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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 Laurel Hill (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 Laurel Hill. 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 southwest corner of their home parish. During their lives, most hospitals and 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/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 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.

Laurel Hill is located in West 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 West Feliciana Parish: Avoyelles, Concordia, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Pointe Coupee, West Baton Rouge & Wilkinson (MS).

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

  • West Feliciana Parish     (The home parish of Laurel Hill)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Laurel Hill, with the one closest to Laurel Hill listed first.
    • Wakefield
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
    • Converse ‑ Historic
      (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
      • Converse is located in West Feliciana Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Converse
    • Rogillioville
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
      • Rogillioville is located in West Feliciana Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rogillioville
    • Weyanoke
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
    • Bains
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
      • Bains is located in West Feliciana Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bains
    • Saint Francisville
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
    • Tunica
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
    • Angola
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
  • Avoyelles Parish
    • The following are listed by their distance from Laurel Hill, with the one closest to Laurel Hill listed first.
    • Odenburg
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • Odenburg is located in Avoyelles Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Odenburg
    • Simmesport
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
  • Concordia Parish
    • The following are listed by their distance from Laurel Hill, with the one closest to Laurel Hill listed first.
    • Fairview
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Fairview is located in Concordia Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairview
    • Bougere
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Bougere is located in Concordia Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bougere
  • East Baton Rouge Parish
    • The following are listed by their distance from Laurel Hill, with the one closest to Laurel Hill listed first.
    • Port Hudson
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
      • Port Hudson is located in East Baton Rouge Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Port Hudson
    • Zachary
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
      • 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>
    • Baker
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
      • 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>
    • Pride
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Tristian Village
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Tristian Village is located in East Baton Rouge Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tristian Village
    • Brownfields
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Brownfields is located in East Baton Rouge Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brownfields
  • East Feliciana Parish
    • The following are listed by their distance from Laurel Hill, with the one closest to Laurel Hill listed first.
    • Jackson
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Jackson is located in East Feliciana Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jackson
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,707 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Jackson <1>
    • Norwood
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
      • Norwood is located in East Feliciana Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Norwood
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 281 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Norwood <1>
    • Wilson
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
      • Wilson is located in East Feliciana Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilson
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 546 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Wilson <1>
    • Bells Store ‑ Historic
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Bells Store is located in East Feliciana Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bells Store
    • Ethel
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Lindsay
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Lindsay is located in East Feliciana Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lindsay
    • Slaughter
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
    • Clinton
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
      • Clinton is located in East Feliciana Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clinton
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,486 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Clinton <1>
    • Woodland
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
      • Woodland is located in East Feliciana Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodland
    • Troy ‑ Historic
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
      • Troy is located in East Feliciana Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Troy
    • Blairstown
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Blairstown is located in East Feliciana Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blairstown
  • Pointe Coupee Parish
    • The following are listed by their distance from Laurel Hill, with the one closest to Laurel Hill listed first.
    • New Roads
      (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
    • Patin
      (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
      • Patin is located in Pointe Coupee Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Patin
    • Ventress
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
    • Smithland
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
      • Smithland is located in Pointe Coupee Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smithland
    • Williamsport
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
      • Williamsport is located in Pointe Coupee Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Williamsport
    • Batchelor
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Innis
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
    • Hermitage
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
      • Hermitage is located in Pointe Coupee Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hermitage
    • Morganza
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Dupont
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
    • Glynn
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
    • Lettsworth
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
  • Saint Landry Parish
    • The following are listed by their distance from Laurel Hill, with the one closest to Laurel Hill listed first.
    • Elba
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Elba is located in Saint Landry Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elba
    • Melville
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
  • West Baton Rouge Parish
    • The following are listed by their distance from Laurel Hill, with the one closest to Laurel Hill listed first.
    • Arbroth
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
      • Arbroth is located in West Baton Rouge Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arbroth
    • Erwinville
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
    • Devalls
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
      • Devalls is located in West Baton Rouge Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Devalls
  • Amite County (MS)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Laurel Hill, with the one closest to Laurel Hill listed first.
    • Gloster
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Crosby
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Crosby is located in Amite County (MS)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crosby
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 270 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Crosby <1>
    • Bewelcome
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Bewelcome is located in Amite County (MS)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bewelcome
  • Wilkinson County (MS)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Laurel Hill, with the one closest to Laurel Hill listed first.
    • Turnbull
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
      • Turnbull is located in Wilkinson County (MS)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Turnbull
    • Woodville
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
    • Whitaker
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
      • Whitaker is located in Wilkinson County (MS)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whitaker
    • Centreville
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
    • Wilkinson
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
      • Wilkinson is located in Wilkinson County (MS)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilkinson
    • Artonish
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Artonish is located in Wilkinson County (MS)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Artonish
    • Rosetta
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Rosetta is located in Wilkinson County (MS)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rosetta

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

Cemeteries Near Laurel Hill ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Laurel Hill.

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 Laurel Hill - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • Richardson Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
  • Spillman Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
  • Minor Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
  • McCausland Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
  • Smith Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Austin Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Evans Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
  • St. John Baptist Church Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
  • Walker Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • Dawson Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
  • Barrow Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
  • Butler Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Butler Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Butler Cemetery is located less than 2 miles<3> to the northeast of Bains.
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #67119 <2>
  • Continue List   (369 more) ...

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>

The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Laurel Hill had a population of 75 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service.

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

  • Converse ‑ Historic
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
    • Converse is located in West Feliciana Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Converse
  • Turnbull
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
    • Turnbull is located in Wilkinson County (MS)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Turnbull
  • Pinckneyville
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Pinckneyville is located in Wilkinson County (MS)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pinckneyville
  • Woodville
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
  • Jackson
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Jackson is located in East Feliciana Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jackson
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,707 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Jackson <1>
  • Wilson
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
    • Wilson is located in East Feliciana Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilson
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 546 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Wilson <1>
  • Norwood
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
    • Norwood is located in East Feliciana Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Norwood
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 281 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Norwood <1>
  • Angola
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
  • Rowes Landing
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
    • Rowes Landing is located in West Feliciana Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rowes Landing
  • Whitaker
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
    • Whitaker is located in Wilkinson County (MS)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whitaker
  • Fort Adams
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Fort Adams is located in Wilkinson County (MS)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fort Adams
  • Pointe Coupee
    (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
    • Pointe Coupee is located in Pointe Coupee Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pointe Coupee
  • Continue List   (15 more) ...
    • Bells Store ‑ Historic
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Bells Store is located in East Feliciana Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bells Store
    • Ethel
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Waterloo
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
      • Waterloo is located in Pointe Coupee Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waterloo

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

Newspapers Published in Laurel Hill ...

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 87 newspapers that have been published in the area around Laurel Hill.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Laurel Hill, there are papers which were published within 23 miles [37 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Laurel Hill.

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 Laurel Hill:

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>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- Laurel Hill) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.
<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 Laurel Hill, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.