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 Baxter (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 Baxter. 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.
Baxter is located in Drew County.
To see how the shape of Arkansas' counties may have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.
The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Drew County: Ashley, Bradley, Chicot, Cleveland, Desha & Lincoln.
Below are the counties that are near Baxter. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Baxter:
- Drew County (The home county of Baxter)
- The following are listed by their distance from Baxter, with the one closest to Baxter listed first.
- Collins
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Collins is located in Drew County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Collins
- Jerome
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Jerome is located in Drew County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jerome
- Population from the 2020 Census: 34 people
- Selma
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Selma is located in Drew County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Selma
- Tillar
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Tillar is located in Drew County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tillar
- Population from the 2020 Census: 210 people
- Winchester
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Winchester is located in Drew County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winchester
- Population from the 2020 Census: 160 people
- Monticello
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Rose Hill
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Rose Hill is located in Drew County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rose Hill
- Lacey
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Lacey is located in Drew County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lacey
- Barkada
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Barkada is located in Drew County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barkada
- Wilmar
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Wilmar is located in Drew County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilmar
- Population from the 2020 Census: 477 people
- Ashley County
- The following are listed by their distance from Baxter, with the one closest to Baxter listed first.
- Montrose
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Montrose is located in Ashley County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Montrose
- Population from the 2020 Census: 298 people
- Portland
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Fountain Hill
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Fountain Hill is located in Ashley County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fountain Hill
- Population from the 2020 Census: 157 people
- Hamburg
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Parkdale
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Bradley County
- Long View Ferry
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Long View Ferry is located in Bradley County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Long View Ferry
- Chicot County
- The following are listed by their distance from Baxter, with the one closest to Baxter listed first.
- Dermott
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Lake Village
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Desha County
- The following are listed by their distance from Baxter, with the one closest to Baxter listed first.
- McGehee
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Reed
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Reed is located in Desha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reed
- Population from the 2020 Census: 146 people
- McArthur
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- McArthur is located in Desha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McArthur
- Arkansas City
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Arkansas City is located in Desha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arkansas City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 310 people
- Hopedale ‑ Historic
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Hopedale is located in Desha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hopedale
- Rohwer
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Pickens
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Pickens is located in Desha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pickens
- Kelso
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Kelso is located in Desha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kelso
- Dumas
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Mitchellville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Mitchellville is located in Desha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mitchellville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 327 people
- Pea Ridge
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Pea Ridge is located in Desha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pea Ridge
- Watson
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Lincoln County
- The following are listed by their distance from Baxter, with the one closest to Baxter listed first.
- Warrenton
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Warrenton is located in Lincoln County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Warrenton
- Tyro
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Tyro is located in Lincoln County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tyro
- Bolivar County (MS)
- The following are listed by their distance from Baxter, with the one closest to Baxter listed first.
- Eutaw
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Eutaw is located in Bolivar County (MS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eutaw
- Mound Landing
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Mound Landing is located in Bolivar County (MS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mound Landing
- Lamont
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Lamont is located in Bolivar County (MS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lamont
- Scott
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Scott is located in Bolivar County (MS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Scott
- Lake Vista
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Lake Vista is located in Bolivar County (MS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Vista
- Benoit
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Grapeland
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Grapeland is located in Bolivar County (MS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grapeland
- Washington County (MS)
- The following are listed by their distance from Baxter, with the one closest to Baxter listed first.
- Greenville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Metcalfe
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Metcalfe is located in Washington County (MS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Metcalfe
- Population from the 2020 Census: 935 people
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Baxter, see our County-by-County Page for Baxter.
Cemeteries Near Baxter ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Baxter.
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 Baxter - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Baxter covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Baxter, with the one closest to Baxter listed first.
- Davis Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Solomon Allen Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- McDermott Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Coleman Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Youngs Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Bowden Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Mt. Olive Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Collins Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Pleasant Grove Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Duncan Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Roper Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- New Hope Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Continue List (191 more) ...
- Centerpoint Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Townsend Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Austin Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
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 Baxter had a population of 250 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Baxter, with the one closest to Baxter listed first.
- Dermott
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Collins
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Collins is located in Drew County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Collins
- Hudspeth
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Hudspeth is located in Chicot County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hudspeth
- Halley
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Halley is located in Desha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Halley
- McGehee
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Selma
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Selma is located in Drew County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Selma
- Tillar
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Tillar is located in Drew County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tillar
- Population from the 2020 Census: 210 people
- Trafalgar
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Trafalgar is located in Ashley County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trafalgar
- Winchester
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Winchester is located in Drew County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winchester
- Population from the 2020 Census: 160 people
- Berea
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Berea is located in Ashley County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Berea
- Snyder
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Snyder is located in Ashley County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Snyder
- Arkansas City
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Arkansas City is located in Desha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arkansas City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 310 people
- Continue List (17 more) ...
- Paradise ‑ Historic
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Paradise is located in Drew County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Paradise
- Lake Village
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Florence
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Florence is located in Drew County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Florence
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Baxter. See our List of 1890's Communities around Baxter.
Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Baxter ...
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 28 newspapers that have been published in the area around Baxter.
We have organized these newspapers into two lists:
- A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Baxter. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Baxter and those printed in the larger area surrounding Baxter.
- An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 25 miles [40.2 km]<3> of Baxter.
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 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 Baxter:
- Websites specific to Arkansas
- Pages specific to Drew County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Ashley County
- Bradley County
- Chicot County
- Desha County
- Lincoln County
- Bolivar County
- Washington County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Arkansas
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 Baxter, 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 drawn from Point A (ie- Baxter) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |