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 Brookings (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 Brookings. 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 southwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most hospitals and doctors were in the next county to the west. 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 west 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.
Brookings is located in Clay 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 Clay County: Greene, Randolph, Butler (MO), Dunklin (MO) & Ripley (MO).
Below are the counties that are near Brookings. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Brookings:
- Clay County (The home county of Brookings)
- The following are listed by their distance from Brookings, with the one closest to Brookings listed first.
- Peach Orchard
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Peach Orchard is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peach Orchard
- Population from the 2020 Census: 123 people
- Knobel
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Knobel is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Knobel
- Population from the 2020 Census: 257 people
- Datto
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Datto is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Datto
- Population from the 2020 Census: 89 people
- Success
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Success is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Success
- Population from the 2020 Census: 132 people
- Corning
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Current View
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Current View is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Current View
- Moark
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Moark is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moark
- McDougal
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- McDougal is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McDougal
- Population from the 2020 Census: 163 people
- Rector
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Greenway
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Greenway is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenway
- Population from the 2020 Census: 188 people
- Pollard
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Piggott
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Craighead County
- The following are listed by their distance from Brookings, with the one closest to Brookings listed first.
- Bono
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Brookland
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Philadelphia
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Philadelphia is located in Craighead County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Philadelphia
- Red Onion
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Red Onion is located in Craighead County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Onion
- Lake View
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- 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 Brookings, with the one closest to Brookings listed first.
- Delaplaine
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Delaplaine is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Delaplaine
- Population from the 2020 Census: 116 people
- Stonewall
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Stonewall is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stonewall
- Beech Grove
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Beech Grove is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beech Grove
- Lafe
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Lafe is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lafe
- Population from the 2020 Census: 458 people
- Light
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Light is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Light
- Crowley
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Crowley is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crowley
- Walcott
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Walcott is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walcott
- Oak Grove Heights
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- 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
- Marmaduke
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Finch
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Finch is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Finch
- Pine Knot
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Pine Knot is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Knot
- Paragould
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Lawrence County
- The following are listed by their distance from Brookings, with the one closest to Brookings listed first.
- College City
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- College City is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for College City
- Estimated population in 2016: 506 people
- Walnut Ridge
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Hoxie
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Sedgwick
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Portia
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Black Rock
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Powhatan
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Imboden
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Minturn
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Minturn is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Minturn
- Population from the 2020 Census: 104 people
- Ravenden
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Annieville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Annieville is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Annieville
- Randolph County
- The following are listed by their distance from Brookings, with the one closest to Brookings listed first.
- Reyno
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Reyno is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reyno
- Population from the 2020 Census: 391 people
- Former names for Reyno:
- Cherokee Bay
- Esselwood
- Needmore
- Biggers
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Biggers is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Biggers
- Population from the 2020 Census: 342 people
- Peru
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Peru is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peru
- Serene
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Serene is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Serene
- O'Kean
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- O'Kean is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for O'Kean
- Population from the 2020 Census: 200 people
- Skaggs
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Skaggs is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Skaggs
- Brockett
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Brockett is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brockett
- Maynard
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Maynard is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maynard
- Population from the 2020 Census: 379 people
- Manson
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Manson is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Manson
- Pocahontas
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- 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 <1>
- Attica
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Attica is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Attica
- Middlebrook
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Middlebrook is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Middlebrook
- Butler County (MO)
- The following are listed by their distance from Brookings, with the one closest to Brookings listed first.
- Neelyville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Fagus
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Fagus is located in Butler County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fagus
- Harviell
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Oglesville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Oglesville is located in Butler County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oglesville
- Dunklin County (MO)
- The following are listed by their distance from Brookings, with the one closest to Brookings listed first.
- Cockrum
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Cockrum is located in Dunklin County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cockrum
- Red Onion
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Red Onion is located in Dunklin County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Onion
- Cardwell
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Oregon County (MO)
- Calm
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Calm is located in Oregon County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Calm
- Ripley County (MO)
- The following are listed by their distance from Brookings, with the one closest to Brookings listed first.
- Current View
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Current View is located in Ripley County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Current View
- Naylor
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Naylor is located in Ripley County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Naylor
- Population from the 2020 Census: 585 people
- Oxly
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Oxly is located in Ripley County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oxly
- Doniphan
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Gamburg
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Gamburg is located in Ripley County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gamburg
- Ponder
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Ponder is located in Ripley County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ponder
- Fairdealing
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Fairdealing is located in Ripley County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairdealing
- Briar
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Briar is located in Ripley County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Briar
- Gatewood
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Gatewood is located in Ripley County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gatewood
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Brookings, see our County-by-County Page for Brookings.
Cemeteries Near Brookings ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Brookings.
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 Brookings - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Brookings covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Brookings, with the one closest to Brookings listed first.
- Albrite Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Pirtle Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Jones Ridge Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Old Reyno Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Cherry Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Allen Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Osborn Cemetery
- The Osborn Cemetery is located on private property - be sure to secure permission before visiting.
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Osborn Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #55552 <3>
- Lawnbird Cemetery
- The Lawnbird Cemetery is located on private property - be sure to secure permission before visiting.
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lawnbird Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #54699 <3>
- Luttrell Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Nelson Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Hoisey Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Johnston Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Johnston Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Johnston Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located less than 2 miles<2> to the west of Reyno.
- The Johnston Cemetery has also been known as:
- Johnston and Nelson Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #54569 <3>
- Continue List (330 more) ...
- Blount Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blount Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Blount Cemetery is located less than 2 miles<2> to the southwest of Reyno.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #53117 <3>
- Hite Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Bonds Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
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 Brookings in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Brookings.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Brookings, with the one closest to Brookings listed first.
- Peach Orchard
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Peach Orchard is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peach Orchard
- Population from the 2020 Census: 123 people
- Reyno
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Reyno is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reyno
- Population from the 2020 Census: 391 people
- Former names for Reyno:
- Cherokee Bay
- Esselwood
- Needmore
- Knobel
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Knobel is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Knobel
- Population from the 2020 Census: 257 people
- Peru
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Peru is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peru
- O'Kean
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- O'Kean is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for O'Kean
- Population from the 2020 Census: 200 people
- Stonewall
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Stonewall is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stonewall
- Corning
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Brockett
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Brockett is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brockett
- Palatka
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Palatka is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Palatka
- Maynard
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Maynard is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maynard
- Population from the 2020 Census: 379 people
- Crowley
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Crowley is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crowley
- Gainesville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Gainesville is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gainesville
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- Pocahontas
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- 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 <1>
- Murta
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Murta is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Murta
- Attica
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Attica is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Attica
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Brookings. See our List of 1890's Communities around Brookings.
Newspapers Published in Brookings ...
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 44 newspapers that have been published in the area around Brookings.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Brookings, there are papers which were published within 20 miles [32.2 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Brookings.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we like to start with the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These professional and volunteer 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 Brookings:
- Websites specific to Arkansas
- Pages specific to Clay County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Craighead County
- Greene County
- Lawrence County
- Randolph County
- Butler County
- Dunklin County
- Oregon County
- Ripley 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 'straight-line' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Brookings) 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 Brookings, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |