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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 McFarland Heights (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 McFarland Heights. 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.

Name Variations for McFarland Heights ...

When searching records, keep in mind that names and their spelling can change over time. Our sources include documents like maps, railroad schedules, Travel, Express and Shipping Guides. Many of these documents date from the 1800's and it's common to find spelling differences.

Although we can't give a definitive list, hopefully the following will give you a feel for the variations that might occur.

For example, a typical abbreviation for McFarland Heights: McFarland Hts. (in Canada, 'Hgts.' is the more common abbreviation.)

If you have information about these names (such as the reason for the change, date of change, the origin of the name), please Contact Us.

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 northeast corner of their home parish. During their lives, most hospitals were in the next parish to the east. 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 east 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.

McFarland Heights is located in Vernon 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 Vernon Parish: Allen, Beauregard, Natchitoches, Rapides, Sabine & Newton (TX).

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

  • Vernon Parish     (The home parish of McFarland Heights)
    • The following are listed by their distance from McFarland Heights, with the one closest to McFarland Heights listed first.
    • Leesville
      (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
    • Fertitta Park
      (Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
      • Fertitta Park is located in Vernon Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fertitta Park
    • Westwood Village
      (Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
      • Westwood Village is located in Vernon Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westwood Village
    • New Llano
      (Less than 2 miles to the south)
    • Billy Goat Hill
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
      • Billy Goat Hill is located in Vernon Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Billy Goat Hill
    • Fort Polk North
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
      • Fort Polk North is located in Vernon Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fort Polk North
    • Elmwood
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
      • Elmwood is located in Vernon Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elmwood
    • Pickering
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
      • Pickering is located in Vernon Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pickering
    • Fort Polk
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Savage Fork
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Savage Fork is located in Vernon Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Savage Fork
    • Slagle
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Anacoco
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Pinewood
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
      • Pinewood is located in Vernon Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pinewood
  • Allen Parish
    • The following are listed by their distance from McFarland Heights, with the one closest to McFarland Heights listed first.
    • Reids
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Reids is located in Allen Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reids
    • Grant
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Beauregard Parish
    • The following are listed by their distance from McFarland Heights, with the one closest to McFarland Heights listed first.
    • Ludington
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
      • Ludington is located in Beauregard Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ludington
    • Ikes
      (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
      • Ikes is located in Beauregard Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ikes
    • DeRidder
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
    • Sugartown
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Merryville
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Natchitoches Parish
    • The following are listed by their distance from McFarland Heights, with the one closest to McFarland Heights listed first.
    • Bellwood
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
      • Bellwood is located in Natchitoches Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bellwood
    • Gorum
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Vowells Mill
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • Vowells Mill is located in Natchitoches Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vowells Mill
  • Rapides Parish
    • The following are listed by their distance from McFarland Heights, with the one closest to McFarland Heights listed first.
    • Mora
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Sieper
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
    • Hemphill
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
      • Hemphill is located in Rapides Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hemphill
    • Hineston
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
    • Flatwoods
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Sabine Parish
    • The following are listed by their distance from McFarland Heights, with the one closest to McFarland Heights listed first.
    • Rock ‑ Historic
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
      • Rock is located in Sabine Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock
    • Toro
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Toro is located in Sabine Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Toro
    • Florien
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
    • Corleyville
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
      • Corleyville is located in Sabine Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Corleyville
    • Fisher
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Negreet
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Newton County (TX)
    • The following are listed by their distance from McFarland Heights, with the one closest to McFarland Heights listed first.
    • Toledo
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
      • Toledo is located in Newton County (TX)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Toledo
    • South Toledo Bend
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
      • South Toledo Bend is located in Newton County (TX)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Toledo Bend
    • Burkeville
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
    • Wiergate
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
    • Shanklerville
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Shanklerville is located in Newton County (TX)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shanklerville
  • Sabine County (TX)
    • The following are listed by their distance from McFarland Heights, with the one closest to McFarland Heights listed first.
    • Fairmount
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • Fairmount is located in Sabine County (TX)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairmount
    • Mason
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
      • Mason is located in Sabine County (TX)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mason

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

Cemeteries Near McFarland Heights ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of McFarland Heights.

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 McFarland Heights - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • Gill Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
  • Smart Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
  • Leesville Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the north)
  • Mt. Pleasant Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
  • Anacoco Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
  • Smart Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
  • Pine Hill Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
  • Shady Grove Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Cemetery #1
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • Kay Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
  • Wilson Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Cooper Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
  • Continue List   (143 more) ...
    • Franklin Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
    • Smith Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Zion Hill Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 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.<2>

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

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

  • Leesville
    (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
  • Elmwood
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
    • Elmwood is located in Vernon Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elmwood
  • Caney
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
    • Caney is located in Vernon Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caney
  • Anacoco
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
  • Walnut Hill
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Walnut Hill is located in Vernon Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walnut Hill
  • Hicks
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
    • Hicks is located in Vernon Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hicks
  • Simpson
    (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
  • Toledo
    (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
    • Toledo is located in Newton County (TX)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Toledo
  • Toro
    (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
    • Toro is located in Sabine Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Toro
  • Kisatchie
    (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
    • Kisatchie is located in Natchitoches Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kisatchie
  • Cora
    (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
    • Cora is located in Vernon Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cora
  • Burkeville
    (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
  • Continue List   (8 more) ...
    • Corleyville
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
      • Corleyville is located in Sabine Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Corleyville
    • Mora
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Dido
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Dido is located in Vernon Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dido

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

Newspapers Published in McFarland Heights ...

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 6 newspapers that have been published in the area around McFarland Heights.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of McFarland Heights, there are papers which were published within 25 miles [40.2 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for McFarland Heights.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we first visit the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These professional and volunteer 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 McFarland Heights:

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