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 Rock City (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 Rock City. 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 southeast 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 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 east 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.
Rock City is located in Smith 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 Smith County: DeKalb, Jackson, Macon, Putnam, Trousdale & Wilson.
Below are the counties that are near Rock City. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Rock City:
- Smith County (The home county of Rock City)
- The following are listed by their distance from Rock City, with the one closest to Rock City listed first.
- Carthage
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- South Carthage
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- South Carthage is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Carthage
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,406 people
- Monoville
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Monoville is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monoville
- Dixon Springs
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Dixon Springs is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dixon Springs
- Shaver Town
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Shaver Town is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shaver Town
- Bluff Creek
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Bluff Creek is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bluff Creek
- Estimated population in 2014: 1,734 people
- Defeated
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Defeated is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Defeated
- Gordonsville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Pleasant Shade
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Brush Creek
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Brush Creek is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brush Creek
- Hickman
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Hickman is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hickman
- Difficult
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Difficult is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Difficult
- Estimated population in 2014: 14,993 people
- Chestnut Mound
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Chestnut Mound is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chestnut Mound
- Cannon County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rock City, with the one closest to Rock City listed first.
- Auburntown
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Auburntown is located in Cannon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Auburntown
- Population from the 2020 Census: 266 people
- Gassaway
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Gassaway is located in Cannon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gassaway
- Woods
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Woods is located in Cannon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woods
- Woodbury
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Clay County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rock City, with the one closest to Rock City listed first.
- Jenkins Village
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Jenkins Village is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jenkins Village
- Hermitage Springs
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Hermitage Springs is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hermitage Springs
- Clementsville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Clementsville is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clementsville
- DeKalb County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rock City, with the one closest to Rock City listed first.
- Alexandria
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Temperance Hall
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Temperance Hall is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Temperance Hall
- Population from the 2010 Census: 5,791 people
- Dowelltown
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Liberty
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Liberty is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Liberty
- Population from the 2020 Census: 330 people
- Youngblood ‑ Historic
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Youngblood is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Youngblood
- Philippi
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Philippi is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Philippi
- Smithville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Johnsons Chapel
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Johnsons Chapel is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Johnsons Chapel
- Young Bend
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Young Bend is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Young Bend
- Estimated population in 2014: 279 people
- Jackson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rock City, with the one closest to Rock City listed first.
- Nameless
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Nameless is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nameless
- Rough Point
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Rough Point is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rough Point
- Haydenburg
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Haydenburg is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Haydenburg
- North Springs
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- North Springs is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Springs
- Gainesboro
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Mayfield ‑ Historic
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Mayfield is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mayfield
- Whitleyville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Whitleyville is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whitleyville
- Columbus Hill
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Columbus Hill is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Columbus Hill
- Estimated population in 2014: 36,071 people
- Burristown
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Burristown is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burristown
- Dodson Branch
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Dodson Branch is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dodson Branch
- Population from the 2010 Census: 1,074 people
- Macon County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rock City, with the one closest to Rock City listed first.
- Meadorville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Meadorville is located in Macon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meadorville
- Green Grove
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Green Grove is located in Macon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Green Grove
- Gibbs Crossroads
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Gibbs Crossroads is located in Macon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gibbs Crossroads
- Lafayette
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Mill Town
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Mill Town is located in Macon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mill Town
- Frog Pond
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Frog Pond is located in Macon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frog Pond
- Red Boiling Springs
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Siloam
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Siloam is located in Macon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Siloam
- Walnut Shade
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Walnut Shade is located in Macon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walnut Shade
- Putnam County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rock City, with the one closest to Rock City listed first.
- Pekin ‑ Historic
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Pekin is located in Putnam County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pekin
- Estimated population in 2014: 2,114 people
- Lafayette
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Lafayette is located in Putnam County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lafayette
- Estimated population in 2014: 4,962 people
- Boma
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Boma is located in Putnam County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boma
- Baxter
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Burton
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Burton is located in Putnam County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burton
- Boiling Springs
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Boiling Springs is located in Putnam County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boiling Springs
- Ditty
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Ditty is located in Putnam County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ditty
- Huntland
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Huntland is located in Putnam County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Huntland
- Estimated population in 2014: 860 people
- Burgess
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Burgess is located in Putnam County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burgess
- Cookeville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Rutherford County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rock City, with the one closest to Rock City listed first.
- Milton
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Milton is located in Rutherford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Milton
- Murphree
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Murphree is located in Rutherford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Murphree
- Estimated population in 2014: 120,954 people
- Walter Hill Estates
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Walter Hill Estates is located in Rutherford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walter Hill Estates
- Population from the 2010 Census: 401 people
- Walterhill
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Walterhill is located in Rutherford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walterhill
- Compton
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Compton is located in Rutherford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Compton
- Readyville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Fairfield Estates
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Fairfield Estates is located in Rutherford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairfield Estates
- Population from the 2010 Census: 131 people
- Jamestown
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Jamestown is located in Rutherford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jamestown
- Estimated population in 2014: 1,940 people
- Leanna
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Leanna is located in Rutherford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leanna
- Sumner County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rock City, with the one closest to Rock City listed first.
- Castalian Springs
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Chipman
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Chipman is located in Sumner County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chipman
- Bethpage
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Bransford
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Bransford is located in Sumner County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bransford
- Population from the 2010 Census: 170 people
- Rogana
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Rogana is located in Sumner County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rogana
- Bledsoe
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Bledsoe is located in Sumner County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bledsoe
- Trousdale
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Trousdale is located in Sumner County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trousdale
- Westmoreland
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Gallatin
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Rock Bridge
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Rock Bridge is located in Sumner County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock Bridge
- South Tunnel
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- South Tunnel is located in Sumner County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Tunnel
- Sugar Grove
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Sugar Grove is located in Sumner County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sugar Grove
- Cottontown
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Trousdale County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rock City, with the one closest to Rock City listed first.
- Johntown
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Johntown is located in Trousdale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Johntown
- Hartsville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- White County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rock City, with the one closest to Rock City listed first.
- Fanchers Mills
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Fanchers Mills is located in White County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fanchers Mills
- Peeled Chestnut
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Peeled Chestnut is located in White County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peeled Chestnut
- Wilson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rock City, with the one closest to Rock City listed first.
- Saulsbury
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Saulsbury is located in Wilson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saulsbury
- Estimated population in 2014: 96 people
- Commerce
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Commerce is located in Wilson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Commerce
- Centerville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Centerville is located in Wilson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Centerville
- Estimated population in 2014: 3,595 people
- Linwood
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Linwood is located in Wilson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Linwood
- Watertown
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Greenwood
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Greenwood is located in Wilson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenwood
- Lebanon
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Doaks Crossroads
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Doaks Crossroads is located in Wilson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Doaks Crossroads
- Doaks Crossroads has also been known as:
- Doaks
- Possum Town
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Possum Town is located in Wilson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Possum Town
- Round Top
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Round Top is located in Wilson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Round Top
- Statesville
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Statesville is located in Wilson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Statesville
- Cottage Home
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Cottage Home is located in Wilson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cottage Home
- Estimated population in 2014: 88 people
- Leeville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Leeville is located in Wilson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leeville
- Allen County (KY)
- The following are listed by their distance from Rock City, with the one closest to Rock City listed first.
- Adolphus
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Holland
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Holland is located in Allen County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holland
- Monroe County (KY)
- The following are listed by their distance from Rock City, with the one closest to Rock City listed first.
- Akersville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Akersville is located in Monroe County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Akersville
- Gamaliel
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Rock City, see our County-by-County Page for Rock City.
Cemeteries Near Rock City ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Rock City.
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 Rock City - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Rock City covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Rock City, with the one closest to Rock City listed first.
- Harper Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Litchford Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Litchford Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Violet Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Stowe Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Cato Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Enoch Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Highers Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Manning - Denton Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Bradleys Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Cage Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Kennys Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Continue List (742 more) ...
- Barnett Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Kirby Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Bethlehem 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.<2>
While we didn't find Rock City in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Rock City.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Rock City, with the one closest to Rock City listed first.
- Rome
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Rome is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rome
- Jennings ‑ Historic
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Jennings is located in Wilson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jennings
- Riddleton
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Riddleton is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riddleton
- Grant
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Grant is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grant
- Carthage
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Monoville
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Monoville is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monoville
- Bellwood
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Bellwood is located in Wilson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bellwood
- New Middleton
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- New Middleton is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Middleton
- Bluff Creek
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Bluff Creek is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bluff Creek
- Estimated population in 2014: 1,734 people
- Dixon Springs
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Dixon Springs is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dixon Springs
- Tuckers Crossroads
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Tuckers Crossroads is located in Wilson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tuckers Crossroads
- Commerce
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Commerce is located in Wilson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Commerce
- Continue List (19 more) ...
- Gordonsville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Stonewall
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Stonewall is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stonewall
- Elmwood
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Elmwood is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elmwood
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Rock City. See our List of 1890's Communities around Rock City.
Newspapers Published in Rock City ...
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 74 newspapers that have been published in the area around Rock City.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Rock City, there are papers which were published within 18 miles [29 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Rock City.
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 Rock City:
- Websites specific to Tennessee
- Pages specific to Smith County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Cannon County
- Clay County
- DeKalb County
- Jackson County
- Macon County
- Putnam County
- Rutherford County
- Sumner County
- Trousdale County
- White County
- Wilson County
- Allen County
- Monroe 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 Rock City, 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 drawn from Point A (ie- Rock City) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |