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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 Hester (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 Hester. 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 southwest corner of their home parish. During their lives, most doctors were in the next parish to the west. 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 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 south 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.

Hester is located in La Salle 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 La Salle Parish: Avoyelles, Caldwell, Catahoula, Grant, Rapides & Winn.

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

  • La Salle Parish     (The home parish of Hester)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Hester, with the one closest to Hester listed first.
    • Zenoria
      (Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
      • Zenoria is located in La Salle Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zenoria
    • Tullos
      (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
    • Urania
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
    • Summerville
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
      • Summerville is located in La Salle Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Summerville
    • Trout
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
    • Midway
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
      • Midway is located in La Salle Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Midway
    • Jena
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
      • Jena is located in La Salle Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jena
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,430 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Jena <1>
    • Olla
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Olla is located in La Salle Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Olla
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,371 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Olla <1>
    • Standard
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
      • Standard is located in La Salle Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Standard
    • Sharp Town
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Sharp Town is located in La Salle Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sharp Town
  • Caldwell Parish
    • The following are listed by their distance from Hester, with the one closest to Hester listed first.
    • Kelly
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
    • Clarks
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Grayson
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
    • Banks Springs
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Banks Springs is located in Caldwell Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Banks Springs
    • Mount Pleasant
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
      • Mount Pleasant is located in Caldwell Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Pleasant
    • Fredericksburg ‑ Historic
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Fredericksburg is located in Caldwell Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fredericksburg
    • Columbia
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Catahoula Parish
    • The following are listed by their distance from Hester, with the one closest to Hester listed first.
    • Aimwell
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
    • Rhinehart
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
    • Rosefield
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Rosefield is located in Catahoula Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rosefield
    • Utility
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
      • Utility is located in Catahoula Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Utility
    • Enterprise
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Enterprise is located in Catahoula Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Enterprise
    • Harrisonburg
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
    • Jonesville
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
  • Grant Parish
    • The following are listed by their distance from Hester, with the one closest to Hester listed first.
    • Georgetown
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Antonia
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
      • Antonia is located in Grant Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Antonia
    • Black Creek ‑ Historic
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
      • Black Creek is located in Grant Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Black Creek
    • Fishville
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
      • Fishville is located in Grant Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fishville
    • Pollock
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
    • Dry Prong
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Bentley
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
    • Stay
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Stay is located in Grant Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stay
    • Creola
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
      • 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
    • Colfax
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Fairmount
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Fairmount is located in Grant Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairmount
  • Jackson Parish
    • Zoar
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • Zoar is located in Jackson Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zoar
  • Natchitoches Parish
    • Marco
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Marco is located in Natchitoches Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marco
  • Rapides Parish
    • The following are listed by their distance from Hester, with the one closest to Hester listed first.
    • Ball
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
      • 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 <1>
    • Tioga
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
    • Libuse
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
    • Deville
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
    • Pineville
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
    • Alexandria
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
  • Winn Parish
    • The following are listed by their distance from Hester, with the one closest to Hester listed first.
    • Flat Creek
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
      • Flat Creek is located in Winn Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flat Creek
    • Joyce
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Winnfield
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Newport
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
      • Newport is located in Winn Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newport
    • Atlanta
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
    • Whitford
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
      • Whitford is located in Winn Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whitford
    • Sikes
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
    • Hudson
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Hudson is located in Winn Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hudson
    • Calvin
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Dodson
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)

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

Cemeteries Near Hester ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Hester.

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

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

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

  • Chalk Hill Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the east)
  • Hawthorne Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
  • Doughty Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
  • Pine Bluff Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Turnley Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • New Union Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Georgetown Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
  • Mt. Sinai Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Thomas Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
  • Pendarvis Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
  • Magnolia Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
  • Pine Knot Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
  • Continue List   (205 more) ...
    • McKay Cemetery
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Dayton Cemetery
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Eden 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>

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

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

  • Black Creek ‑ Historic
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
    • Black Creek is located in Grant Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Black Creek
  • Fishville
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
    • Fishville is located in Grant Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fishville
  • Tunica ‑ Historic
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Tunica is located in Winn Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tunica
  • Flat Creek
    (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
    • Flat Creek is located in Winn Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flat Creek
  • Aimwell
    (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
  • Hickory Valley
    (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
    • Hickory Valley is located in Winn Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hickory Valley
  • Rhinehart
    (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
  • Manifest
    (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
    • Manifest is located in Catahoula Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Manifest
  • Rosefield
    (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Rosefield is located in Catahoula Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rosefield
  • Holum
    (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Holum is located in Caldwell Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holum
  • Winnfield
    (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
  • Iatt
    (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
    • Iatt is located in Grant Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Iatt
  • Continue List   (16 more) ...
    • Lavacco
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
      • Lavacco is located in Catahoula Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lavacco
    • Newport
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
      • Newport is located in Winn Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newport
    • Holloway
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
      • Holloway is located in Rapides Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holloway

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

Newspapers Published in Hester ...

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 22 newspapers that have been published in the area around Hester.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Hester, there are papers which were published within 26 miles [41.8 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Hester.

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 either 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 Hester:

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 Hester, 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 from Point A (ie- Hester) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.