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Our Genealogy Helper

Introduction ...

So far, we found very little information about Billis. The little that we've found leads us believe that the community is historic.<1>

We've added Billis to our Gazetteer with the hope that we can develop more information. If you can help us with Billis, please Contact Us.

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 Billis (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 Billis. 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 Parishes ...

When searching for family records, we have frequently made the mistake of not checking the neighboring parishes.

For example, we have great-grandparents who lived in the northeast corner of their home parish. During their lives, most doctors were in the next parish to the east. Almost all of the nearby churches and cemeteries were in the parish to the north.

So when searching for records, we had our best success by looking in neighboring parishes instead of the parish in which they lived:  their home parish contained property and probate records; the parish to the east contained birth and death records; the parish to the north contained their burial records. If we hadn't included the neighboring parishes, we would have missed many valuable sources of information.

If you're in a similar situation, we hope that the following information helps.

Although our information shows that the community of Billis is historic, it would have been located within present day Grant Parish.

To see how the shape of Louisiana's parishes may have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.

The following parishes adjoin and form the boundaries of Grant Parish: La Salle, Natchitoches, Rapides & Winn.

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

  • Grant Parish     (The home parish of Billis)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Billis, with the one closest to Billis listed first.
    • Montgomery
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
    • Colfax
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Fairmount
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Fairmount is located in Grant Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairmount
    • Black Creek ‑ Historic
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
      • Black Creek is located in Grant Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Black Creek
    • Dry Prong
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
    • Bentley
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
    • Stay
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Stay is located in Grant Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stay
    • Antonia
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
      • Antonia is located in Grant Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Antonia
    • Creola
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
      • Creola is located in Grant Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Creola
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 216 people
      • Creola has also been known as:
      • Creola village
    • Pollock
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
    • Fishville
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
      • Fishville is located in Grant Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fishville
    • Georgetown
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
  • La Salle Parish
    • Zenoria
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
      • Zenoria is located in La Salle Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zenoria
  • Natchitoches Parish
    • The following are listed by their distance from Billis, with the one closest to Billis listed first.
    • Marco
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
      • Marco is located in Natchitoches Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marco
    • Cloutierville
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Derry
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Derry is located in Natchitoches Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Derry
    • Melrose
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
    • Gorum
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Natchez
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
    • Flora
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
    • Clarence
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
    • Natchitoches
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
    • Forest
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Forest is located in Natchitoches Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest
    • Caspari ‑ Historic
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
      • Caspari is located in Natchitoches Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caspari
    • Bellwood
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
      • Bellwood is located in Natchitoches Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bellwood
    • Provencal
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
  • Rapides Parish
    • The following are listed by their distance from Billis, with the one closest to Billis listed first.
    • Lena
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
    • Rock
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
      • Rock is located in Rapides Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock
    • Flatwoods
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
    • Zimmerman
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Zimmerman is located in Rapides Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zimmerman
    • Boyce
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Mora
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
    • Hot Wells
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
      • Hot Wells is located in Rapides Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hot Wells
    • Gardner
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
    • Hemphill
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
      • Hemphill is located in Rapides Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hemphill
    • Weil
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Weil is located in Rapides Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weil
    • Otis
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
    • Sieper
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
    • Ball
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Ball is located in Rapides Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ball
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,906 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Ball <2>
  • Vernon Parish
    • The following are listed by their distance from Billis, with the one closest to Billis listed first.
    • Alco
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Alco is located in Vernon Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alco
    • Simpson
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Kurthwood
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
  • Winn Parish
    • The following are listed by their distance from Billis, with the one closest to Billis listed first.
    • Saint Maurice
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Atlanta
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
    • Whitford
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
      • Whitford is located in Winn Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whitford
    • Couley
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
      • Couley is located in Winn Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Couley
    • Winnfield
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
    • Calvin
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
    • Coldwater
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
      • Coldwater is located in Winn Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coldwater
    • Joyce
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Bethlehem
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
      • Bethlehem is located in Winn Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bethlehem

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

Cemeteries Near Billis ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Billis.

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

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

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

  • Union Grove Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
  • Shady Grove Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
  • Dartigo Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • St. Simon Missionary Baptist Church Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
  • Verda Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Verda Cemetery
    • The Verda Cemetery has also been known as:
    • First Baptist Church of Verda Cemetery
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2222776 <3>
  • Pleasant Hill Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Creola Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Marce Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
  • Gilly G. LeMoine Sr. Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Iatt Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Mars Hill Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
  • Colfax Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
  • Continue List   (171 more) ...
    • Calvert Cemetery
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
    • Valentine Cemetery
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Emanuel Cemetery
      (10 miles [16.1 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.

While we didn't find Billis in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Billis.

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

  • Montgomery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
  • Cloutierville
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Chopin
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
    • Chopin is located in Natchitoches Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chopin
  • Mount Zion
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
    • Mount Zion is located in Winn Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Zion
  • Colfax
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
  • Iatt
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Iatt is located in Grant Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Iatt
  • Derry
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Derry is located in Natchitoches Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Derry
  • Melrose
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
  • Lena
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
  • Bermuda
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
    • Bermuda is located in Natchitoches Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bermuda
  • Saint Maurice
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
  • Cypress
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
    • Cypress is located in Natchitoches Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cypress
  • Continue List   (13 more) ...
    • Gorum
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Fairmount
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Fairmount is located in Grant Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairmount
    • Atlanta
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)

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

Newspapers Published in Billis ...

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 39 newspapers that have been published in the area around Billis.

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

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we start with the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These 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 Billis:

Footnotes ...

<1>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 Billis, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.
<2>While we're fans and frequent users of TripAdvisor, you should know that we're also members of the TripAdvisor affiliate program.
<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>Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Billis) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.