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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 Ida (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 Ida. 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 Counties/Parishes ...

When searching for family records, we have frequently made the mistake of not checking the neighboring counties/parishes.

For example, we have great-grandparents who lived in the southwest corner of their home parish. During their lives, most doctors and hospitals 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 counties/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 counties/parishes, we would have missed many valuable sources of information.

If you're in a similar situation, we hope that the following information helps.

Ida is located in Caddo 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 Caddo Parish: Lafayette (AR), Miller (AR), Bossier, De Soto, Red River, Cass (TX), Harrison (TX), Marion (TX) & Panola (TX).

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

  • Caddo Parish     (The home parish of Ida)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ida, with the one closest to Ida listed first.
    • Missionary
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
      • Missionary is located in Caddo Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Missionary
    • Frog Level ‑ Historic
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
      • Frog Level is located in Caddo Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frog Level
    • Rodessa
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
    • Zylks
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
      • Zylks is located in Caddo Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zylks
    • Hosston
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
    • Garfield ‑ Historic
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Garfield is located in Caddo Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garfield
    • Vivian
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Black Bayou ‑ Historic
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
      • Black Bayou is located in Caddo Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Black Bayou
    • Gilliam
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
    • Belcher
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
    • Oil City
      (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
    • Mooringsport
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
  • Bossier Parish
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ida, with the one closest to Ida listed first.
    • Plain Dealing
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Alden Bridge
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
      • Alden Bridge is located in Bossier Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alden Bridge
    • Benton
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Ivan
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Ivan is located in Bossier Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ivan
  • Webster Parish
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ida, with the one closest to Ida listed first.
    • Springhill
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
    • Cullen
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
    • Sarepta
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
    • Cotton Valley
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Columbia County (AR)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ida, with the one closest to Ida listed first.
    • Welcome
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
      • Welcome is located in Columbia County (AR)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Welcome
    • Taylor
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
      • Taylor is located in Columbia County (AR)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Taylor
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 562 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Taylor <1>
  • Lafayette County (AR)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ida, with the one closest to Ida listed first.
    • Gin City
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Gin City is located in Lafayette County (AR)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gin City
    • Walnut Hill
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Walnut Hill is located in Lafayette County (AR)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walnut Hill
    • Bradley
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Bradley is located in Lafayette County (AR)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bradley
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 524 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Bradley <1>
    • Kress City
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Kress City is located in Lafayette County (AR)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kress City
    • McKamie
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
      • McKamie is located in Lafayette County (AR)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McKamie
    • Lewisville
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Miller County (AR)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ida, with the one closest to Ida listed first.
    • Capps City
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
      • Capps City is located in Miller County (AR)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Capps City
    • Doddridge
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
    • Fouke
      (18 miles [29 km] to the north)
      • Fouke is located in Miller County (AR)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fouke
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 876 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Fouke <1>
    • Roberts ‑ Historic
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
      • Roberts is located in Miller County (AR)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roberts
    • Genoa
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
      • Genoa is located in Miller County (AR)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Genoa
    • Garland
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
      • Garland is located in Miller County (AR)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garland
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 235 people
  • Bowie County (TX)
    • Sulphur
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
      • Sulphur is located in Bowie County (TX)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sulphur
  • Cass County (TX)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ida, with the one closest to Ida listed first.
    • McLeod
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
    • Bloomburg
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Huffins
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
      • Huffins is located in Cass County (TX)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Huffins
    • Atlanta
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Bivins
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
    • Queen City
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
    • Kildare
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
    • Springdale
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Springdale is located in Cass County (TX)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Springdale
    • Domino
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Domino is located in Cass County (TX)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Domino
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 86 people
    • Linden
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • Linden is located in Cass County (TX)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Linden
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,888 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Linden <1>
    • Red Hill
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
      • Red Hill is located in Cass County (TX)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Hill
    • Douglassville
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Harrison County (TX)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ida, with the one closest to Ida listed first.
    • Uncertain
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
    • Karnack
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Baldwin
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Baldwin is located in Harrison County (TX)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Baldwin
  • Marion County (TX)

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

Cemeteries Near Ida ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Ida.

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

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

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

  • Blanton Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • Sulphur Fork Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
  • Antioch Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
  • Slaughter Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Slaughter Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Slaughter Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located less than 2 miles<2> to the north of Rodessa.
    • The Slaughter Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Rodessa Cemetery
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #68985 <3>
  • Stevens Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
  • New Hope Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
  • Chapelwood Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
  • Hosston Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
  • Oak Hill Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
  • Brown Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
  • Josey Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
  • Good Exchange Cemetery
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
  • Continue List   (125 more) ...
    • Centerville Cemetery
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
    • New Hope Cemetery
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Black Bayou Cemetery
      (11 miles [17.7 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.<4>

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

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

  • Frog Level ‑ Historic
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
    • Frog Level is located in Caddo Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frog Level
  • Missionary
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
    • Missionary is located in Caddo Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Missionary
  • Era ‑ Historic
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
    • Era is located in Miller County (AR)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Era
  • Garfield ‑ Historic
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Garfield is located in Caddo Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garfield
  • Black Bayou ‑ Historic
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
    • Black Bayou is located in Caddo Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Black Bayou
  • Plain Dealing
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Arkana
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
    • Arkana is located in Bossier Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arkana
  • Collinsburg
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Collinsburg is located in Bossier Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Collinsburg
  • Huffins
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
    • Huffins is located in Cass County (TX)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Huffins
  • Walnut Hill
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Walnut Hill is located in Lafayette County (AR)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walnut Hill
  • Bradley
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Bradley is located in Lafayette County (AR)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bradley
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 524 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Bradley <1>
  • Boggy
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
    • Boggy is located in Miller County (AR)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boggy
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Redland
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
      • Redland is located in Bossier Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Redland
    • Carterville
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
      • Carterville is located in Bossier Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carterville
    • Atlanta
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)

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

Newspapers Published in Ida ...

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 7 newspapers that have been published in the area around Ida.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Ida, there are papers which were published within 22 miles [35.4 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Ida.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we 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 Ida:

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>Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' (or point-to-point) distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Ida) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.
<3>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.
<4>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 Ida, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.