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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 Thorn Hill (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 Thorn Hill. 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 Thorn Hill ...

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.

Another variation: Thornhill.

You might be interested in other communities that are also named Thorn Hill. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Thorn Hill.

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 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.

Thorn Hill is located in Grainger 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 Grainger County: Claiborne, Hamblen, Hancock, Hawkins, Jefferson, Knox & Union.

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

  • Grainger County     (The home county of Thorn Hill)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Thorn Hill, with the one closest to Thorn Hill listed first.
    • Bowen
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
    • Beans
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Beans is located in Grainger County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beans
      • Estimated population in 2014: 3,084 people
    • Marshalls Ferry
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Marshalls Ferry is located in Grainger County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marshalls Ferry
    • Bean Station
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
    • Wyatt Village
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
      • Wyatt Village is located in Grainger County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wyatt Village
    • Rutledge
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Wa-Ni Village
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
      • Wa-Ni Village is located in Grainger County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wa-Ni Village
    • Washburn
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Lulaville
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Lulaville is located in Grainger County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lulaville
    • Dyers Ferry
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
      • Dyers Ferry is located in Grainger County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dyers Ferry
      • Estimated population in 2014: 16,839 people
    • Oakland
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
      • Oakland is located in Grainger County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakland
      • Estimated population in 2014: 7,316 people
    • Joppa
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Massengill Mill
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Massengill Mill is located in Grainger County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Massengill Mill
      • Estimated population in 2014: 1,600 people
  • Campbell County
  • Claiborne County
  • Cocke County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Thorn Hill, with the one closest to Thorn Hill listed first.
    • Bybee
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Bailey Town
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
      • Bailey Town is located in Cocke County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bailey Town
      • Estimated population in 2014: 428 people
    • Clevenger
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
      • Clevenger is located in Cocke County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clevenger
      • Estimated population in 2014: 43,182 people
    • Wilsonville
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
    • Jaybird
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Jaybird is located in Cocke County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jaybird
      • Estimated population in 2014: 3,299 people
    • Jimtown
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Newport
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Parrottsville
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Greene County
  • Hamblen County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Thorn Hill, with the one closest to Thorn Hill listed first.
    • Collons Ferry
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
      • Collons Ferry is located in Hamblen County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Collons Ferry
      • Estimated population in 2014: 986 people
    • Casablanca
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Casablanca is located in Hamblen County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Casablanca
      • Estimated population in 2014: 2,223 people
    • Bright ‑ Historic
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Bright is located in Hamblen County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bright
      • Estimated population in 2014: 2,942 people
    • Morristown
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
    • East Village
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
      • East Village is located in Hamblen County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Village
    • Monte Vista Estates
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Monte Vista Estates is located in Hamblen County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monte Vista Estates
      • Estimated population in 2014: 2,860 people
    • Whitesburg
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
    • Silver City
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Silver City is located in Hamblen County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Silver City
  • Hancock County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Thorn Hill, with the one closest to Thorn Hill listed first.
    • Xenophon
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Xenophon is located in Hancock County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Xenophon
    • Yount Town
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Alanthus Hill
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
      • Alanthus Hill is located in Hancock County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alanthus Hill
      • Estimated population in 2014: 2,498 people
    • Duck Creek
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Trent Valley
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Trent Valley is located in Hancock County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trent Valley
      • Estimated population in 2014: 4,157 people
    • Sneedville
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Kyles Ford
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Willis
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Willis is located in Hancock County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willis
      • Estimated population in 2014: 387 people
  • Hawkins County
  • Jefferson County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Thorn Hill, with the one closest to Thorn Hill listed first.
    • Talbott
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
    • Rock Town
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
      • Rock Town is located in Jefferson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock Town
    • Jefferson City
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
    • Edna
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
    • White Pine
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
    • New Market
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Alena ‑ Historic
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
      • Alena is located in Jefferson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alena
    • Flat Gap
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
    • Leadvale
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Rocky Valley
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
      • Rocky Valley is located in Jefferson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rocky Valley
      • Estimated population in 2014: 1,771 people
    • Baneberry
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
    • Dandridge
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
    • Piedmont
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
  • Knox County
  • Sevier County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Thorn Hill, with the one closest to Thorn Hill listed first.
    • Kodak
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Henry Crossroads
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
  • Union County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Thorn Hill, with the one closest to Thorn Hill listed first.
    • Haynes ‑ Historic
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
      • Haynes is located in Union County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Haynes
    • Luttrell
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Maynardville
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
    • Plainview
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Loo ‑ Historic
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
      • Loo is located in Union County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Loo
    • Braden
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
    • Lost Creek ‑ Historic
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
      • Lost Creek is located in Union County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lost Creek
    • Phebe ‑ Historic
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
      • Phebe is located in Union County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Phebe
    • Rhodelia ‑ Historic
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
      • Rhodelia is located in Union County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rhodelia
    • Long Hollow ‑ Historic
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
    • Warwicktown
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • Warwicktown is located in Union County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Warwicktown
      • Estimated population in 2014: 658 people
    • Paulette
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Gabe ‑ Historic
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
      • Gabe is located in Union County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gabe
  • Bell County (KY)
  • Harlan County (KY)

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

Cemeteries Near Thorn Hill ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Thorn Hill.

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 Thorn Hill - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • Adkins Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the south)
  • Bray Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the east)
  • Lathin Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the east)
  • Rhea Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the east)
  • Slave Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
  • Kincaid Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the west)
  • Batman Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
  • Floyd Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the south)
  • White Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the east)
  • Lamb Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the east)
  • Rucker Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the east)
  • Idol Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
  • Continue List   (1055 more) ...
    • Broken Valley Cemetery
      (Less than 2 miles to the north)
    • Hipsher Cemetery
      (Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
    • Farmer Cemetery
      (2 miles [3.2 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>

The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Thorn Hill had a population of 56 people in 1895 with a post office and no railroad service.

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

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

Newspapers Published in Thorn Hill ...

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 30 newspapers that have been published in the area around Thorn Hill.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Thorn Hill, there are papers which were published within 12 miles [19.3 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Thorn Hill.

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 Thorn Hill:

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 Thorn Hill, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.
<3>Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'point-to-point' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Thorn Hill) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.