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 Velvet Ridge (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 Velvet Ridge. 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 Velvet Ridge ...
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.
For example, a typical abbreviation for Velvet Ridge: Velvet Rdg. (or less commonly used: Velvet Rdge. or Velvet Ridg.)
You might be interested in other communities that are also named Velvet Ridge. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Velvet Ridge.
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 northeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most hospitals and doctors were in the next county to the east. 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 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 north 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.
Velvet Ridge is located in White 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 White County: Cleburne, Faulkner, Independence, Jackson, Lonoke, Prairie & Woodruff.
Below are the counties that are near Velvet Ridge. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Velvet Ridge:
- White County (The home county of Velvet Ridge)
- The following are listed by their distance from Velvet Ridge, with the one closest to Velvet Ridge listed first.
- Bliss ‑ Historic
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Bliss is located in White County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bliss
- Russell
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Bradford
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Bradford is located in White County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bradford
- Population from the 2020 Census: 736 people
- Bald Knob
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Sunnydale
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Sunnydale is located in White County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sunnydale
- Davenport ‑ Historic
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Davenport is located in White County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Davenport
- Judsonia
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Clay
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Clay is located in White County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clay
- Kensett
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- West Point
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- West Point is located in White County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Point
- Population from the 2020 Census: 176 people
- Searcy
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Letona
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Letona is located in White County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Letona
- Population from the 2020 Census: 244 people
- Pangburn
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Cleburne County
- The following are listed by their distance from Velvet Ridge, with the one closest to Velvet Ridge listed first.
- Rainbow Island
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Rainbow Island is located in Cleburne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rainbow Island
- Wilburn
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Wilburn is located in Cleburne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilburn
- Almond
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Almond is located in Cleburne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Almond
- Concord
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Concord is located in Cleburne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Concord
- Population from the 2020 Census: 234 people
- Ida
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Tumbling Shoals
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Drasco
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Drasco is located in Cleburne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Drasco
- Wolf Bayou
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Wolf Bayou is located in Cleburne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wolf Bayou
- Yuba
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Yuba is located in Cleburne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yuba
- Heber Springs
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Heber Springs is located in Cleburne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Heber Springs
- Population from the 2020 Census: 6,906 people
- Former name for Heber Springs:
- Sugar Loaf
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Heber Springs <1>
- Independence County
- The following are listed by their distance from Velvet Ridge, with the one closest to Velvet Ridge listed first.
- Pleasant Plains
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Pleasant Plains is located in Independence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Plains
- Population from the 2020 Census: 356 people
- Thida
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Thida is located in Independence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thida
- Floral
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Floral is located in Independence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Floral
- Oil Trough
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Rosie
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Rosie is located in Independence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rosie
- Salado
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Salado is located in Independence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Salado
- Southside
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Southside is located in Independence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Southside
- Magness
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Magness is located in Independence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Magness
- Population from the 2020 Census: 208 people
- Newark
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Desha
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Desha is located in Independence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Desha
- Sulphur Rock
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Sulphur Rock is located in Independence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sulphur Rock
- Population from the 2020 Census: 458 people
- Locust Grove
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Locust Grove is located in Independence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Locust Grove
- Batesville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Jackson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Velvet Ridge, with the one closest to Velvet Ridge listed first.
- Grand Glaise
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Grand Glaise is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grand Glaise
- Shoffner
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Shoffner is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shoffner
- Tupelo
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Weldon
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Weldon is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weldon
- Population from the 2020 Census: 68 people
- Auvergne
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Auvergne is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Auvergne
- Island Town
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Island Town is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Island Town
- Jacksonport
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Newport
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Diaz
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Diaz is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Diaz
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,208 people
- Gourd Neck
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Gourd Neck is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gourd Neck
- Campbell Station
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Campbell Station is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Campbell Station
- Population from the 2020 Census: 228 people
- Remmel
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Remmel is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Remmel
- Airport Village
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Airport Village is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Airport Village
- Prairie County
- The following are listed by their distance from Velvet Ridge, with the one closest to Velvet Ridge listed first.
- Sand Hill
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Sand Hill is located in Prairie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sand Hill
- Des Arc
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Hickory Plains
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Hickory Plains is located in Prairie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hickory Plains
- Little Dixie
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Little Dixie is located in Prairie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Little Dixie
- Woodruff County
- The following are listed by their distance from Velvet Ridge, with the one closest to Velvet Ridge listed first.
- Augusta
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Riverside
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Riverside is located in Woodruff County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riverside
- Patterson
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Patterson is located in Woodruff County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Patterson
- Population from the 2020 Census: 388 people
- Gregory
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Gregory is located in Woodruff County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gregory
- Flynn ‑ Historic
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Flynn is located in Woodruff County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flynn
- McCrory
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- McCrory is located in Woodruff County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McCrory
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,496 people
- Colona
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Colona is located in Woodruff County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colona
- DeView
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- DeView is located in Woodruff County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for DeView
- Howell
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Howell is located in Woodruff County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Howell
- Morton
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Morton is located in Woodruff County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morton
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Velvet Ridge, see our County-by-County Page for Velvet Ridge.
Cemeteries Near Velvet Ridge ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Velvet Ridge.
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 Velvet Ridge - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Velvet Ridge covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Velvet Ridge, with the one closest to Velvet Ridge listed first.
- Velvet Ridge Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Holly Grove Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Smith Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Prince Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Gilbert Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Plant Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- McKnight Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Bethlehem Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Bolden Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Carter Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Heard Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Morris Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Continue List (255 more) ...
- Shady Grove Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shady Grove Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Shady Grove Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the northwest of Bald Knob.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #56214 <2>
- Goad Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Pleasant Grove Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
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 Velvet Ridge in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Velvet Ridge.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Velvet Ridge, with the one closest to Velvet Ridge listed first.
- Bliss ‑ Historic
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Bliss is located in White County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bliss
- Denmark
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Denmark is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Denmark
- Russell
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Clear Water ‑ Historic
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Clear Water is located in White County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clear Water
- Bradford
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Bradford is located in White County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bradford
- Population from the 2020 Census: 736 people
- Bald Knob
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Davenport ‑ Historic
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Davenport is located in White County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Davenport
- Little Red
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Little Red is located in White County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Little Red
- Judsonia
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Pleasant Plains
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Pleasant Plains is located in Independence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Plains
- Population from the 2020 Census: 356 people
- Grand Glaise
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Grand Glaise is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grand Glaise
- Clay
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Clay is located in White County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clay
- Continue List (13 more) ...
- Kensett
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Olyphant
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Olyphant is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Olyphant
- Searcy
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Velvet Ridge. See our List of 1890's Communities around Velvet Ridge.
Newspapers Published in Velvet Ridge ...
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 78 newspapers that have been published in the area around Velvet Ridge.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Velvet Ridge, there are papers which were published within 23 miles [37 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Velvet Ridge.
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 Velvet Ridge:
- Websites specific to Arkansas
- Pages specific to White County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Cleburne County
- Independence County
- Jackson County
- Prairie County
- Woodruff 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> | 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 Velvet Ridge, 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- Velvet Ridge) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |