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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 Mount Zion (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 Mount Zion. 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 Mount Zion ...

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.

For example, a typical abbreviation for Mount Zion: Mt. Zion

You might be interested in other communities that are also named Mount Zion. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Mount Zion.

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 ...

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 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 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.

Mount Zion is located in Winn 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 Winn Parish: Bienville, Caldwell, Grant, Jackson, La Salle & Natchitoches.

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

  • Winn Parish     (The home parish of Mount Zion)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Mount Zion, with the one closest to Mount Zion listed first.
    • Saint Maurice
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
    • Couley
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
      • Couley is located in Winn Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Couley
    • Atlanta
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Whitford
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Whitford is located in Winn Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whitford
    • Calvin
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
    • Coldwater
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
      • Coldwater is located in Winn Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coldwater
    • Winnfield
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
    • Bethlehem
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
      • Bethlehem is located in Winn Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bethlehem
    • Joyce
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Hudson
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Hudson is located in Winn Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hudson
    • Pine Ridge
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
      • Pine Ridge is located in Winn Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Ridge
    • Dodson
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Gansville
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
      • Gansville is located in Winn Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gansville
  • Grant Parish
    • The following are listed by their distance from Mount Zion, with the one closest to Mount Zion listed first.
    • Montgomery
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
    • Colfax
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Black Creek ‑ Historic
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
      • Black Creek is located in Grant Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Black Creek
    • Dry Prong
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Fairmount
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Fairmount is located in Grant Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairmount
    • Bentley
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Stay
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Stay is located in Grant Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stay
    • Antonia
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
      • Antonia is located in Grant Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Antonia
    • Georgetown
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
    • Creola
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
      • 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
    • Pollock
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
  • La Salle Parish
    • Zenoria
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
      • Zenoria is located in La Salle Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zenoria
  • Natchitoches Parish
    • The following are listed by their distance from Mount Zion, with the one closest to Mount Zion listed first.
    • Melrose
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Clarence
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Natchez
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
    • Cloutierville
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
    • Natchitoches
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
    • Derry
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
      • Derry is located in Natchitoches Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Derry
    • Caspari ‑ Historic
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Caspari is located in Natchitoches Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caspari
    • Marco
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
      • Marco is located in Natchitoches Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marco
    • Flora
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Forest
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
      • Forest is located in Natchitoches Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest
    • Campti
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Campti is located in Natchitoches Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Campti
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,033 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Campti <1>
    • Goldonna
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
    • Gorum
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
  • Rapides Parish
    • The following are listed by their distance from Mount Zion, with the one closest to Mount Zion listed first.
    • Lena
      (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
    • Rock
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
      • Rock is located in Rapides Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock
    • Flatwoods
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
    • Zimmerman
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
      • Zimmerman is located in Rapides Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zimmerman
    • Mora
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
    • Boyce
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Hot Wells
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
      • Hot Wells is located in Rapides Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hot Wells
  • Red River Parish
    • Lake End
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Lake End is located in Red River Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake End

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

Cemeteries Near Mount Zion ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Mount Zion.

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 Mount Zion - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • Kimbrell Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
  • Pleasant Hill Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Mars Hill Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
  • Creola Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Verda Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Verda Cemetery
    • The Verda Cemetery has also been known as:
    • First Baptist Church of Verda Cemetery
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2222776 <2>
  • Union Grove Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
  • Saline Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Dartigo Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Iatt Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
  • Shady Grove Cemetery
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
  • Antioch Cemetery
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
  • Pace Cemetery
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
  • Continue List   (147 more) ...
    • Lee Cemetery
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
    • Tucker Cemetery
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Tucker Cemetery
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)

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>

The Rand McNally Atlas shows that in 1895, Mount Zion had a post office and no railroad service.

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

  • Montgomery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • Saint Maurice
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
  • Bermuda
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Bermuda is located in Natchitoches Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bermuda
  • Iatt
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
    • Iatt is located in Grant Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Iatt
  • Atlanta
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
  • Trichell
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Trichell is located in Natchitoches Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trichell
  • Couley
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
    • Couley is located in Winn Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Couley
  • Melrose
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
  • Clarence
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Cloutierville
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
  • Cypress
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Cypress is located in Natchitoches Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cypress
  • Natchitoches
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Derry
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
      • Derry is located in Natchitoches Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Derry
    • Chopin
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
      • Chopin is located in Natchitoches Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chopin
    • Colfax
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)

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

Newspapers Published in Mount Zion ...

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 46 newspapers that have been published in the area around Mount Zion.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Mount Zion, there are papers which were published within 19 miles [30.6 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Mount Zion.

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 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 Mount Zion:

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