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 Smithville (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 Smithville. 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/Parishes ...
When searching for family records, we have frequently made the mistake of not checking the neighboring counties/parishes.
For example, we have great-grandparents who lived in the northwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most hospitals were in the next county to the west. Almost all of the nearby churches and cemeteries were in the county to the north.
So when searching for records, we had our best success by looking in neighboring counties/parishes 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 north contained their burial records. If we hadn't included the neighboring counties/parishes, we would have missed many valuable sources of information.
If you're in a similar situation, we hope that the following information helps.
Smithville is located in Union 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 Union County: Ashley, Bradley, Calhoun, Columbia, Ouachita, Claiborne (LA), Morehouse (LA) & Union (LA).
Below are the counties/parishes that are near Smithville. For each of these counties/parishes, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Smithville:
- Union County (The home county of Smithville)
- The following are listed by their distance from Smithville, with the one closest to Smithville listed first.
- Perdue City
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Perdue City is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Perdue City
- Crain City
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Crain City is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crain City
- Lawson
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Lawson is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lawson
- El Dorado
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Calion
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Calion is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Calion
- Population from the 2020 Census: 440 people
- Norphlet
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Norphlet is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Norphlet
- Population from the 2020 Census: 772 people
- Urbana
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Urbana is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Urbana
- Sandy Land
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Sandy Land is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sandy Land
- Dumas City
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Dumas City is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dumas City
- Smackover
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Blanchard Springs ‑ Historic
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Blanchard Springs is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blanchard Springs
- Strong
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Lisbon
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Lisbon is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lisbon
- Bradley County
- The following are listed by their distance from Smithville, with the one closest to Smithville listed first.
- Moro Bay
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Moro Bay is located in Bradley County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moro Bay
- Jersey
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Sturgis ‑ Historic
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Sturgis is located in Bradley County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sturgis
- Gravelridge
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Gravelridge is located in Bradley County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gravelridge
- Ingalls
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Ingalls is located in Bradley County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ingalls
- Hermitage
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Lanark
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Lanark is located in Bradley County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lanark
- Blanchton
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Blanchton is located in Bradley County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blanchton
- Farmville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Farmville is located in Bradley County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Farmville
- Banks
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Banks is located in Bradley County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Banks
- Population from the 2020 Census: 117 people
- Calhoun County
- The following are listed by their distance from Smithville, with the one closest to Smithville listed first.
- Hampton
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Harrell
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Harrell is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harrell
- Population from the 2020 Census: 245 people
- Tinsman
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Tinsman is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tinsman
- Population from the 2020 Census: 42 people
- Columbia County
- Village
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Village is located in Columbia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Village
- Ouachita County
- The following are listed by their distance from Smithville, with the one closest to Smithville listed first.
- Joyce City
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Joyce City is located in Ouachita County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Joyce City
- Louann
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Louann is located in Ouachita County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Louann
- Population from the 2020 Census: 152 people
- Liberty
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Liberty is located in Ouachita County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Liberty
- Pace City
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Pace City is located in Ouachita County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pace City
- Cullendale
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Cullendale is located in Ouachita County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cullendale
- East Camden
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- East Camden is located in Ouachita County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Camden
- Population from the 2020 Census: 809 people
- Camden
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Claiborne Parish (LA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Smithville, with the one closest to Smithville listed first.
- Junction City
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Junction City is located in Claiborne Parish (LA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Junction City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 557 people
- Wards Mill ‑ Historic
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Wards Mill is located in Claiborne Parish (LA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wards Mill
- Weldon
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Weldon is located in Claiborne Parish (LA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weldon
- Summerfield
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Summerfield is located in Claiborne Parish (LA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Summerfield
- Union Parish (LA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Smithville, with the one closest to Smithville listed first.
- Spearsville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Oakland
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Oakland is located in Union Parish (LA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakland
- Lillie
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Truxno
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Truxno is located in Union Parish (LA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Truxno
- Pisgah
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Pisgah is located in Union Parish (LA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pisgah
- Bernice
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Cane Ridge ‑ Historic
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Cane Ridge is located in Union Parish (LA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cane Ridge
- Marion
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Smithville, see our County-by-County Page for Smithville.
Cemeteries Near Smithville ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Smithville.
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 Smithville - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Smithville covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Smithville, with the one closest to Smithville listed first.
- Wesley Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Zion Watch Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- St. Paul Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Shady Grove Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Old Union Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Newton - Dunaway Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Newton Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Brock Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Jerusalem Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Beulah Springs Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Meek Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Suggs Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Continue List (244 more) ...
- Free Union Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Ebenezer Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Woodlawn Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodlawn Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Woodlawn Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the northeast of El Dorado.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #1188120 <2>
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>
While we didn't find Smithville in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Smithville.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Smithville, with the one closest to Smithville listed first.
- El Dorado
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Champagnolle
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Champagnolle is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Champagnolle
- Hillsboro
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Hillsboro is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hillsboro
- Caledonia
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Caledonia is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caledonia
- Wesson
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Wesson is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wesson
- Cornie
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Cornie is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cornie
- New London
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- New London is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New London
- Little Bay
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Little Bay is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Little Bay
- Blanchard Springs ‑ Historic
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Blanchard Springs is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blanchard Springs
- Moro Bay
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Moro Bay is located in Bradley County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moro Bay
- Lisbon
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Lisbon is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lisbon
- Three Creeks
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Three Creeks is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Three Creeks
- Continue List (13 more) ...
- Wards Mill ‑ Historic
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Wards Mill is located in Claiborne Parish (LA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wards Mill
- Lapile
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Lapile is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lapile
- Liberty
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Liberty is located in Ouachita County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Liberty
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Smithville. See our List of 1890's Communities around Smithville.
Newspapers Published in Smithville ...
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 Smithville.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Smithville, there are papers which were published within 28 miles [45.1 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Smithville.
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 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 Smithville:
- Websites specific to Arkansas
- Pages specific to Union County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Bradley County
- Calhoun County
- Columbia County
- Ouachita County
- Claiborne Parish
- Union Parish
- 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> | 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. |
| <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 Smithville, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <4> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' (or point-to-point) distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Smithville) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |