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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 Penrose (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 Penrose. 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 doctors and hospitals 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.

Penrose is located in Woodruff 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 Woodruff County: Cross, Jackson, Monroe, Prairie, Saint Francis & White.

Below are the counties that are near Penrose. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Penrose:

  • Woodruff County     (The home county of Penrose)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Penrose, with the one closest to Penrose listed first.
    • Bemis
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Bemis is located in Woodruff County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bemis
    • Morton
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Morton is located in Woodruff County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morton
    • DeView
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
      • DeView is located in Woodruff County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for DeView
    • McCrory
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
      • McCrory is located in Woodruff County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McCrory
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,496 people
    • Hunter
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Hunter is located in Woodruff County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hunter
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 93 people
    • Colona
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
      • Colona is located in Woodruff County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colona
    • Patterson
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Patterson is located in Woodruff County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Patterson
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 388 people
    • Riverside
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Riverside is located in Woodruff County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riverside
    • Howell
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Howell is located in Woodruff County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Howell
    • Flynn ‑ Historic
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
      • Flynn is located in Woodruff County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flynn
    • Gregory
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
      • Gregory is located in Woodruff County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gregory
    • Cotton Plant
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Augusta
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
  • Cross County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Penrose, with the one closest to Penrose listed first.
    • Wynne
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
    • Hickory Ridge
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
      • Hickory Ridge is located in Cross County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hickory Ridge
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 233 people
    • Vanndale
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Vanndale is located in Cross County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vanndale
    • Levesque
      (18 miles [29 km] to the east)
      • Levesque is located in Cross County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Levesque
    • Cherry Valley
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Bay Village
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Bay Village is located in Cross County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bay Village
    • Parkin
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
  • Jackson County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Penrose, with the one closest to Penrose listed first.
    • Gourd Neck
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
      • Gourd Neck is located in Jackson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gourd Neck
    • Beedeville
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
      • Beedeville is located in Jackson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beedeville
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 97 people
    • Tupelo
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Weldon
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Weldon is located in Jackson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weldon
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 68 people
    • Shoffner
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Shoffner is located in Jackson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shoffner
    • Algoa
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
      • Algoa is located in Jackson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Algoa
    • Balch
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
      • Balch is located in Jackson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Balch
    • Auvergne
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Auvergne is located in Jackson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Auvergne
    • Amagon
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
      • Amagon is located in Jackson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Amagon
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 90 people
    • Remmel
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
      • Remmel is located in Jackson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Remmel
    • Grand Glaise
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Grand Glaise is located in Jackson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grand Glaise
    • Island Town
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Island Town is located in Jackson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Island Town
  • Lee County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Penrose, with the one closest to Penrose listed first.
    • Haynes
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Haynes is located in Lee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Haynes
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 121 people
    • Moro
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
    • Felton
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Felton is located in Lee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Felton
  • Monroe County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Penrose, with the one closest to Penrose listed first.
    • Fargo
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Fargo is located in Monroe County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fargo
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 79 people
    • Brinkley
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
  • Poinsett County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Penrose, with the one closest to Penrose listed first.
    • Fisher
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
      • Fisher is located in Poinsett County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fisher
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 212 people
    • Waldenburg
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
    • Weiner
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • Weiner is located in Poinsett County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weiner
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 662 people
  • Prairie County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Penrose, with the one closest to Penrose listed first.
    • Little Dixie
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Little Dixie is located in Prairie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Little Dixie
    • Sand Hill
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Sand Hill is located in Prairie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sand Hill
    • Des Arc
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Saint Francis County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Penrose, with the one closest to Penrose listed first.
    • Colt
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
      • Colt is located in Saint Francis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colt
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 331 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Colt <1>
    • Caldwell
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Goodwin
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
      • Goodwin is located in Saint Francis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goodwin
    • Palestine
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Palestine is located in Saint Francis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Palestine
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 564 people
    • Wheatley
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
    • Forrest City
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
    • Bonair
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Bonair is located in Saint Francis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bonair
    • Madison
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Madison is located in Saint Francis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Madison
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 678 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Madison <1>
    • Widener
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
      • Widener is located in Saint Francis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Widener
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 243 people
  • White County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Penrose, with the one closest to Penrose listed first.
    • Georgetown
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
      • Georgetown is located in White County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Georgetown
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 133 people
    • Bradford
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Bradford is located in White County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bradford
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 736 people
    • Russell
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Bald Knob
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)

For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Penrose, see our County-by-County Page for Penrose.

Cemeteries Near Penrose ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Penrose.

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 Penrose - one of the links might be able to help.

If not found below, our Cemetery List for Penrose covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.

The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Penrose, with the one closest to Penrose listed first.

  • Whitehall Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Morton Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
  • Beard Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
  • Pumpkin Bend Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
  • Woodmans Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodmans Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Woodmans Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located 2 miles [3.2 km]<2> to the south of McCrory.
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #56893 <3>
  • Barbee Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
  • Holly Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
  • Barnishaw Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
  • St. Johns Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
  • Huff Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
  • Melton Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
  • Union Grove Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
  • Continue List   (181 more) ...
    • Slocum Cemetery
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Fakes Chapel Cemetery
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fakes Chapel Cemetery
      • To give a relative sense of its location, the Fakes Chapel Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located less than 2 miles<2> to the north of McCrory.
      • The Fakes Chapel Cemetery has also been known as:
      • Fakes Cemetery
      • Be careful not to confuse this cemetery with another one that is also named Fakes Chapel Cemetery (located 72 miles to the north).
      • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #53853 <3>
    • Martin Cemetery
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)

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 Penrose in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Penrose.

These communities are listed based on their distance from Penrose, with the one closest to Penrose listed first.

  • Bemis
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Bemis is located in Woodruff County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bemis
  • Morton
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Morton is located in Woodruff County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morton
  • Hamlin
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Hamlin is located in Cross County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hamlin
  • DeView
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
    • DeView is located in Woodruff County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for DeView
  • Tilton
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
    • Tilton is located in Cross County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tilton
  • McCrory
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
    • McCrory is located in Woodruff County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McCrory
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,496 people
  • Hunter
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Hunter is located in Woodruff County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hunter
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 93 people
  • Grays
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
    • Grays is located in Woodruff County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grays
  • Colona
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
    • Colona is located in Woodruff County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colona
  • Howell
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Howell is located in Woodruff County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Howell
  • Riverside
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Riverside is located in Woodruff County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riverside
  • Beard ‑ Historic
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
    • Beard is located in Woodruff County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beard
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Flynn ‑ Historic
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
      • Flynn is located in Woodruff County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flynn
    • Colt
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
      • Colt is located in Saint Francis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colt
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 331 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Colt <1>
    • Wynne
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)

We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Penrose. See our List of 1890's Communities around Penrose.

Newspapers Published in Penrose ...

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 58 newspapers that have been published in the area around Penrose.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Penrose, 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 Penrose.

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 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 Penrose:

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- Penrose) 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 Penrose, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.