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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 Gilark (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 Gilark. 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/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 southeast corner of their home parish. During their lives, most hospitals and doctors were in the next parish to the east. Almost all of the nearby churches and cemeteries were in the parish to the south.

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 south 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.

Gilark 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 Gilark. For each of these parishes/counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Gilark:

  • Webster Parish     (The home parish of Gilark)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Gilark, with the one closest to Gilark listed first.
    • Minden
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Dixie Inn
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Dixie Inn is located in Webster Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dixie Inn
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 266 people
    • Sibley
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
    • Dubberly
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Doyline
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Yellow Pine
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
      • Yellow Pine is located in Webster Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yellow Pine
    • Buckhorn ‑ Historic
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
      • Buckhorn is located in Webster Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buckhorn
    • Heflin
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
    • Cotton Valley
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Sarepta
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
    • Shongaloo
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
    • Cullen
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
  • Bienville Parish
    • The following are listed by their distance from Gilark, with the one closest to Gilark listed first.
    • Taylor
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Gibsland
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Armistead
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
      • Armistead is located in Bienville Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Armistead
    • Mount Lebanon
      (17 miles [27.4 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
    • Jamestown
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
    • Ringgold
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
    • Bryceland
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Bryceland is located in Bienville Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bryceland
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 99 people
    • Arcadia
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
    • Sparta
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
      • Sparta is located in Bienville Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sparta
    • Castor
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
    • Bienville
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Alberta
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
      • Alberta is located in Bienville Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alberta
  • Bossier Parish
    • The following are listed by their distance from Gilark, with the one closest to Gilark listed first.
    • Bellevue
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
      • Bellevue is located in Bossier Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bellevue
    • Princeton
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
    • Fillmore
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Fillmore is located in Bossier Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fillmore
    • Haughton
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Ivan
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Ivan is located in Bossier Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ivan
    • Eastwood
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
      • Eastwood is located in Bossier Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eastwood
    • Bodcau
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
      • Bodcau is located in Bossier Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bodcau
    • Espanita Village
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
      • Espanita Village is located in Bossier Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Espanita Village
    • Red Chute
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
      • Red Chute is located in Bossier Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Chute
    • Parkland Village
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
      • Parkland Village is located in Bossier Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parkland Village
    • Elm Grove
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Alden Bridge
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
      • Alden Bridge is located in Bossier Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alden Bridge
  • Caddo Parish
    • The following are listed by their distance from Gilark, with the one closest to Gilark listed first.
    • Shreveport
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
    • Normandy Village
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Normandy Village is located in Caddo Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Normandy Village
    • Ellerbe Woods
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Ellerbe Woods is located in Caddo Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ellerbe Woods
  • Claiborne Parish
    • The following are listed by their distance from Gilark, with the one closest to Gilark listed first.
    • Holly Springs
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Holly Springs is located in Claiborne Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holly Springs
    • Darley
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
      • Darley is located in Claiborne Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Darley
    • Blackburn
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Blackburn is located in Claiborne Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blackburn
    • Athens
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
    • Homer
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
      • Homer is located in Claiborne Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Homer
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,789 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Homer <1>
    • Dykesville
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
      • Dykesville is located in Claiborne Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dykesville
    • Arizona
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Arizona is located in Claiborne Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arizona
    • Sugar Creek
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
      • Sugar Creek is located in Claiborne Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sugar Creek
    • Haynesville
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
    • Lisbon
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Gordon
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Gordon is located in Claiborne Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gordon
  • Columbia County (AR)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Gilark, with the one closest to Gilark listed first.
    • Welcome
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
      • Welcome is located in Columbia County (AR)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Welcome
    • Western
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
      • Western is located in Columbia County (AR)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Western

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

Cemeteries Near Gilark ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Gilark.

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

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

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

  • Allen Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
  • Minden Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
  • Garden of Memory Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the east)
  • Fuller Memorial Shrine Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
  • Antioch Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Overton Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
  • Walker Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
  • Baten Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
  • Ratcliff Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
  • Knottingham Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • Whispering Pines Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
  • Pleasant Grove Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
  • Continue List   (254 more) ...
    • Burns Cemetery
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
    • Mt. Zion Cemetery
      (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
    • Pleasant Valley Cemetery
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)

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

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

  • Minden
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
  • Dorcheat
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Dorcheat is located in Webster Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dorcheat
  • Sibley
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
  • Dubberly
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Doyline
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
  • Langston
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
    • Langston is located in Claiborne Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Langston
  • Holly Springs
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Holly Springs is located in Claiborne Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holly Springs
  • Buckhorn ‑ Historic
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
    • Buckhorn is located in Webster Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buckhorn
  • Taylor
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Bellevue
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
    • Bellevue is located in Bossier Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bellevue
  • Haughton
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
  • Cotton Valley
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Darley
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
      • Darley is located in Claiborne Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Darley
    • Blackburn
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Blackburn is located in Claiborne Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blackburn
    • Gibsland
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)

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

Newspapers Published in Gilark ...

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 47 newspapers that have been published in the area around Gilark.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Gilark, there are papers which were published within 24 miles [38.6 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Gilark.

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 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 Gilark:

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 Gilark, 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' distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Gilark) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.