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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 Rocky Ford (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 Rocky Ford. 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 Rocky Ford ...

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 Rocky Ford: Rocky Frd.

You might be interested in other communities that are also named Rocky Ford. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Rocky Ford.

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 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.

Rocky Ford is located in Perry 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 Perry County: Conway, Faulkner, Garland, Saline & Yell.

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

  • Perry County     (The home county of Rocky Ford)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Rocky Ford, with the one closest to Rocky Ford listed first.
    • Deberrie
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Deberrie is located in Perry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deberrie
    • Casa
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
      • Casa is located in Perry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Casa
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 169 people
    • Adona
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Adona is located in Perry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adona
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 203 people
    • Perryville
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Perry
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Houston
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
    • Bigelow
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
    • Fourche
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
      • Fourche is located in Perry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fourche
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 62 people
    • Little Italy
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
      • Little Italy is located in Perry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Little Italy
    • Dixie ‑ Historic
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
      • Dixie is located in Perry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dixie
    • Toad Suck
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
      • Toad Suck is located in Perry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Toad Suck
  • Conway County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Rocky Ford, with the one closest to Rocky Ford listed first.
    • Pontoon
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
      • Pontoon is located in Conway County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pontoon
    • Winrock
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Winrock is located in Conway County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winrock
    • Oppelo
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Oppelo is located in Conway County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oppelo
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 747 people
    • Morrilton
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
    • Hattieville
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Hattieville is located in Conway County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hattieville
    • Plumerville
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Faulkner County
    • Lollie
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
      • Lollie is located in Faulkner County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lollie
  • Garland County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Rocky Ford, with the one closest to Rocky Ford listed first.
    • Jessieville
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
    • Blue Springs
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
      • Blue Springs is located in Garland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blue Springs
    • Hot Springs Village
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
    • Gladstone ‑ Historic
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
      • Gladstone is located in Garland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gladstone
    • Fountain Lake
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
      • Fountain Lake is located in Garland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fountain Lake
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 576 people
    • Mountain Pine
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
    • Avant
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Avant is located in Garland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avant
    • Piney
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
      • Piney is located in Garland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Piney
    • Hot Springs
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
    • Royal
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
    • Lonsdale
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Logan County
    • Delaware
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Delaware is located in Logan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Delaware
  • Montgomery County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Rocky Ford, with the one closest to Rocky Ford listed first.
    • Fannie
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Fannie is located in Montgomery County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fannie
    • Story
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Pope County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Rocky Ford, with the one closest to Rocky Ford listed first.
    • Holla Bend
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
      • Holla Bend is located in Pope County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holla Bend
    • Wilson
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
    • North Dardanelle
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
      • North Dardanelle is located in Pope County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Dardanelle
    • Pottsville
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
      • Pottsville is located in Pope County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pottsville
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,361 people
      • Former names for Pottsville:
      • Pott's Inn
      • Pott's Station
    • Atkins
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
    • Bernice
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
      • Bernice is located in Pope County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bernice
    • Russellville
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
    • Economy
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
      • Economy is located in Pope County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Economy
    • Center Valley
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
      • Center Valley is located in Pope County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Center Valley
    • London
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
    • Taral
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • Taral is located in Pope County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Taral
  • Pulaski County
    • Ferndale
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
      • Ferndale is located in Pulaski County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ferndale
  • Saline County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Rocky Ford, with the one closest to Rocky Ford listed first.
    • Paron
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Paron is located in Saline County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Paron
    • Rubicon
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Rubicon is located in Saline County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rubicon
  • Yell County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Rocky Ford, with the one closest to Rocky Ford listed first.
    • Birta
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Birta is located in Yell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Birta
    • Ola
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Ola is located in Yell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ola
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,196 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Ola <1>
    • Cotton Town
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
      • Cotton Town is located in Yell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cotton Town
    • Petit Jean
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Petit Jean is located in Yell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Petit Jean
    • Centerville
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Centerville is located in Yell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Centerville
    • Plainview
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
    • Rover
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
    • Danville
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Dardanelle
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
    • Chickalah
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Chickalah is located in Yell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chickalah
    • Wing
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
      • Wing is located in Yell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wing
    • Corinth
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
      • Corinth is located in Yell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Corinth
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 66 people

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

Cemeteries Near Rocky Ford ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Rocky Ford.

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 Rocky Ford - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • Deberrie Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
  • Garland Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
  • Nimrod Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
  • Forked Mountain Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
  • Goat Bluff Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Pleasant Grove Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Hawks Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
  • Birta Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
  • Needmore Cemetery
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
  • Aunt Dilly Cemetery
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
  • Faubus Cemetery
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
  • Wilson Cemetery
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
  • Continue List   (239 more) ...

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

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

  • Nimrod
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
    • Nimrod is located in Perry County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nimrod
  • Hollis
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Hollis is located in Perry County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hollis
  • Aplin
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Aplin is located in Perry County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aplin
  • Casa
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
    • Casa is located in Perry County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Casa
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 169 people
  • Ava
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
    • Ava is located in Perry County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ava
  • Birta
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Birta is located in Yell County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Birta
  • Adona
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Adona is located in Perry County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adona
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 203 people
  • Divide ‑ Historic
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Divide is located in Conway County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Divide
  • Ola
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Ola is located in Yell County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ola
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,196 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Ola <1>
  • Jessieville
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
  • Reform
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Reform is located in Saline County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reform
  • Perryville
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
  • Continue List   (15 more) ...
    • Ada
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Ada is located in Conway County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ada
    • Carden Bottoms
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
      • Carden Bottoms is located in Yell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carden Bottoms
    • Holla Bend
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
      • Holla Bend is located in Pope County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holla Bend

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

Newspapers Published in Rocky Ford ...

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 71 newspapers that have been published in the area around Rocky Ford.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Rocky Ford, there are papers which were published within 25 miles [40.2 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Rocky Ford.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we begin 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 Rocky Ford:

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 drawn from Point A (ie- Rocky Ford) 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 Rocky Ford, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.