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 Spear Lake (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 Spear Lake. 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 Spear Lake ...
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 Spear Lake: Spear Lk.
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 southwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors 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.
Spear Lake is located in Poinsett 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 Poinsett County: Craighead, Crittenden, Cross, Jackson & Mississippi.
Below are the counties that are near Spear Lake. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Spear Lake:
- Poinsett County (The home county of Spear Lake)
- The following are listed by their distance from Spear Lake, with the one closest to Spear Lake listed first.
- Alto
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Alto is located in Poinsett County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alto
- Lepanto
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Tyronza
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Marked Tree
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Rivervale
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Rivervale is located in Poinsett County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rivervale
- Black Oak
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Black Oak is located in Poinsett County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Black Oak
- Hatchie Coon
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Hatchie Coon is located in Poinsett County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hatchie Coon
- Trumann
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Greenfield
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Greenfield is located in Poinsett County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenfield
- Harrisburg
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Craighead County
- The following are listed by their distance from Spear Lake, with the one closest to Spear Lake listed first.
- Caraway
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Bay
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Bay is located in Craighead County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bay
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,816 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Bay <1>
- Black Oak
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Black Oak is located in Craighead County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Black Oak
- Population from the 2020 Census: 259 people
- Lake City
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Monette
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Lake View
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Lake View is located in Craighead County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake View
- Jonesboro
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Brookland
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Red Onion
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Red Onion is located in Craighead County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Onion
- Crittenden County
- The following are listed by their distance from Spear Lake, with the one closest to Spear Lake listed first.
- Gilmore
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Gilmore is located in Crittenden County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gilmore
- Population from the 2020 Census: 244 people
- Heafer
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Heafer is located in Crittenden County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Heafer
- Turrell
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Poindexter
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Poindexter is located in Crittenden County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Poindexter
- Clarkedale
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Clarkedale is located in Crittenden County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clarkedale
- Population from the 2020 Census: 361 people
- Jericho
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Jericho is located in Crittenden County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jericho
- Population from the 2020 Census: 99 people
- Earle
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- James Mill
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- James Mill is located in Crittenden County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for James Mill
- Crawfordsville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Sunset
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Sunset is located in Crittenden County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sunset
- Population from the 2020 Census: 199 people
- Marion
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Mound City
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Mound City is located in Crittenden County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mound City
- Cross County
- The following are listed by their distance from Spear Lake, with the one closest to Spear Lake listed first.
- Twist
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Twist is located in Cross County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Twist
- Bay Village
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Bay Village is located in Cross County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bay Village
- Parkin
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Cherry Valley
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Levesque
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Levesque is located in Cross County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Levesque
- Vanndale
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Vanndale is located in Cross County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vanndale
- Mississippi County
- The following are listed by their distance from Spear Lake, with the one closest to Spear Lake listed first.
- Whitton
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Whitton is located in Mississippi County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whitton
- Denwood
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Denwood is located in Mississippi County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Denwood
- Dyess
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Birdsong
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Birdsong is located in Mississippi County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Birdsong
- Population from the 2020 Census: 41 people
- Bardstown
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Bardstown is located in Mississippi County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bardstown
- West Ridge
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- West Ridge is located in Mississippi County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Ridge
- Frenchmans Bayou
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Frenchmans Bayou is located in Mississippi County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frenchmans Bayou
- Bassett
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Bassett is located in Mississippi County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bassett
- Population from the 2020 Census: 156 people
- Joiner
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Joiner is located in Mississippi County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Joiner
- Population from the 2020 Census: 495 people
- Etowah
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Etowah is located in Mississippi County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Etowah
- Population from the 2020 Census: 312 people
- Athelstan
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Athelstan is located in Mississippi County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Athelstan
- Carroll's Corner
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Carroll's Corner is located in Mississippi County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carroll's Corner
- Carroll's Corner has also been known as:
- Little River
- Dunklin County (MO)
- Red Onion
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Red Onion is located in Dunklin County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Onion
- Lauderdale County (TN)
- Fulton
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Fulton is located in Lauderdale County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fulton
- Shelby County (TN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Spear Lake, with the one closest to Spear Lake listed first.
- Giles Town
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Giles Town is located in Shelby County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Giles Town
- Cuba
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Cuba is located in Shelby County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cuba
- Ramsey
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Ramsey is located in Shelby County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ramsey
- Woodstock
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Woodstock is located in Shelby County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodstock
- Millington
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Lucy
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Lucy is located in Shelby County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lucy
- Tipton County (TN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Spear Lake, with the one closest to Spear Lake listed first.
- Corona
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Corona is located in Tipton County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Corona
- Drummonds
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Randolph
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Randolph is located in Tipton County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Randolph
- Wilkinsville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Wilkinsville is located in Tipton County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilkinsville
- Gilt Edge
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Gilt Edge is located in Tipton County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gilt Edge
- Population from the 2020 Census: 454 people
- Detroit
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Detroit is located in Tipton County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Detroit
- Munford
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Burlison
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Walnut Grove
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Walnut Grove is located in Tipton County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walnut Grove
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Spear Lake, see our County-by-County Page for Spear Lake.
Cemeteries Near Spear Lake ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Spear Lake.
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 Spear Lake - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Spear Lake covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Spear Lake, with the one closest to Spear Lake listed first.
- Spear Lake Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Woolsey Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Conaster Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Pine Rest Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Rock of Ages Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Dunn Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Whitton Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Ward Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ward Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Ward Cemetery is located 6 miles [9.7 km]<3> to the west of Joiner.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #56700 <2>
- Greenwood Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Potter Memorial Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Mt. Zion Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Nichols Memorial Garden
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nichols Memorial Garden
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Nichols Memorial Garden is located 4 miles [6.4 km]<3> to the northeast of Marked Tree.
- The Nichols Memorial Garden has also been known as:
- Nichols Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #55384 <2>
- Continue List (199 more) ...
- East Tyronza Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- East Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Cherry Bean Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
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 Spear Lake in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Spear Lake.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Spear Lake, with the one closest to Spear Lake listed first.
- Tyronza
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Marked Tree
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Gilmore
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Gilmore is located in Crittenden County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gilmore
- Population from the 2020 Census: 244 people
- Bardstown
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Bardstown is located in Mississippi County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bardstown
- Saint Thomas ‑ Historic
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Saint Thomas is located in Crittenden County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Thomas
- Hatchie Coon
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Hatchie Coon is located in Poinsett County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hatchie Coon
- Shawnee
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Shawnee is located in Mississippi County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shawnee
- Poindexter
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Poindexter is located in Crittenden County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Poindexter
- Athelstan
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Athelstan is located in Mississippi County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Athelstan
- Lambethville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Lambethville is located in Crittenden County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lambethville
- Corona
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Corona is located in Tipton County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Corona
- Golden Lake
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Golden Lake is located in Mississippi County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Golden Lake
- Continue List (17 more) ...
- Pecan Point
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Pecan Point is located in Mississippi County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pecan Point
- Carson Lake
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Carson Lake is located in Mississippi County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carson Lake
- Mangrum
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Mangrum is located in Craighead County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mangrum
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Spear Lake. See our List of 1890's Communities around Spear Lake.
Newspapers Published in Spear Lake ...
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 Spear Lake.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Spear Lake, there are papers which were published within 20 miles [32.2 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Spear Lake.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we first visit the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These professional and volunteer 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 Spear Lake:
- Websites specific to Arkansas
- Pages specific to Poinsett County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Craighead County
- Crittenden County
- Cross County
- Mississippi County
- Dunklin County
- Lauderdale County
- Shelby County
- Tipton 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> | 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> | 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- Spear Lake) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |
| <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 Spear Lake, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |