RoadsideThoughts
A Gazetteer for the United States and Canada
Home >> State of Tennessee >> Bledsoe County >> Old Cumberland >> Genealogy HelperIndex...

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 Old Cumberland (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 Old Cumberland. 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.

Old Cumberland is located in Bledsoe 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 Bledsoe County: Cumberland, Hamilton, Rhea, Sequatchie & Van Buren.

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

  • Bledsoe County     (The home county of Old Cumberland)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Old Cumberland, with the one closest to Old Cumberland listed first.
    • Brockdell
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Brockdell is located in Bledsoe County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brockdell
    • Pailo
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Pailo is located in Bledsoe County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pailo
    • Pikeville
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
    • Brayton
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Brayton is located in Bledsoe County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brayton
    • Summer City
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
      • Summer City is located in Bledsoe County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Summer City
    • Ninemile
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
      • Ninemile is located in Bledsoe County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ninemile
    • Winesap
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Winesap is located in Bledsoe County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winesap
  • Cumberland County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Old Cumberland, with the one closest to Old Cumberland listed first.
    • Newton
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Newton is located in Cumberland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newton
      • Estimated population in 2014: 2,968 people
      • Newton has also been known as:
      • Peay
    • Mount Gilead ‑ Historic
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
      • Mount Gilead is located in Cumberland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Gilead
    • Todd Town
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
      • Todd Town is located in Cumberland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Todd Town
    • Burke
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Burke is located in Cumberland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burke
    • Erasmus
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Erasmus is located in Cumberland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Erasmus
    • Lantana
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Lantana is located in Cumberland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lantana
    • Jewett
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Jewett is located in Cumberland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jewett
    • Lake Tansi Village
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Lake Tansi Village is located in Cumberland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Tansi Village
      • Population from the 2010 Census: 3,803 people
  • Grundy County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Old Cumberland, with the one closest to Old Cumberland listed first.
    • Palmer
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Beersheba Springs
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
      • Beersheba Springs is located in Grundy County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beersheba Springs
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 461 people
    • Gruetli - Laager
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Gruetli
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Gruetli is located in Grundy County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gruetli
      • Estimated population in 2014: 1,775 people
    • Altamont
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
    • Coalmont
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
      • Coalmont is located in Grundy County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coalmont
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 842 people
    • White City
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
      • White City is located in Grundy County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White City
    • Lankford Town
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Lankford Town is located in Grundy County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lankford Town
    • Sartain Springs
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Sartain Springs is located in Grundy County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sartain Springs
      • Estimated population in 2014: 380 people
    • Tracy City
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Hamilton County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Old Cumberland, with the one closest to Old Cumberland listed first.
    • Flat Top
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Flat Top is located in Hamilton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flat Top
      • Population from the 2010 Census: 422 people
    • Sale Creek
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
    • Mowbray
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Mowbray is located in Hamilton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mowbray
      • Population from the 2010 Census: 1,615 people
    • Lakewood
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Lakewood is located in Hamilton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakewood
      • Estimated population in 2011: 2,336 people
    • Soddy
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Soddy is located in Hamilton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Soddy
    • Soddy - Daisy
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Soddy Lake Heights
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Soddy Lake Heights is located in Hamilton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Soddy Lake Heights
      • Estimated population in 2014: 13,190 people
    • Daisy
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
      • Daisy is located in Hamilton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Daisy
    • Falling Water
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
      • Falling Water is located in Hamilton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Falling Water
      • Population from the 2010 Census: 1,232 people
    • Birchwood
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
    • Fairmount
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
      • Fairmount is located in Hamilton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairmount
      • Population from the 2010 Census: 2,825 people
    • Caramel Village
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Caramel Village is located in Hamilton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caramel Village
  • Marion County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Old Cumberland, with the one closest to Old Cumberland listed first.
    • Condra
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
      • Condra is located in Marion County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Condra
    • Greentown
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
      • Greentown is located in Marion County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greentown
    • Powells Crossroads
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
      • Powells Crossroads is located in Marion County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Powells Crossroads
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,352 people
    • Whitwell
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
  • Meigs County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Old Cumberland, with the one closest to Old Cumberland listed first.
    • Cayuga Town ‑ Historic
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Cayuga Town is located in Meigs County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cayuga Town
    • East View
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
      • East View is located in Meigs County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East View
      • Estimated population in 2014: 705 people
    • Beta
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
      • Beta is located in Meigs County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beta
    • Calico
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
      • Calico is located in Meigs County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Calico
      • Estimated population in 2014: 495 people
  • Rhea County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Old Cumberland, with the one closest to Old Cumberland listed first.
    • Ogden
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
      • Ogden is located in Rhea County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ogden
    • Graysville
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Graysville is located in Rhea County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Graysville
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,570 people
    • Cumberland Spring
      (18 miles [29 km] to the east)
      • Cumberland Spring is located in Rhea County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cumberland Spring
    • Dayton
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
    • Bryan Hill
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
      • Bryan Hill is located in Rhea County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bryan Hill
    • Spring City
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
  • Sequatchie County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Old Cumberland, with the one closest to Old Cumberland listed first.
    • Dunlap
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
      • Dunlap is located in Sequatchie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunlap
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 5,237 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Dunlap <1>
    • Center Point
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
      • Center Point is located in Sequatchie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Center Point
    • Daus
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
      • Daus is located in Sequatchie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Daus
    • Cartwright
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
      • Cartwright is located in Sequatchie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cartwright
      • Estimated population in 2014: 2,261 people
  • Van Buren County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Old Cumberland, with the one closest to Old Cumberland listed first.
    • Chalybeate
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
      • Chalybeate is located in Van Buren County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chalybeate
    • Sopha ‑ Historic
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Sopha is located in Van Buren County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sopha
      • Estimated population in 2014: 3,104 people
    • Spencer
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
    • Laurelburg
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Laurelburg is located in Van Buren County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Laurelburg
    • Sweetgum
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
      • Sweetgum is located in Van Buren County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sweetgum
    • Cummingsville
      (18 miles [29 km] to the north)
      • Cummingsville is located in Van Buren County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cummingsville
    • Meade ‑ Historic
      (18 miles [29 km] to the north)
      • Meade is located in Van Buren County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meade
    • Bone Cave
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Bone Cave is located in Van Buren County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bone Cave
  • Warren County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Old Cumberland, with the one closest to Old Cumberland listed first.
    • Hillis ‑ Historic
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
      • Hillis is located in Warren County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hillis
    • Shellsford
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Shellsford is located in Warren County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shellsford
    • Smyrna
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
      • Smyrna is located in Warren County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smyrna
      • Estimated population in 2014: 45,274 people
    • Campaign
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Campaign is located in Warren County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Campaign
    • Rowland Station ‑ Historic
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Rowland Station is located in Warren County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rowland Station
    • Rowland
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Rowland is located in Warren County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rowland
    • Fall City
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
      • Fall City is located in Warren County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fall City
    • McMinnville
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
    • Horseshoe Falls ‑ Historic
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Horseshoe Falls is located in Warren County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Horseshoe Falls
    • Viola
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
    • Gath
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Gath is located in Warren County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gath
    • Dibrell
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Dibrell is located in Warren County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dibrell
  • White County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Old Cumberland, with the one closest to Old Cumberland listed first.
    • Quebeck
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Doyle
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
      • Doyle is located in White County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Doyle
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 587 people
    • Methodist ‑ Historic
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
      • Methodist is located in White County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Methodist
    • Pollard ‑ Historic
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Pollard is located in White County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pollard
    • Clarktown
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
      • Clarktown is located in White County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clarktown
      • Estimated population in 2014: 146,806 people
    • Sparta
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
    • Darkey Springs
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Darkey Springs is located in White County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Darkey Springs
    • Ravenscroft
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
      • Ravenscroft is located in White County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ravenscroft
    • Drop ‑ Historic
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Drop is located in White County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Drop

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

Cemeteries Near Old Cumberland ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Old Cumberland.

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 Old Cumberland - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • Hitchcox Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
  • Cagle Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
  • Miller Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Lamb Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
  • Collier Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
  • Dodson Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • Walling Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
  • Johnson - Lewis Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Johnson - Lewis Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Johnson - Lewis Cemetery is located 6 miles [9.7 km]<2> to the northeast of Dunlap.
    • The Johnson - Lewis Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Johnson Cemetery
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #14039 <3>
  • Price Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
  • McGlothen Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Pope Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
  • Hughes Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Continue List   (564 more) ...
    • Hixson Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Howard Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Humble Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)

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>

While we didn't find Old Cumberland in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Old Cumberland.

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

  • Olio ‑ Historic
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
    • Olio is located in Van Buren County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Olio
  • Pailo
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Pailo is located in Bledsoe County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pailo
  • Cagle
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Cagle is located in Sequatchie County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cagle
  • Mount Airy
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
    • Mount Airy is located in Sequatchie County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Airy
  • Gillentine ‑ Historic
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Gillentine is located in Van Buren County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gillentine
  • Chalybeate
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
    • Chalybeate is located in Van Buren County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chalybeate
  • Pikeville
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
  • Gladecreek ‑ Historic
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Gladecreek is located in Bledsoe County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gladecreek
  • Sampson
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Sampson is located in Bledsoe County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sampson
  • Dunlap
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
    • Dunlap is located in Sequatchie County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunlap
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 5,237 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Dunlap <1>
  • Brayton
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Brayton is located in Bledsoe County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brayton
  • Sopha ‑ Historic
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Sopha is located in Van Buren County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sopha
    • Estimated population in 2014: 3,104 people
  • Continue List   (16 more) ...
    • Schoolfield ‑ Historic
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Schoolfield is located in Bledsoe County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Schoolfield
    • Spencer
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
    • Summer City
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
      • Summer City is located in Bledsoe County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Summer City

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

Newspapers Published in Old Cumberland ...

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 19 newspapers that have been published in the area around Old Cumberland.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Old Cumberland, there are papers which were published within 20 miles [32.2 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Old Cumberland.

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 websites either 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 Old Cumberland:

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' (or point-to-point) distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Old Cumberland) 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 Old Cumberland, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.