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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 Bethel (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 Bethel. 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 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.

Bethel is located in Pope 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 Pope County: Conway, Johnson, Logan, Newton, Van Buren & Yell.

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

  • Pope County     (The home county of Bethel)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
    • Bernice
      (Less than 2 miles to the west)
      • Bernice is located in Pope County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bernice
    • Russellville
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
    • North Dardanelle
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
      • North Dardanelle is located in Pope County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Dardanelle
    • Pottsville
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
      • Pottsville is located in Pope County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pottsville
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,361 people
      • Former names for Pottsville:
      • Pott's Inn
      • Pott's Station
    • Center Valley
      (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
      • Center Valley is located in Pope County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Center Valley
    • Holla Bend
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Holla Bend is located in Pope County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holla Bend
    • Taral
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
      • Taral is located in Pope County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Taral
    • Atkins
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
    • London
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Wilson
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
    • Dover
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
    • Moreland
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Moreland is located in Pope County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moreland
    • Georgetown
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Georgetown is located in Pope County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Georgetown
  • Conway County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
    • Pontoon
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Pontoon is located in Conway County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pontoon
    • Winrock
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Winrock is located in Conway County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winrock
    • Old Hickory
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
      • Old Hickory is located in Conway County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Old Hickory
    • Hattieville
      (18 miles [29 km] to the east)
      • Hattieville is located in Conway County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hattieville
    • Jerusalem
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
    • Morrilton
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
    • Oppelo
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Oppelo is located in Conway County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oppelo
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 747 people
    • Solgohachia
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
      • Solgohachia is located in Conway County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Solgohachia
    • Cleveland
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Middleton
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
      • Middleton is located in Conway County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Middleton
    • Plumerville
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
  • Johnson County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
    • Piney
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Piney is located in Johnson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Piney
    • Knoxville
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Knoxville is located in Johnson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Knoxville
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 754 people
    • Lamar
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Lamar is located in Johnson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lamar
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,729 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Lamar <1>
    • Hagarville
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Hagarville is located in Johnson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hagarville
    • Spadra
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Spadra is located in Johnson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spadra
    • Strawberry
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Strawberry is located in Johnson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Strawberry
    • Clarksville
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Ludwig
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Ludwig is located in Johnson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ludwig
    • Union City
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Union City is located in Johnson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union City
    • Lone Pine
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Lone Pine is located in Johnson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lone Pine
  • Logan County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
    • Delaware
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
      • Delaware is located in Logan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Delaware
    • New Blaine
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
    • Morrison Bluff
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
      • Morrison Bluff is located in Logan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morrison Bluff
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 78 people
    • Scranton
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
      • Scranton is located in Logan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Scranton
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 233 people
    • Sand Ridge
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
      • Sand Ridge is located in Logan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sand Ridge
    • Corley
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • Corley is located in Logan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Corley
    • Subiaco
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
  • Perry County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
    • Casa
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
      • Casa is located in Perry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Casa
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 169 people
    • Adona
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
      • Adona is located in Perry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adona
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 203 people
    • Deberrie
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
      • Deberrie is located in Perry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deberrie
    • Perry
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Perryville
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
    • Houston
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
  • Yell County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
    • Dardanelle
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Centerville
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
      • Centerville is located in Yell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Centerville
    • Cotton Town
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
      • Cotton Town is located in Yell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cotton Town
    • Petit Jean
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
      • Petit Jean is located in Yell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Petit Jean
    • Chickalah
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Chickalah is located in Yell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chickalah
    • Birta
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
      • Birta is located in Yell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Birta
    • Ola
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Ola is located in Yell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ola
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,196 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Ola <1>
    • Danville
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Plainview
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Belleville
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Corinth
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Corinth is located in Yell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Corinth
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 66 people
    • Havana
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
    • Marvinville
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
      • Marvinville is located in Yell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marvinville

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

Cemeteries Near Bethel ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Bethel.

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 Bethel - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • Bethel Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the east)
  • Rankin Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
  • Rest Haven Memorial Park
    (Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
  • Shinn Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the west)
  • Pisgah Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the east)
  • Oakland Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
  • Mt. Zion Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
  • Cove Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
  • Reed Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
  • Howell Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
  • Washburn Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
  • Norristown Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
  • Continue List   (345 more) ...

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.<3>

While we didn't find Bethel in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Bethel.

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

  • Russellville
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
  • Dardanelle
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Holla Bend
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Holla Bend is located in Pope County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holla Bend
  • Mill Creek
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Mill Creek is located in Pope County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mill Creek
  • Mount Nebo
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
    • Mount Nebo is located in Yell County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Nebo
  • Carden Bottoms
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Carden Bottoms is located in Yell County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carden Bottoms
  • Atkins
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
  • London
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
  • Dover
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
  • Moreland
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Moreland is located in Pope County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moreland
  • Delaware
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
    • Delaware is located in Logan County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Delaware
  • Chickalah
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Chickalah is located in Yell County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chickalah
  • Continue List   (15 more) ...
    • Georgetown
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Georgetown is located in Pope County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Georgetown
    • Economy
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
      • Economy is located in Pope County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Economy
    • Caglesville
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Caglesville is located in Pope County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caglesville

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

Newspapers Published in Bethel ...

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 64 newspapers that have been published in the area around Bethel.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Bethel, there are papers which were published within 22 miles [35.4 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Bethel.

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 Bethel:

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>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.
<3>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 Bethel, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.
<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 from Point A (ie- Bethel) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.