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 Choctaw (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 Choctaw. 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 doctors and hospitals 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.
Choctaw is located in Van Buren 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 Van Buren County: Cleburne, Conway, Faulkner, Searcy & Stone.
Below are the counties that are near Choctaw. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Choctaw:
- Van Buren County (The home county of Choctaw)
- The following are listed by their distance from Choctaw, with the one closest to Choctaw listed first.
- Green Tree
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Green Tree is located in Van Buren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Green Tree
- Clinton
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Bee Branch
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Bee Branch is located in Van Buren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bee Branch
- Formosa
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Formosa is located in Van Buren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Formosa
- Morganton
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Morganton is located in Van Buren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morganton
- Eglantine
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Eglantine is located in Van Buren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eglantine
- Crabtree
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Crabtree is located in Van Buren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crabtree
- Scotland
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Chalk ‑ Historic
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Chalk is located in Van Buren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chalk
- Shirley
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Gravesville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Gravesville is located in Van Buren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gravesville
- Damascus
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Cleburne County
- The following are listed by their distance from Choctaw, with the one closest to Choctaw listed first.
- Higden
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Edgemont
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Greers Ferry
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Shiloh ‑ Historic
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Shiloh is located in Cleburne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shiloh
- Quitman
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Miller ‑ Historic
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Miller is located in Cleburne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Miller
- Pearson
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Pearson is located in Cleburne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pearson
- Prim
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Heber Springs
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- 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>
- Yuba
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Yuba is located in Cleburne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yuba
- Tumbling Shoals
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Drasco
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Drasco is located in Cleburne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Drasco
- Conway County
- The following are listed by their distance from Choctaw, with the one closest to Choctaw listed first.
- Austin
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Center Ridge
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Cleveland
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Middleton
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Middleton is located in Conway County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Middleton
- Springfield
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Solgohachia
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Solgohachia is located in Conway County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Solgohachia
- Jerusalem
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Old Hickory
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Old Hickory is located in Conway County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Old Hickory
- Hattieville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Hattieville is located in Conway County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hattieville
- Menifee
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Plumerville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Faulkner County
- The following are listed by their distance from Choctaw, with the one closest to Choctaw listed first.
- Guy
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Guy is located in Faulkner County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Guy
- Population from the 2020 Census: 792 people
- Twin Groves
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Twin Groves is located in Faulkner County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Twin Groves
- Population from the 2020 Census: 334 people
- Enders
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Enders is located in Faulkner County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Enders
- Greenbrier
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Centerville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Centerville is located in Faulkner County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Centerville
- Wooster
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Holland
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Holland is located in Faulkner County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 586 people
- Enola
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Enola is located in Faulkner County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Enola
- Population from the 2020 Census: 354 people
- Mount Vernon
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Mount Vernon is located in Faulkner County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Vernon
- Population from the 2020 Census: 149 people
- Conway
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Pope County
- The following are listed by their distance from Choctaw, with the one closest to Choctaw listed first.
- Tilly
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Tilly is located in Pope County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tilly
- Appleton
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Appleton is located in Pope County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Appleton
- Economy
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Economy is located in Pope County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Economy
- Caglesville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Caglesville is located in Pope County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caglesville
- Hector
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Searcy County
- The following are listed by their distance from Choctaw, with the one closest to Choctaw listed first.
- Leslie
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Watts
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Watts is located in Searcy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Watts
- Baker
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Baker is located in Searcy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Baker
- Marshall
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Witt's Springs
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Witt's Springs is located in Searcy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Witt's Springs
- Stone County
- The following are listed by their distance from Choctaw, with the one closest to Choctaw listed first.
- Fox
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Fox is located in Stone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fox
- Timbo
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Alco
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Alco is located in Stone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alco
- Onia
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Onia is located in Stone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Onia
- Mountain View
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- White County
- The following are listed by their distance from Choctaw, with the one closest to Choctaw listed first.
- Rose Bud
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Romance
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Choctaw, see our County-by-County Page for Choctaw.
Cemeteries Near Choctaw ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Choctaw.
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 Choctaw - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Choctaw covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Choctaw, with the one closest to Choctaw listed first.
- Hunter - Hill Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Quattlebaum Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Johnson Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Bradley Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Pee Dee Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Blackwell Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Bee Branch Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Hardin Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Evans Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Woolverton Mtn. Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Halbrooks Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Lloyd Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Continue List (241 more) ...
- Eglantine Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Crowell Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Foster Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
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.<2>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that in 1895, Choctaw had a post office and no railroad service.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Choctaw, with the one closest to Choctaw listed first.
- Clinton
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Bee Branch
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Bee Branch is located in Van Buren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bee Branch
- Morganton
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Morganton is located in Van Buren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morganton
- Eglantine
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Eglantine is located in Van Buren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eglantine
- Claude
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Claude is located in Van Buren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Claude
- Scotland
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Chalk ‑ Historic
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Chalk is located in Van Buren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chalk
- Settlement ‑ Historic
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Settlement is located in Van Buren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Settlement
- Damascus
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Edge ‑ Historic
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Edge is located in Van Buren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edge
- Martinville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Martinville is located in Faulkner County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Martinville
- Pinnacle Springs ‑ Historic
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Pinnacle Springs is located in Faulkner County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pinnacle Springs
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Guy
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Guy is located in Faulkner County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Guy
- Population from the 2020 Census: 792 people
- Copeland
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Copeland is located in Van Buren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Copeland
- Latham
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Latham is located in Van Buren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Latham
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Choctaw. See our List of 1890's Communities around Choctaw.
Newspapers Published in Choctaw ...
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 12 newspapers that have been published in the area around Choctaw.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Choctaw, there are papers which were published within 21 miles [33.8 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Choctaw.
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 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 Choctaw:
- Websites specific to Arkansas
- Pages specific to Van Buren County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Cleburne County
- Conway County
- Faulkner County
- Pope County
- Searcy 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> | 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 Choctaw, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <3> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a '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- Choctaw) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |