Our Genealogy Helper
Introduction ...
So far, we found very little information about Bessie. The little that we've found leads us believe that the community is historic.<1>
We've added Bessie to our Gazetteer with the hope that we can develop more information. If you can help us with Bessie, please Contact Us.
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 Bessie (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 Bessie. 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 and hospitals 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.
Although our information shows that the community of Bessie is historic, it would have been located within present day Faulkner 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 Faulkner County: Cleburne, Conway, Lonoke, Perry, Pulaski, Van Buren & White.
Below are the counties that are near Bessie. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Bessie:
- Faulkner County (The home county of Bessie)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bessie, with the one closest to Bessie listed first.
- Lollie
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Lollie is located in Faulkner County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lollie
- Preston
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Preston is located in Faulkner County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Preston
- Conway
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Mayflower
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Wooster
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Hamlet
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Hamlet is located in Faulkner County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hamlet
- Beryl
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Beryl is located in Faulkner County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beryl
- Greenbrier
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Holland
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Holland is located in Faulkner County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 586 people
- Otto
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Otto is located in Faulkner County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Otto
- Vilonia
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Twin Groves
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Twin Groves is located in Faulkner County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Twin Groves
- Population from the 2020 Census: 334 people
- Enola
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Enola is located in Faulkner County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Enola
- Population from the 2020 Census: 354 people
- Conway County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bessie, with the one closest to Bessie listed first.
- Menifee
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Plumerville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Oppelo
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Oppelo is located in Conway County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oppelo
- Population from the 2020 Census: 747 people
- Morrilton
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Solgohachia
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Solgohachia is located in Conway County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Solgohachia
- Springfield
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Middleton
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Middleton is located in Conway County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Middleton
- Hattieville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Hattieville is located in Conway County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hattieville
- Winrock
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Winrock is located in Conway County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winrock
- Center Ridge
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Old Hickory
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Old Hickory is located in Conway County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Old Hickory
- Pontoon
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Pontoon is located in Conway County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pontoon
- Austin
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Perry County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bessie, with the one closest to Bessie listed first.
- Dixie ‑ Historic
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Dixie is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dixie
- Fourche
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Fourche is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fourche
- Population from the 2020 Census: 62 people
- Bigelow
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Toad Suck
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Toad Suck is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Toad Suck
- Little Italy
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Little Italy is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Little Italy
- Houston
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Perry
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Perryville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Adona
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Adona is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adona
- Population from the 2020 Census: 203 people
- Deberrie
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Deberrie is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deberrie
- Casa
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Casa is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Casa
- Population from the 2020 Census: 169 people
- Pope County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bessie, with the one closest to Bessie listed first.
- Wilson
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Atkins
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Economy
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Economy is located in Pope County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Economy
- Holla Bend
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Holla Bend is located in Pope County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holla Bend
- Pulaski County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bessie, with the one closest to Bessie listed first.
- Monnie Springs
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Monnie Springs is located in Pulaski County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monnie Springs
- Roland
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Natural Steps
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Natural Steps is located in Pulaski County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Natural Steps
- Maumelle
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Marche
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Marche is located in Pulaski County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marche
- Ferndale
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Ferndale is located in Pulaski County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ferndale
- Secluded Hills
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Secluded Hills is located in Pulaski County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Secluded Hills
- Banty ‑ Historic
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Banty is located in Pulaski County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Banty
- Cammack Village
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Cammack Village is located in Pulaski County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cammack Village
- Population from the 2020 Census: 712 people
- Gibson
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Gibson is located in Pulaski County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gibson
- Gravel Ridge
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Sherwood
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Argenta ‑ Historic
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Argenta is located in Pulaski County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Argenta
- Saline County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bessie, with the one closest to Bessie listed first.
- Paron
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Paron is located in Saline County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Paron
- Avilla
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Avilla is located in Saline County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avilla
- Congo
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Congo is located in Saline County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Congo
- Salem
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Salem is located in Saline County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Salem
- Bryant
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Kentucky
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Kentucky is located in Saline County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kentucky
- Rubicon
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Rubicon is located in Saline County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rubicon
- Shannon Hills
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Shannon Hills is located in Saline County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shannon Hills
- Population from the 2020 Census: 4,087 people
- Van Buren County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bessie, with the one closest to Bessie listed first.
- Damascus
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Gravesville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Gravesville is located in Van Buren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gravesville
- White County
- El Paso
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Yell County
- Cotton Town
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Cotton Town is located in Yell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cotton Town
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Bessie, see our County-by-County Page for Bessie.
Cemeteries Near Bessie ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Bessie.
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 Bessie - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Bessie covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Bessie, with the one closest to Bessie listed first.
- Casey Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Volman Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Volman Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Volman Cemetery is located outside and to the northeast of Bigelow.
- Faisst Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Pleasant Branch Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Stony Point Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- St. Francis Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Hartje Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Salem Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Wye Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Wye Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Round Mountain Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Houston Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Continue List (262 more) ...
- Rainey Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Kennerly Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Mayflower Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
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.
While we didn't find Bessie in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Bessie.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Bessie, with the one closest to Bessie listed first.
- Lollie
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Lollie is located in Faulkner County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lollie
- Dixie ‑ Historic
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Dixie is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dixie
- Houston
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Roland
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Gold Creek
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Gold Creek is located in Faulkner County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gold Creek
- Preston
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Preston is located in Faulkner County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Preston
- Conway
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Mayflower
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Menifee
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Plumerville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Palarm
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Palarm is located in Faulkner County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Palarm
- Chadwick ‑ Historic
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Chadwick is located in Faulkner County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chadwick
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Oppelo
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Oppelo is located in Conway County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oppelo
- Population from the 2020 Census: 747 people
- Morrilton
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Perryville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Bessie. See our List of 1890's Communities around Bessie.
Newspapers Published in Bessie ...
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 47 newspapers that have been published in the area around Bessie.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Bessie, there are papers which were published within 14 miles [22.5 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Bessie.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we first visit 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 Bessie:
- Websites specific to Arkansas
- Pages specific to Faulkner County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Conway County
- Perry County
- Pope County
- Pulaski County
- Saline County
- Van Buren County
- White County
- Yell County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Arkansas
Footnotes ...
| <1> | 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 Bessie, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <2> | While we're fans and frequent users of TripAdvisor, you should know that we're also members of the TripAdvisor affiliate program. |
| <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 from Point A (ie- Bessie) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |
| <4> | 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. |