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 Big Rock (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 Big Rock. 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 Big Rock ...
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.
Although we can't give a definitive list, hopefully the following will give you a feel for the variations that might occur.
Another variation: Bigrock.
You might be interested in other communities that are also named Big Rock. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Big Rock.
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 northeast 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 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.
Big Rock is located in Sebastian 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 Sebastian County: Crawford, Franklin, Logan, Scott, Le Flore (OK) & Sequoyah (OK).
Below are the counties that are near Big Rock. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Big Rock:
- Sebastian County (The home county of Big Rock)
- The following are listed by their distance from Big Rock, with the one closest to Big Rock listed first.
- Greenwood
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Greenwood is located in Sebastian County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenwood
- Population from the 2020 Census: 9,396 people
- Jenny Lind
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Jenny Lind is located in Sebastian County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jenny Lind
- Huntington
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Huntington is located in Sebastian County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Huntington
- Population from the 2020 Census: 615 people
- Midland
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Midland is located in Sebastian County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Midland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 322 people
- Hackett
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Mansfield
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Bonanza
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Bonanza is located in Sebastian County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bonanza
- Population from the 2020 Census: 560 people
- Barling
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Buell
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Buell is located in Sebastian County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buell
- Frog Town
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Frog Town is located in Sebastian County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frog Town
- Central City
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Central City is located in Sebastian County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Central City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 497 people
- Bloomer
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Bloomer is located in Sebastian County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bloomer
- Hartford
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Crawford County
- The following are listed by their distance from Big Rock, with the one closest to Big Rock listed first.
- Wright Town
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Wright Town is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wright Town
- Kibler
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Kibler is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kibler
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,028 people
- New Town
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- New Town is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Town
- Concord
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Concord is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Concord
- Van Buren
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Alma
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Dyer
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Rudy
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Rudy is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rudy
- Population from the 2020 Census: 149 people
- Mulberry
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Cedarville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Uniontown
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Uniontown is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Uniontown
- Franklin County
- The following are listed by their distance from Big Rock, with the one closest to Big Rock listed first.
- Charleston
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Leon ‑ Historic
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Leon is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leon
- Branch
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Dahoma ‑ Historic
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Dahoma is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dahoma
- Donald ‑ Historic
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Donald is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Donald
- Cecil
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Cecil is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cecil
- Etna
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Etna is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Etna
- Logan County
- The following are listed by their distance from Big Rock, with the one closest to Big Rock listed first.
- Lucas
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Lucas is located in Logan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lucas
- Carolan
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Carolan is located in Logan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carolan
- Booneville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Golden City ‑ Historic
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Golden City is located in Logan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Golden City
- Ratcliff
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Caulksville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Caulksville is located in Logan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caulksville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 208 people
- Magazine
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Magazine is located in Logan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Magazine
- Population from the 2020 Census: 824 people
- Carbon City
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Carbon City is located in Logan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carbon City
- Scott County
- The following are listed by their distance from Big Rock, with the one closest to Big Rock listed first.
- Bates
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Bates is located in Scott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bates
- Winfield
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Winfield is located in Scott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winfield
- Waldron
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Cardiff
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Cardiff is located in Scott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cardiff
- Boles
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Le Flore County (OK)
- The following are listed by their distance from Big Rock, with the one closest to Big Rock listed first.
- Rock Island
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Rock Island is located in Le Flore County (OK)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock Island
- Population from the 2020 Census: 648 people
- Pocola
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Braden
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Braden is located in Le Flore County (OK)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Braden
- Cameron
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Arkoma
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Fort Coffee
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Fort Coffee is located in Le Flore County (OK)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fort Coffee
- Population from the 2020 Census: 421 people
- Monroe
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Skullyville
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Skullyville is located in Le Flore County (OK)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Skullyville
- Spiro
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Spiro is located in Le Flore County (OK)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spiro
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,154 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Spiro <1>
- Poteau
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Panama
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Shady Point
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Howe
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Howe is located in Le Flore County (OK)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Howe
- Population from the 2020 Census: 788 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Howe <1>
- Sequoyah County (OK)
- The following are listed by their distance from Big Rock, with the one closest to Big Rock listed first.
- Moffett
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Roland
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Muldrow
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Remy
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Remy is located in Sequoyah County (OK)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Remy
- Gans
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Gans is located in Sequoyah County (OK)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gans
- Population from the 2020 Census: 296 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Gans <1>
- Long
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Long is located in Sequoyah County (OK)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Long
- Belfonte
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Belfonte is located in Sequoyah County (OK)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belfonte
- Short
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Short is located in Sequoyah County (OK)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Short
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Big Rock, see our County-by-County Page for Big Rock.
Cemeteries Near Big Rock ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Big Rock.
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 Big Rock - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Big Rock covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Big Rock, with the one closest to Big Rock listed first.
- Gilliam Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Lovelace Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Clarks Chapel Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Evans Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Evans Cemetery
- The Evans Cemetery has also been known as:
- Excelsior Baptist Church Cemetery
- Excelsior Cemetery
- Stroud Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Valley View Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Valley View Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Valley View Cemetery is located 4 miles [6.4 km]<3> to the north of Midland.
- Greenwood Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Liberty Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Gentry Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Mt. Zineche Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Clarkeen Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Ramsey Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Continue List (307 more) ...
- Dake Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Huntington Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Lewis Cemetery
(5 miles [8 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.<4>
While we didn't find Big Rock in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Big Rock.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Big Rock, with the one closest to Big Rock listed first.
- Witcherville
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Witcherville is located in Sebastian County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Witcherville
- Excelsior
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Excelsior is located in Sebastian County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Excelsior
- Greenwood
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Greenwood is located in Sebastian County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenwood
- Population from the 2020 Census: 9,396 people
- Montreal
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Montreal is located in Sebastian County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Montreal
- Dayton
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Dayton is located in Sebastian County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dayton
- Jenny Lind
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Jenny Lind is located in Sebastian County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jenny Lind
- Burnville
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Burnville is located in Sebastian County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burnville
- Huntington
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Huntington is located in Sebastian County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Huntington
- Population from the 2020 Census: 615 people
- Hackett
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Mansfield
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Crescent
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Crescent is located in Sebastian County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crescent
- Jenson
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Jenson is located in Sebastian County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jenson
- Continue List (13 more) ...
- Auburn ‑ Historic
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Auburn is located in Sebastian County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Auburn
- Buell
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Buell is located in Sebastian County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buell
- Enterprise
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Enterprise is located in Sebastian County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Enterprise
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Big Rock. See our List of 1890's Communities around Big Rock.
Newspapers Published in Big Rock ...
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 131 newspapers that have been published in the area around Big Rock.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Big Rock, there are papers which were published within 22 miles [35.4 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Big Rock.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we start with 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 Big Rock:
- Websites specific to Arkansas
- Pages specific to Sebastian County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Crawford County
- Franklin County
- Logan County
- Scott County
- Le Flore County
- Sequoyah 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> | 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> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Big Rock) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |
| <4> | 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 Big Rock, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |