDonald:
- Websites specific to Tennessee
- Pages specific to Bradley County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Bledsoe County
- Hamilton County
- Marion County
- McMinn County
- Meigs County
- Polk County
- Rhea County
- Sequatchie County
- Catoosa County
- Dade County
- Murray County
- Walker County
- Whitfield 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> | 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- McDonald) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |
| <3> | 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. |
| <4> | 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 McDonald, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |