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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 Mestayer (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 Mestayer. 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 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 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.

Mestayer is located in Iberia 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 Iberia Parish: Assumption, Iberville, Lafayette, Saint Martin, Saint Mary & Vermilion.

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

  • Iberia Parish     (The home parish of Mestayer)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Mestayer, with the one closest to Mestayer listed first.
    • Loreauville
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
    • Morbihan
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Morbihan is located in Iberia Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morbihan
    • New Iberia
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Jeanerette
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
    • Patoutville
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
      • Patoutville is located in Iberia Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Patoutville
    • Lydia
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Derouen
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Derouen is located in Iberia Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Derouen
    • Avery Island
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Assumption Parish
  • Iberville Parish
    • The following are listed by their distance from Mestayer, with the one closest to Mestayer listed first.
    • Indian Village
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Indian Village is located in Iberville Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Indian Village
    • Grosse Tete
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Rosedale
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Plaquemine
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Lafayette Parish
    • The following are listed by their distance from Mestayer, with the one closest to Mestayer listed first.
    • Billeaud
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
      • Billeaud is located in Lafayette Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Billeaud
    • Broussard
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
    • Youngsville
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
    • Lafayette
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Milton
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
    • Stekey
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Stekey is located in Lafayette Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stekey
    • Scott
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Scott is located in Lafayette Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Scott
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 8,787 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Scott <1>
    • Carencro
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Ossun
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Ossun is located in Lafayette Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ossun
    • Ridge
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • Ridge is located in Lafayette Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ridge
  • Saint Landry Parish
    • The following are listed by their distance from Mestayer, with the one closest to Mestayer listed first.
    • Portage
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Portage is located in Saint Landry Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Portage
    • Arnaudville
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Frozard
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Frozard is located in Saint Landry Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frozard
  • Saint Martin Parish
    • The following are listed by their distance from Mestayer, with the one closest to Mestayer listed first.
    • Coteau Holmes
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Coteau Holmes is located in Saint Martin Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coteau Holmes
    • Bankers
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
      • Bankers is located in Saint Martin Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bankers
    • Banker Plantation
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Banker Plantation is located in Saint Martin Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Banker Plantation
    • Isle Labbe
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Isle Labbe is located in Saint Martin Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Isle Labbe
    • Keystone
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
      • Keystone is located in Saint Martin Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keystone
    • Catahoula Cove
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
      • Catahoula Cove is located in Saint Martin Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Catahoula Cove
    • Levert
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Levert is located in Saint Martin Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Levert
    • Saint John
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Saint John is located in Saint Martin Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint John
    • Saint Martinville
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Bayou Chene
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Bayou Chene is located in Saint Martin Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bayou Chene
    • Delacroix
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
      • Delacroix is located in Saint Martin Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Delacroix
    • Cade
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
    • Duchamp
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
      • Duchamp is located in Saint Martin Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Duchamp
  • Saint Mary Parish
    • The following are listed by their distance from Mestayer, with the one closest to Mestayer listed first.
    • Adeline
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Adeline is located in Saint Mary Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adeline
    • Charenton
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Ashton
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
      • Ashton is located in Saint Mary Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ashton
    • Bodin
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
      • Bodin is located in Saint Mary Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bodin
    • Caneland
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
      • Caneland is located in Saint Mary Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caneland
    • Home Place
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
      • Home Place is located in Saint Mary Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Home Place
    • Glencoe
      (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
      • Glencoe is located in Saint Mary Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glencoe
    • Baldwin
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
    • Florence
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
      • Florence is located in Saint Mary Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Florence
    • Katy
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Katy is located in Saint Mary Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Katy
    • Cypremort
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
      • Cypremort is located in Saint Mary Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cypremort
    • Franklin
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Caffery
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Caffery is located in Saint Mary Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caffery
  • Vermilion Parish
    • The following are listed by their distance from Mestayer, with the one closest to Mestayer listed first.
    • Delcambre
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Erath
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
      • Erath is located in Vermilion Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Erath
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,030 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Erath <1>
    • Maurice
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
    • Abbeville
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
    • Youngs
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
      • Youngs is located in Vermilion Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Youngs
    • Perry
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
    • Leroy
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • Leroy is located in Vermilion Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leroy
    • Meaux
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • Meaux is located in Vermilion Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meaux

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

Cemeteries Near Mestayer ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Mestayer.

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

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

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

  • #1 Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
  • St. Peter's Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
  • Boynton Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
  • St. Michael's Catholic Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
  • Bunk Johnsons Grave
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
  • Memorial Park Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
  • Bayside Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
  • Our Lady of the Lake Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
  • Holy Family Cemetery
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
  • Joseph Cemetery
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
  • St. Johns Cemetery
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
  • McGowen Cemetery
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
  • Continue List   (83 more) ...
    • St. Joseph Cemetery
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Mt. Calvary Cemetery
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
    • Indian Mound Cemetery
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)

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 Mestayer in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Mestayer.

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

  • Loreauville
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
  • New Iberia
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
  • Saint Martinville
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
  • Segura
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
    • Segura is located in Iberia Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Segura
  • Jeanerette
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
  • Bayou Chene
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Bayou Chene is located in Saint Martin Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bayou Chene
  • Delacroix
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
    • Delacroix is located in Saint Martin Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Delacroix
  • Patoutville
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
    • Patoutville is located in Iberia Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Patoutville
  • Burke
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
    • Burke is located in Iberia Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burke
  • Cade
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
  • Sorrel
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
    • Sorrel is located in Saint Mary Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sorrel
  • Duchamp
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
    • Duchamp is located in Saint Martin Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Duchamp
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Derouen
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Derouen is located in Iberia Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Derouen
    • Charenton
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Broussard
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)

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

Newspapers Published in Mestayer ...

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 Mestayer.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Mestayer, there are papers which were published within 18 miles [29 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Mestayer.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we begin 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 Mestayer:

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