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 southeast 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 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.
Although our information shows that the community of Bessie is historic, it would have been located within present day Lawrence 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 Lawrence County: Craighead, Greene, Independence, Jackson, Randolph & Sharp.
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:
- Lawrence County (The home county of Bessie)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bessie, with the one closest to Bessie listed first.
- Minturn
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Minturn is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Minturn
- Population from the 2020 Census: 104 people
- Alicia
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Alicia is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alicia
- Population from the 2020 Census: 126 people
- Sedgwick
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Hoxie
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Walnut Ridge
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Portia
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Powhatan
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- College City
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- College City is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for College City
- Estimated population in 2016: 506 people
- Black Rock
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Lynn
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Saffell
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Saffell is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saffell
- Strawberry
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Strawberry is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Strawberry
- Population from the 2020 Census: 272 people
- Smithville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Smithville is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smithville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 68 people
- Clay County
- Peach Orchard
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Peach Orchard is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peach Orchard
- Population from the 2020 Census: 123 people
- Craighead County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bessie, with the one closest to Bessie listed first.
- Egypt
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Cash
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Cash is located in Craighead County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cash
- Population from the 2020 Census: 359 people
- Bono
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Philadelphia
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Philadelphia is located in Craighead County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Philadelphia
- Obear ‑ Historic
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Obear is located in Craighead County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Obear
- Jonesboro
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Brookland
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Bay
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Bay is located in Craighead County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bay
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,816 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Bay <2>
- Lake City
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Lake View
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Lake View is located in Craighead County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake View
- Greene County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bessie, with the one closest to Bessie listed first.
- Light
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Light is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Light
- Walcott
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Walcott is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walcott
- Finch
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Finch is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Finch
- Pine Knot
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Pine Knot is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Knot
- Crowley
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Crowley is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crowley
- Delaplaine
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Delaplaine is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Delaplaine
- Population from the 2020 Census: 116 people
- Beech Grove
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Beech Grove is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beech Grove
- Paragould
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Oak Grove Heights
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Oak Grove Heights is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Grove Heights
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,095 people
- Independence County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bessie, with the one closest to Bessie listed first.
- Cord
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Cord is located in Independence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cord
- Charlotte
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Charlotte is located in Independence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Charlotte
- Newark
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Jackson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bessie, with the one closest to Bessie listed first.
- Swifton
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Swifton is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Swifton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 733 people
- Centerville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Centerville is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Centerville
- Kenyon
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Kenyon is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kenyon
- Tuckerman
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Grubbs
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Grubbs is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grubbs
- Population from the 2020 Census: 353 people
- Elgin
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Elgin is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elgin
- Airport Village
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Airport Village is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Airport Village
- Campbell Station
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Campbell Station is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Campbell Station
- Population from the 2020 Census: 228 people
- Diaz
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Diaz is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Diaz
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,208 people
- Amagon
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Amagon is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Amagon
- Population from the 2020 Census: 90 people
- Jacksonport
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Balch
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Balch is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Balch
- Newport
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Poinsett County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bessie, with the one closest to Bessie listed first.
- Weiner
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Weiner is located in Poinsett County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weiner
- Population from the 2020 Census: 662 people
- Waldenburg
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Greenfield
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Greenfield is located in Poinsett County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenfield
- Harrisburg
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Fisher
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Fisher is located in Poinsett County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fisher
- Population from the 2020 Census: 212 people
- Trumann
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Randolph County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bessie, with the one closest to Bessie listed first.
- Manson
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Manson is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Manson
- O'Kean
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- O'Kean is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for O'Kean
- Population from the 2020 Census: 200 people
- Serene
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Serene is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Serene
- Skaggs
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Skaggs is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Skaggs
- Birdell
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Birdell is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Birdell
- Eleven
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Eleven is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eleven
- Pocahontas
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Pocahontas is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pocahontas
- Population from the 2020 Census: 7,371 people
- Former names for Pocahontas:
- Bettis Bluff
- Betts Bluff
- Pokakhontas
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Pocahontas <2>
- Brockett
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Brockett is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brockett
- Peru
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Peru is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peru
- Water Valley ‑ Historic
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Water Valley is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Water Valley
- Kingsville ‑ Historic
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Kingsville is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kingsville
- Attica
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Attica is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Attica
- Biggers
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Biggers is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Biggers
- Population from the 2020 Census: 342 people
- Sharp County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bessie, with the one closest to Bessie listed first.
- Grange
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Grange is located in Sharp County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grange
- Poughkeepsie
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Poughkeepsie is located in Sharp County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Poughkeepsie
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.
- Roberts Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Markham Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Aldridge Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Arnold Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Brown Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Clark Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Miller Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Manning Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Manning Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Covington Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Arbor Grove Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Whittaker Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Continue List (315 more) ...
- Whitlow Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Haynes Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Arnold Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 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.
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.
- Egypt
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Lindsey
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Lindsey is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lindsey
- Minturn
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Minturn is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Minturn
- Population from the 2020 Census: 104 people
- Alicia
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Alicia is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alicia
- Population from the 2020 Census: 126 people
- Sedgwick
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Cash
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Cash is located in Craighead County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cash
- Population from the 2020 Census: 359 people
- Clover Bend
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Clover Bend is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clover Bend
- Strangers Home
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Strangers Home is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Strangers Home
- Hoxie
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Bono
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Walnut Ridge
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Swifton
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Swifton is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Swifton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 733 people
- Continue List (17 more) ...
- Portia
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Powhatan
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Lorado
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Lorado is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lorado
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 23 miles [37 km]<4>. 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 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 Bessie:
- Websites specific to Arkansas
- Pages specific to Lawrence County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Clay County
- Craighead County
- Greene County
- Independence County
- Jackson County
- Poinsett County
- Randolph County
- Sharp 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> | 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> | 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- Bessie) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |