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 Grays (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 Grays. 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 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/counties 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/counties, we would have missed many valuable sources of information.
If you're in a similar situation, we hope that the following information helps.
Grays is located in East Feliciana 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 East Feliciana Parish: East Baton Rouge, Saint Helena, West Feliciana, Amite (MS) & Wilkinson (MS).
Below are the parishes/counties that are near Grays. For each of these parishes/counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Grays:
- East Feliciana Parish (The home parish of Grays)
- The following are listed by their distance from Grays, with the one closest to Grays listed first.
- Clinton
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Wilson
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Ethel
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Blairstown
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Blairstown is located in East Feliciana Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blairstown
- Woodland
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Woodland is located in East Feliciana Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodland
- Norwood
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Bells Store ‑ Historic
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Bells Store is located in East Feliciana Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bells Store
- Jackson
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Slaughter
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Troy ‑ Historic
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Troy is located in East Feliciana Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Troy
- Lindsay
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Lindsay is located in East Feliciana Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lindsay
- East Baton Rouge Parish
- The following are listed by their distance from Grays, with the one closest to Grays listed first.
- Pride
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Baywood
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Baywood is located in East Baton Rouge Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Baywood
- Zachary
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Zachary is located in East Baton Rouge Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zachary
- Population from the 2020 Census: 18,417 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Zachary <1>
- Stonypoint ‑ Historic
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Stonypoint is located in East Baton Rouge Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stonypoint
- Port Hudson
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Port Hudson is located in East Baton Rouge Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Port Hudson
- Greenwell Springs
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Tristian Village
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Tristian Village is located in East Baton Rouge Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tristian Village
- Baker
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Baker is located in East Baton Rouge Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Baker
- Population from the 2020 Census: 12,999 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Baker <1>
- Boganvilla
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Boganvilla is located in East Baton Rouge Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boganvilla
- Central
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Central is located in East Baton Rouge Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Central
- Population from the 2020 Census: 29,450 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Central <1>
- Brownfields
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Brownfields is located in East Baton Rouge Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brownfields
- Zion City
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Zion City is located in East Baton Rouge Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zion City
- Maribel Village
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Maribel Village is located in East Baton Rouge Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maribel Village
- Livingston Parish
- The following are listed by their distance from Grays, with the one closest to Grays listed first.
- Watson
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Oldfield
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Oldfield is located in Livingston Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oldfield
- Denham Springs
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Denham Springs is located in Livingston Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Denham Springs
- Population from the 2020 Census: 9,842 people
- Former names for Denham Springs:
- Amite Springs
- Hill's Springs
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Denham Springs <1>
- Walker
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Walker is located in Livingston Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walker
- Population from the 2020 Census: 6,302 people
- Georgeville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Georgeville is located in Livingston Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Georgeville
- Livingston
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Starns
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Starns is located in Livingston Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Starns
- Pointe Coupee Parish
- The following are listed by their distance from Grays, with the one closest to Grays listed first.
- Hermitage
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Hermitage is located in Pointe Coupee Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hermitage
- Glynn
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Patin
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Patin is located in Pointe Coupee Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Patin
- Ventress
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- New Roads
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Rougon
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Lakeland
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Jarreau
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Dupont
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Oscar
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Saint Helena Parish
- The following are listed by their distance from Grays, with the one closest to Grays listed first.
- Coleman Town
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Coleman Town is located in Saint Helena Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coleman Town
- Grangeville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Grangeville is located in Saint Helena Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grangeville
- Chipola
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Chipola is located in Saint Helena Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chipola
- Pine Grove
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Greensburg
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Montpelier
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Montpelier is located in Saint Helena Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Montpelier
- Population from the 2020 Census: 239 people
- West Baton Rouge Parish
- The following are listed by their distance from Grays, with the one closest to Grays listed first.
- Arbroth
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Arbroth is located in West Baton Rouge Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arbroth
- Devalls
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Devalls is located in West Baton Rouge Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Devalls
- Lobdell
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Lobdell is located in West Baton Rouge Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lobdell
- Port Allen
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Carey
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Carey is located in West Baton Rouge Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carey
- Erwinville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- West Feliciana Parish
- The following are listed by their distance from Grays, with the one closest to Grays listed first.
- Rogillioville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Rogillioville is located in West Feliciana Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rogillioville
- Converse ‑ Historic
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Converse is located in West Feliciana Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Converse
- Wakefield
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Bains
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Bains is located in West Feliciana Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bains
- Saint Francisville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Weyanoke
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Tunica
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Amite County (MS)
- The following are listed by their distance from Grays, with the one closest to Grays listed first.
- Gloster
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Bewelcome
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Bewelcome is located in Amite County (MS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bewelcome
- Gillsburg
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Gillsburg is located in Amite County (MS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gillsburg
- Liberty
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Liberty is located in Amite County (MS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Liberty
- Population from the 2020 Census: 634 people
- Huron
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Huron is located in Amite County (MS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Huron
- Crosby
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Wilkinson County (MS)
- The following are listed by their distance from Grays, with the one closest to Grays listed first.
- Whitaker
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Whitaker is located in Wilkinson County (MS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whitaker
- Centreville
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Turnbull
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Turnbull is located in Wilkinson County (MS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Turnbull
- Woodville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Wilkinson
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Wilkinson is located in Wilkinson County (MS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilkinson
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Grays, see our Parish-by-Parish Page for Grays.
Cemeteries Near Grays ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Grays.
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 Grays - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Grays covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Grays, with the one closest to Grays listed first.
- Clinton Confederate Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Cleveland Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Beutoville Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- McCoy Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Overton Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Jewish Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Hawsey Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Masonic Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Lee Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- East Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Lane Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Flynn Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Continue List (557 more) ...
- Providence Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- White Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Rylander Cemetery
(5 miles [8 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.<2>
While we didn't find Grays in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Grays.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Grays, with the one closest to Grays listed first.
- Clinton
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Ethel
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Wilson
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Olive Branch
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Olive Branch is located in East Feliciana Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Olive Branch
- Kents Store ‑ Historic
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Kents Store is located in East Feliciana Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kents Store
- Blairstown
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Blairstown is located in East Feliciana Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blairstown
- Bells Store ‑ Historic
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Bells Store is located in East Feliciana Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bells Store
- Norwood
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Woodland
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Woodland is located in East Feliciana Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodland
- Jackson
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Slaughter
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Whitaker
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Whitaker is located in Wilkinson County (MS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whitaker
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Felixville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Felixville is located in East Feliciana Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Felixville
- Lindsay
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Lindsay is located in East Feliciana Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lindsay
- Grangeville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Grangeville is located in Saint Helena Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grangeville
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Grays. See our List of 1890's Communities around Grays.
Newspapers Published in Grays ...
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 67 newspapers that have been published in the area around Grays.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Grays, there are papers which were published within 19 miles [30.6 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Grays.
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 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 Grays:
- Websites specific to Louisiana
- Pages specific to East Feliciana Parish
- Genealogy information for nearby parishes
- East Baton Rouge Parish
- Livingston Parish
- Pointe Coupee Parish
- Saint Helena Parish
- West Baton Rouge Parish
- West Feliciana Parish
- Amite County
- Wilkinson 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> | 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 Grays, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <3> | 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- Grays) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |