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 Cotton Valley (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 Cotton Valley. 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 Cotton Valley ...
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 Cotton Valley: Cotton Vly. (or less commonly used: Cotton Vally. or Cotton Vlly.)
You might be interested in other communities that are also named Cotton Valley. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Cotton Valley.
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 Parishes/Counties ...
When searching for family records, we have frequently made the mistake of not checking the neighboring parishes/counties.
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/counties 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/counties, we would have missed many valuable sources of information.
If you're in a similar situation, we hope that the following information helps.
Cotton Valley is located in Webster 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 Webster Parish: Columbia (AR), Lafayette (AR), Bienville, Bossier & Claiborne.
Below are the parishes/counties that are near Cotton Valley. For each of these parishes/counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Cotton Valley:
- Webster Parish (The home parish of Cotton Valley)
- The following are listed by their distance from Cotton Valley, with the one closest to Cotton Valley listed first.
- Sarepta
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Cullen
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Shongaloo
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Springhill
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Dixie Inn
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Dixie Inn is located in Webster Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dixie Inn
- Population from the 2020 Census: 266 people
- Minden
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Doyline
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Sibley
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Dubberly
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Yellow Pine
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Yellow Pine is located in Webster Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yellow Pine
- Buckhorn ‑ Historic
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Buckhorn is located in Webster Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buckhorn
- Heflin
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Bienville Parish
- The following are listed by their distance from Cotton Valley, with the one closest to Cotton Valley listed first.
- Taylor
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Gibsland
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Armistead
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Armistead is located in Bienville Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Armistead
- Mount Lebanon
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Mount Lebanon is located in Bienville Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Lebanon
- Population from the 2020 Census: 69 people
- Bossier Parish
- The following are listed by their distance from Cotton Valley, with the one closest to Cotton Valley listed first.
- Ivan
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Ivan is located in Bossier Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ivan
- Bellevue
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Bellevue is located in Bossier Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bellevue
- Princeton
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Alden Bridge
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Alden Bridge is located in Bossier Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alden Bridge
- Plain Dealing
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Fillmore
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Fillmore is located in Bossier Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fillmore
- Haughton
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Eastwood
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Eastwood is located in Bossier Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eastwood
- Benton
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Red Chute
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Red Chute is located in Bossier Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Chute
- Bodcau
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Bodcau is located in Bossier Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bodcau
- Espanita Village
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Espanita Village is located in Bossier Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Espanita Village
- Caddo Parish
- The following are listed by their distance from Cotton Valley, with the one closest to Cotton Valley listed first.
- Belcher
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Gilliam
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Hosston
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Missionary
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Missionary is located in Caddo Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Missionary
- Shreveport
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Black Bayou ‑ Historic
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Black Bayou is located in Caddo Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Black Bayou
- Ida
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Ida is located in Caddo Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ida
- Population from the 2020 Census: 208 people
- Blanchard
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Normandy Village
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Normandy Village is located in Caddo Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Normandy Village
- Claiborne Parish
- The following are listed by their distance from Cotton Valley, with the one closest to Cotton Valley listed first.
- Blackburn
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Blackburn is located in Claiborne Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blackburn
- Dykesville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Dykesville is located in Claiborne Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dykesville
- Holly Springs
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Holly Springs is located in Claiborne Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holly Springs
- Haynesville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Homer
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Gordon
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Gordon is located in Claiborne Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gordon
- Athens
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Darley
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Darley is located in Claiborne Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Darley
- Arizona
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Arizona is located in Claiborne Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arizona
- Columbia County (AR)
- The following are listed by their distance from Cotton Valley, with the one closest to Cotton Valley listed first.
- Welcome
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Welcome is located in Columbia County (AR)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Welcome
- Western
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Western is located in Columbia County (AR)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Western
- Taylor
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Horsehead
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Horsehead is located in Columbia County (AR)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Horsehead
- Emerson
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Emerson is located in Columbia County (AR)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Emerson
- Population from the 2020 Census: 338 people
- Macedonia
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Macedonia is located in Columbia County (AR)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Macedonia
- Philadelphia
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Philadelphia is located in Columbia County (AR)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Philadelphia
- Lafayette County (AR)
- The following are listed by their distance from Cotton Valley, with the one closest to Cotton Valley listed first.
- Bradley
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Walnut Hill
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Walnut Hill is located in Lafayette County (AR)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walnut Hill
- Gin City
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Gin City is located in Lafayette County (AR)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gin City
- Union County (AR)
- Dodge City
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Dodge City is located in Union County (AR)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dodge City
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Cotton Valley, see our Parish-by-Parish Page for Cotton Valley.
Cemeteries Near Cotton Valley ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Cotton Valley.
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 Cotton Valley - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Cotton Valley covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Cotton Valley, with the one closest to Cotton Valley listed first.
- Coyle Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Coyle Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Flaherty Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Hodges Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Sandin Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Banks Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Hodge Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Edwards Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- St. Peter Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- St. Moriah Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Rogers Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Emma Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Continue List (237 more) ...
- Pilgrim Home Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Pleasant Valley Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Shady Grove Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
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>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that in 1895, Cotton Valley had a post office and no railroad service. In 2020, Cotton Valley had a population of 933 people.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Cotton Valley, with the one closest to Cotton Valley listed first.
- Sarepta
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Ivan
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Ivan is located in Bossier Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ivan
- Dorcheat
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Dorcheat is located in Webster Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dorcheat
- Bellevue
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Bellevue is located in Bossier Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bellevue
- Shongaloo
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Rocky Mount
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Rocky Mount is located in Bossier Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rocky Mount
- Midway
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Midway is located in Bossier Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Midway
- Blackburn
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Blackburn is located in Claiborne Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blackburn
- Dykesville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Dykesville is located in Claiborne Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dykesville
- Welcome
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Welcome is located in Columbia County (AR)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Welcome
- Carterville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Carterville is located in Bossier Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carterville
- Redland
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Redland is located in Bossier Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Redland
- Continue List (16 more) ...
- Minden
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Holly Springs
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Holly Springs is located in Claiborne Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holly Springs
- Hughes
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Hughes is located in Bossier Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hughes
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Cotton Valley. See our List of 1890's Communities around Cotton Valley.
Newspapers Published in Cotton Valley ...
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 38 newspapers that have been published in the area around Cotton Valley.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Cotton Valley, 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 Cotton Valley.
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 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 Cotton Valley:
- Websites specific to Louisiana
- Pages specific to Webster Parish
- Genealogy information for nearby parishes
- Bienville Parish
- Bossier Parish
- Caddo Parish
- Claiborne Parish
- Columbia County
- Lafayette County
- Union County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Louisiana
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 Cotton Valley, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <4> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'point-to-point' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Cotton Valley) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |