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 Excelsior (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 Excelsior. 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 and doctors 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.
Excelsior 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 Excelsior. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Excelsior:
- Sebastian County (The home county of Excelsior)
- The following are listed by their distance from Excelsior, with the one closest to Excelsior listed first.
- Greenwood
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Greenwood is located in Sebastian County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenwood
- Population from the 2020 Census: 9,396 people
- Jenny Lind
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Jenny Lind is located in Sebastian County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jenny Lind
- Hackett
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Bonanza
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Bonanza is located in Sebastian County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bonanza
- Population from the 2020 Census: 560 people
- Midland
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Midland is located in Sebastian County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Midland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 322 people
- Barling
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Buell
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Buell is located in Sebastian County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buell
- Huntington
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Huntington is located in Sebastian County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Huntington
- Population from the 2020 Census: 615 people
- Central City
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Central City is located in Sebastian County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Central City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 497 people
- Mansfield
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Fort Smith
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Bloomer
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Bloomer is located in Sebastian County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bloomer
- Crawford County
- The following are listed by their distance from Excelsior, with the one closest to Excelsior listed first.
- Wright Town
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Wright Town is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wright Town
- Kibler
(16 miles [25.7 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
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- New Town is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Town
- Concord
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Concord is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Concord
- Van Buren
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Alma
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Rudy
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Rudy is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rudy
- Population from the 2020 Census: 149 people
- Dyer
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Mulberry
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Cedarville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Uniontown
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Uniontown is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Uniontown
- Barcelona
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Barcelona is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barcelona
- Franklin County
- The following are listed by their distance from Excelsior, with the one closest to Excelsior listed first.
- Charleston
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Leon ‑ Historic
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Leon is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leon
- Branch
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Dahoma ‑ Historic
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Dahoma is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dahoma
- Donald ‑ Historic
(22 miles [35.4 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
(28 miles [45.1 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 Excelsior, with the one closest to Excelsior listed first.
- Lucas
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Lucas is located in Logan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lucas
- Carolan
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Carolan is located in Logan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carolan
- Booneville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Golden City ‑ Historic
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Golden City is located in Logan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Golden City
- Ratcliff
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Caulksville
(26 miles [41.8 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
(28 miles [45.1 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
(30 miles [48.3 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 Excelsior, with the one closest to Excelsior listed first.
- Bates
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Bates is located in Scott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bates
- Winfield
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Winfield is located in Scott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winfield
- Waldron
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Cardiff
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Cardiff is located in Scott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cardiff
- Le Flore County (OK)
- The following are listed by their distance from Excelsior, with the one closest to Excelsior listed first.
- Pocola
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Rock Island
(9 miles [14.5 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
- Arkoma
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Braden
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Braden is located in Le Flore County (OK)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Braden
- Cameron
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Fort Coffee
(15 miles [24.1 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
- Skullyville
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Skullyville is located in Le Flore County (OK)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Skullyville
- Spiro
(17 miles [27.4 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>
- Monroe
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Poteau
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Panama
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Shady Point
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Sequoyah County (OK)
- The following are listed by their distance from Excelsior, with the one closest to Excelsior listed first.
- Moffett
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Roland
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Muldrow
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Remy
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Remy is located in Sequoyah County (OK)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Remy
- Gans
(24 miles [38.6 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
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Long is located in Sequoyah County (OK)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Long
- Short
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Short is located in Sequoyah County (OK)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Short
- Belfonte
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Belfonte is located in Sequoyah County (OK)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belfonte
- Akins
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Akins is located in Sequoyah County (OK)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Akins
- Brent
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Brent is located in Sequoyah County (OK)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brent
- Seven Oaks
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Seven Oaks is located in Sequoyah County (OK)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seven Oaks
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Excelsior, see our County-by-County Page for Excelsior.
Cemeteries Near Excelsior ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Excelsior.
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 Excelsior - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Excelsior covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Excelsior, with the one closest to Excelsior listed first.
- Stroud Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Evans Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Evans Cemetery
- The Evans Cemetery has also been known as:
- Excelsior Baptist Church Cemetery
- Excelsior Cemetery
- Jenny Lind Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Gilliam Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Mt. Zineche Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Pleasant Hill Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Doubleday Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Clarkeen Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- 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]<2> to the north of Midland.
- Douglass Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Greenwood Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Gentry Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Continue List (300 more) ...
- Old Hickory Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Ramsey Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Lovelace 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.<3>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that in 1895, Excelsior had a post office and no railroad service.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Excelsior, with the one closest to Excelsior listed first.
- Greenwood
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Greenwood is located in Sebastian County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenwood
- Population from the 2020 Census: 9,396 people
- Jenny Lind
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Jenny Lind is located in Sebastian County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jenny Lind
- Witcherville
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Witcherville is located in Sebastian County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Witcherville
- Hackett
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Montreal
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Montreal is located in Sebastian County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Montreal
- Crescent
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Crescent is located in Sebastian County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crescent
- Dayton
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Dayton is located in Sebastian County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dayton
- Burnville
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Burnville is located in Sebastian County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burnville
- Enterprise
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Enterprise is located in Sebastian County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Enterprise
- Jenson
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Jenson is located in Sebastian County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jenson
- Huntington
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Huntington is located in Sebastian County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Huntington
- Population from the 2020 Census: 615 people
- Buell
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Buell is located in Sebastian County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buell
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- Barling
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Cavanaugh
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Cavanaugh is located in Sebastian County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cavanaugh
- Mansfield
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Excelsior. See our List of 1890's Communities around Excelsior.
Newspapers Published in Excelsior ...
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 124 newspapers that have been published in the area around Excelsior.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Excelsior, there are papers which were published within 21 miles [33.8 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Excelsior.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we first turn to 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 Excelsior:
- 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> | 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 from Point A (ie- Excelsior) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |
| <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 Excelsior, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |