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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 Twist (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 Twist. 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 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.

Twist is located in Cross 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 Cross County: Crittenden, Jackson, Poinsett, Saint Francis & Woodruff.

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

  • Cross County     (The home county of Twist)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Twist, with the one closest to Twist listed first.
    • Parkin
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
    • Bay Village
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Bay Village is located in Cross County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bay Village
    • Cherry Valley
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
    • Levesque
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Levesque is located in Cross County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Levesque
    • Vanndale
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
      • Vanndale is located in Cross County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vanndale
    • Wynne
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
    • Hickory Ridge
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • Hickory Ridge is located in Cross County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hickory Ridge
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 233 people
  • Craighead County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Twist, with the one closest to Twist listed first.
    • Bay
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
      • 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>
    • Caraway
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
    • Lake City
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
    • Obear ‑ Historic
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Obear is located in Craighead County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Obear
  • Crittenden County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Twist, with the one closest to Twist listed first.
    • Poindexter
      (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
      • Poindexter is located in Crittenden County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Poindexter
    • Earle
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
      • Earle is located in Crittenden County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Earle
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,164 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Earle <1>
    • Heafer
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
      • Heafer is located in Crittenden County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Heafer
    • Gilmore
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
      • Gilmore is located in Crittenden County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gilmore
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 244 people
    • Turrell
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
    • Crawfordsville
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Clarkedale
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
      • Clarkedale is located in Crittenden County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clarkedale
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 361 people
    • Jennette
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
      • Jennette is located in Crittenden County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jennette
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 117 people
    • Jericho
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
      • Jericho is located in Crittenden County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jericho
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 99 people
    • James Mill
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
      • James Mill is located in Crittenden County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for James Mill
    • Sunset
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Sunset is located in Crittenden County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sunset
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 199 people
    • Marion
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Marion is located in Crittenden County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marion
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 12,290 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Marion <1>
  • Mississippi County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Twist, with the one closest to Twist listed first.
    • Birdsong
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Birdsong is located in Mississippi County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Birdsong
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 41 people
    • Denwood
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Denwood is located in Mississippi County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Denwood
    • Whitton
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Whitton is located in Mississippi County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whitton
    • Frenchmans Bayou
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
      • Frenchmans Bayou is located in Mississippi County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frenchmans Bayou
    • Bardstown
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Bardstown is located in Mississippi County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bardstown
    • Dyess
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Dyess is located in Mississippi County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dyess
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 358 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Dyess <1>
    • Joiner
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Joiner is located in Mississippi County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Joiner
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 495 people
    • Bassett
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
      • Bassett is located in Mississippi County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bassett
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 156 people
    • West Ridge
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
      • West Ridge is located in Mississippi County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Ridge
    • Athelstan
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Athelstan is located in Mississippi County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Athelstan
    • Etowah
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Etowah is located in Mississippi County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Etowah
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 312 people
    • Marie
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Marie is located in Mississippi County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marie
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 70 people
  • Poinsett County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Twist, with the one closest to Twist listed first.
    • Black Oak
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Black Oak is located in Poinsett County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Black Oak
    • Marked Tree
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Tyronza
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Alto
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Alto is located in Poinsett County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alto
    • Hatchie Coon
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
      • Hatchie Coon is located in Poinsett County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hatchie Coon
    • Harrisburg
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Lepanto
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
    • Trumann
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
    • Greenfield
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Greenfield is located in Poinsett County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenfield
    • Rivervale
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Rivervale is located in Poinsett County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rivervale
    • Waldenburg
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Fisher
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • Fisher is located in Poinsett County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fisher
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 212 people
  • Saint Francis County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Twist, with the one closest to Twist listed first.
    • Heth
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
    • Colt
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
      • 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>
    • Widener
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
      • Widener is located in Saint Francis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Widener
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 243 people
    • Caldwell
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Madison
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
      • 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>
    • Hughes
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
      • Hughes is located in Saint Francis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hughes
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,200 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Hughes <1>
    • Forrest City
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Shelby County (TN)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Twist, with the one closest to Twist listed first.
    • Giles Town
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
      • Giles Town is located in Shelby County (TN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Giles Town
    • Ramsey
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
      • Ramsey is located in Shelby County (TN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ramsey
    • Cuba
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
      • Cuba is located in Shelby County (TN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cuba
    • Woodstock
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
      • Woodstock is located in Shelby County (TN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodstock
    • Hunt Village
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Hunt Village is located in Shelby County (TN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hunt Village
      • Estimated population in 2014: 1,234 people
    • Memphis
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Memphis is located in Shelby County (TN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Memphis
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 649,705 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Memphis <1>
  • Tipton County (TN)
    • Corona
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
      • Corona is located in Tipton County (TN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Corona

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

Cemeteries Near Twist ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Twist.

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

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

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

  • Hood Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
  • Layton Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Richard Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Berry Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
  • Gibson Bayou Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
  • Cloar Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
  • King Solomon Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • Prosperity Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
  • Spring Hill Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Russell Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
  • McDonald Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
  • St. Pauls Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
  • Continue List   (162 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 Twist in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Twist.

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

  • Poindexter
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
    • Poindexter is located in Crittenden County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Poindexter
  • Earle
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
    • Earle is located in Crittenden County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Earle
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,164 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Earle <1>
  • Parkin
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
  • Bay Village
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Bay Village is located in Cross County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bay Village
  • Lansing
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Lansing is located in Crittenden County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lansing
  • Tyronza
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Marked Tree
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Gilmore
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
    • Gilmore is located in Crittenden County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gilmore
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 244 people
  • Crawfordsville
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
  • Whitehall
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Whitehall is located in Poinsett County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whitehall
  • Cherry Valley
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
  • Vanndale
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
    • Vanndale is located in Cross County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vanndale
  • Continue List   (15 more) ...
    • Levesque
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Levesque is located in Cross County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Levesque
    • Wittsburg ‑ Historic
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Wittsburg is located in Cross County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wittsburg
    • Vincent
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Vincent is located in Crittenden County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vincent

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

Newspapers Published in Twist ...

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 25 newspapers that have been published in the area around Twist.

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

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 Twist:

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 'point-to-point' distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Twist) 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 Twist, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.