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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 Galva (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 Galva. 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 northwest corner of their home parish. During their lives, most hospitals were in the next parish to the west. 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 west 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.

Galva is located in Saint John the Baptist 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 Saint John the Baptist Parish: Ascension, Jefferson, Lafourche, Livingston, Saint Charles, Saint James & Tangipahoa.

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

  • Saint John the Baptist Parish     (The home parish of Galva)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Galva, with the one closest to Galva listed first.
    • Frenier
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
      • Frenier is located in Saint John the Baptist Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frenier
    • Laplace
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
    • Edgard
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
    • Reserve
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
    • Garyville
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Mount Airy
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Wallace
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Wallace is located in Saint John the Baptist Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wallace
  • Ascension Parish
    • The following are listed by their distance from Galva, with the one closest to Galva listed first.
    • Summerfield
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
      • Summerfield is located in Ascension Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Summerfield
    • Claybank
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • Claybank is located in Ascension Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Claybank
    • Lake
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • Lake is located in Ascension Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake
    • Brignac
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
      • Brignac is located in Ascension Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brignac
    • Saint Amant
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
    • Sorrento
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
    • Brittany
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
    • Galvez Town
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • Galvez Town is located in Ascension Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Galvez Town
    • Weber City
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • Weber City is located in Ascension Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weber City
    • Galvez
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
      • Galvez is located in Ascension Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Galvez
  • Jefferson Parish
    • The following are listed by their distance from Galva, with the one closest to Galva listed first.
    • Kenner
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Kenner is located in Jefferson Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kenner
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 66,288 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Kenner <1>
    • River Ridge
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
    • Elmwood
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Metairie
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Harahan
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Jefferson
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Avondale
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Bridge City
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Waggaman
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Westwego
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Livingston Parish
    • The following are listed by their distance from Galva, with the one closest to Galva listed first.
    • Killian
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
      • Killian is located in Livingston Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Killian
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,337 people
    • Clio
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
      • Clio is located in Livingston Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clio
    • Springfield
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Maurepas
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
    • Albany
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
      • Albany is located in Livingston Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Albany
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,170 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Albany <1>
    • Holden
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
    • French Settlement
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
    • Livingston
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Starns
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Starns is located in Livingston Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Starns
    • Port Vincent
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
      • Port Vincent is located in Livingston Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Port Vincent
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 650 people
    • Georgeville
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Georgeville is located in Livingston Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Georgeville
  • Orleans Parish
    • The following are listed by their distance from Galva, with the one closest to Galva listed first.
    • Milneburg
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Milneburg is located in Orleans Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Milneburg
    • Gentilly Terrace
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Gentilly Terrace is located in Orleans Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gentilly Terrace
    • Gentilly
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Gentilly is located in Orleans Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gentilly
    • Pine Village
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Pine Village is located in Orleans Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Village
    • New Orleans
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Saint Charles Parish
    • The following are listed by their distance from Galva, with the one closest to Galva listed first.
    • Gypsy
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
      • Gypsy is located in Saint Charles Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gypsy
    • Killona
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
    • Montz
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
      • Montz is located in Saint Charles Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Montz
    • Norco
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
    • Hahnville
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
    • New Sarpy
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
    • Taft
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
      • Taft is located in Saint Charles Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Taft
    • Ama
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
    • Destrehan
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
    • Elkinsville ‑ Historic
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
      • Elkinsville is located in Saint Charles Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elkinsville
      • Elkinsville has also been known as:
      • Freetown
    • Saint Rose
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
    • Davis ‑ Historic
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
      • Davis is located in Saint Charles Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Davis
  • Saint James Parish
    • The following are listed by their distance from Galva, with the one closest to Galva listed first.
    • Gramercy
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
    • Lutcher
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Lutcher is located in Saint James Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lutcher
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,127 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Lutcher <1>
    • Paulina
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
    • North Vacherie
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
      • North Vacherie is located in Saint James Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Vacherie
    • Vacherie
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Hester
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Hester is located in Saint James Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hester
    • South Vacherie
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
      • South Vacherie is located in Saint James Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Vacherie
    • Uncle Sam
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Saint Tammany Parish
    • The following are listed by their distance from Galva, with the one closest to Galva listed first.
    • Madisonville
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Lewisburg
      (18 miles [29 km] to the east)
      • Lewisburg is located in Saint Tammany Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lewisburg
    • Mandeville
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
    • Goodbee
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Goodbee is located in Saint Tammany Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goodbee
    • Covington
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Saint Benedict
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
    • Abita Springs
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Lacombe
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
    • Folsom
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Folsom is located in Saint Tammany Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Folsom
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 871 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Folsom <1>
  • Tangipahoa Parish
    • The following are listed by their distance from Galva, with the one closest to Galva listed first.
    • Akers
      (Less than 2 miles to the north)
    • Manchac
      (Less than 2 miles to the north)
      • Manchac is located in Tangipahoa Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Manchac
    • Ponchatoula
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
    • Wadesboro
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Wadesboro is located in Tangipahoa Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wadesboro
    • Katie ‑ Historic
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Katie is located in Tangipahoa Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Katie
    • Hammond
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
      • Hammond is located in Tangipahoa Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hammond
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 21,359 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Hammond <1>
    • Robert
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
    • Baptist
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Baptist is located in Tangipahoa Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Baptist
    • Genessee
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
      • Genessee is located in Tangipahoa Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Genessee
    • Natalbany
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
    • Tickfaw
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
    • Loranger
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)

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

Cemeteries Near Galva ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Galva.

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

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

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

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 Galva in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Galva.

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

  • Manchac
    (Less than 2 miles to the north)
    • Manchac is located in Tangipahoa Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Manchac
  • Ponchatoula
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
  • Killian
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
    • Killian is located in Livingston Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Killian
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,337 people
  • Frenier
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
    • Frenier is located in Saint John the Baptist Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frenier
  • Katie ‑ Historic
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Katie is located in Tangipahoa Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Katie
  • Clio
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
    • Clio is located in Livingston Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clio
  • Springfield
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
  • Hammond
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
    • Hammond is located in Tangipahoa Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hammond
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 21,359 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Hammond <1>
  • La Branche
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
    • La Branche is located in Saint Charles Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for La Branche
  • Madisonville
    (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Bayou Barbary
    (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
    • Bayou Barbary is located in Livingston Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bayou Barbary
  • Maurepas
    (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
  • Continue List   (15 more) ...
    • Lucy
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
      • Lucy is located in Saint John the Baptist Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lucy
    • Whitehall
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
      • Whitehall is located in Livingston Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whitehall
    • Edgard
      (18 miles [29 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 Galva. See our List of 1890's Communities around Galva.

Newspapers Published in Galva ...

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 46 newspapers that have been published in the area around Galva.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Galva, there are papers which were published within 22 miles [35.4 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Galva.

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 Galva:

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 Galva, 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 obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Galva) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.