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 Spring Mill (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 Spring Mill. 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 Spring Mill ...
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.
For example, a typical abbreviation for Big Spring Mill: Big Spg. Ml. (or less commonly used: Big Spg. Mll.)
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 and doctors 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 Spring Mill is located in Independence 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 Independence County: Cleburne, Izard, Jackson, Lawrence, Sharp, Stone & White.
Below are the counties that are near Big Spring Mill. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Big Spring Mill:
- Independence County (The home county of Big Spring Mill)
- The following are listed by their distance from Big Spring Mill, with the one closest to Big Spring Mill listed first.
- Denieville ‑ Historic
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Denieville is located in Independence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Denieville
- Cushman
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Cushman is located in Independence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cushman
- Population from the 2020 Census: 457 people
- Bethesda
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Bethesda is located in Independence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bethesda
- Desha
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Desha is located in Independence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Desha
- Batesville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Pfeiffer
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Pfeiffer is located in Independence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pfeiffer
- Sandtown
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Sandtown is located in Independence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sandtown
- Locust Grove
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Locust Grove is located in Independence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Locust Grove
- Moorefield
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Moorefield is located in Independence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moorefield
- Population from the 2020 Census: 135 people
- Southside
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Southside is located in Independence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Southside
- Salado
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Salado is located in Independence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Salado
- Cave City
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Cleburne County
- The following are listed by their distance from Big Spring Mill, with the one closest to Big Spring Mill listed first.
- Almond
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Almond is located in Cleburne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Almond
- Concord
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Concord is located in Cleburne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Concord
- Population from the 2020 Census: 234 people
- Wolf Bayou
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Wolf Bayou is located in Cleburne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wolf Bayou
- Drasco
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Drasco is located in Cleburne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Drasco
- Ida
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Wilburn
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Wilburn is located in Cleburne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilburn
- Prim
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Tumbling Shoals
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Rainbow Island
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Rainbow Island is located in Cleburne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rainbow Island
- Heber Springs
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Heber Springs is located in Cleburne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Heber Springs
- Population from the 2020 Census: 6,906 people
- Former name for Heber Springs:
- Sugar Loaf
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Heber Springs <1>
- Edgemont
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Greers Ferry
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Izard County
- The following are listed by their distance from Big Spring Mill, with the one closest to Big Spring Mill listed first.
- Mount Pleasant
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Guion
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Guion is located in Izard County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Guion
- Population from the 2020 Census: 81 people
- Bone Town
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Bone Town is located in Izard County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bone Town
- Sage
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Sage is located in Izard County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sage
- Lunenburg
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Lunenburg is located in Izard County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lunenburg
- LaCrosse
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- LaCrosse is located in Izard County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for LaCrosse
- Melbourne
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Jumbo
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Jumbo is located in Izard County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jumbo
- Violet Hill
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Violet Hill is located in Izard County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Violet Hill
- Newburg
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Newburg is located in Izard County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newburg
- Franklin
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Brockwell
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Brockwell is located in Izard County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brockwell
- Jackson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Big Spring Mill, with the one closest to Big Spring Mill listed first.
- Elgin
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Elgin is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elgin
- Jacksonport
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Campbell Station
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Campbell Station is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Campbell Station
- Population from the 2020 Census: 228 people
- Centerville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Centerville is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Centerville
- Kenyon
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Kenyon is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kenyon
- Diaz
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Diaz is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Diaz
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,208 people
- Newport
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Tuckerman
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Grand Glaise
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Grand Glaise is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grand Glaise
- Island Town
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Island Town is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Island Town
- Lawrence County
- The following are listed by their distance from Big Spring Mill, with the one closest to Big Spring Mill listed first.
- Strawberry
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Strawberry is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Strawberry
- Population from the 2020 Census: 272 people
- Saffell
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Saffell is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saffell
- Lynn
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Smithville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Smithville is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smithville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 68 people
- Sharp County
- The following are listed by their distance from Big Spring Mill, with the one closest to Big Spring Mill listed first.
- Sidney
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Sidney is located in Sharp County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sidney
- Population from the 2020 Census: 185 people
- Grange
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Grange is located in Sharp County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grange
- Maxville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Maxville is located in Sharp County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maxville
- Evening Shade
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Poughkeepsie
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Poughkeepsie is located in Sharp County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Poughkeepsie
- Ash Flat
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Stone County
- The following are listed by their distance from Big Spring Mill, with the one closest to Big Spring Mill listed first.
- Marcella
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Marcella is located in Stone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marcella
- Pleasant Grove
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Pleasant Grove is located in Stone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Grove
- Mountain View
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Fifty-Six
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- White County
- The following are listed by their distance from Big Spring Mill, with the one closest to Big Spring Mill listed first.
- Davenport ‑ Historic
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Davenport is located in White County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Davenport
- Sunnydale
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Sunnydale is located in White County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sunnydale
- Pangburn
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Bliss ‑ Historic
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Bliss is located in White County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bliss
- Clay
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Clay is located in White County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clay
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Big Spring Mill, see our County-by-County Page for Big Spring Mill.
Cemeteries Near Big Spring Mill ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Big Spring Mill.
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 Spring Mill - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Big Spring Mill covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Big Spring Mill, with the one closest to Big Spring Mill listed first.
- Willis Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- James Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Pleasant Valley Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Valley Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Pleasant Valley Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located 2 miles [3.2 km]<2> to the southeast of Cushman.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #55757 <3>
- Duncan Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Barnes Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Claxton Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Pilgrims Rest Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Old Ruddell Hill Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Ruddell Hill Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Greenfield Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Gill Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Johnson Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Continue List (327 more) ...
- Rinn Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Belleview Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Chinn Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
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 Spring Mill in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Big Spring Mill.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Big Spring Mill, with the one closest to Big Spring Mill listed first.
- Denieville ‑ Historic
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Denieville is located in Independence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Denieville
- Cushman
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Cushman is located in Independence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cushman
- Population from the 2020 Census: 457 people
- Bethesda
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Bethesda is located in Independence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bethesda
- Desha
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Desha is located in Independence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Desha
- Batesville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Sandtown
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Sandtown is located in Independence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sandtown
- Alvis ‑ Historic
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Alvis is located in Independence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alvis
- Marcella
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Marcella is located in Stone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marcella
- Almond
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Almond is located in Cleburne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Almond
- Jamestown
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Jamestown is located in Independence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jamestown
- Moorefield
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Moorefield is located in Independence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moorefield
- Population from the 2020 Census: 135 people
- Hickory Valley
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Hickory Valley is located in Independence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hickory Valley
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Saint James
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Saint James is located in Stone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint James
- Salado
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Salado is located in Independence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Salado
- Sidney
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Sidney is located in Sharp County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sidney
- Population from the 2020 Census: 185 people
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Big Spring Mill. See our List of 1890's Communities around Big Spring Mill.
Newspapers Published in Big Spring Mill ...
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 51 newspapers that have been published in the area around Big Spring Mill.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Big Spring Mill, there are papers which were published within 22 miles [35.4 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Big Spring Mill.
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 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 Big Spring Mill:
- Websites specific to Arkansas
- Pages specific to Independence County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Cleburne County
- Izard County
- Jackson County
- Lawrence County
- Sharp County
- Stone County
- White 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> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'point-to-point' distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Big Spring Mill) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |
| <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> | 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 Spring Mill, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |