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 Mowata (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 Mowata. 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.
Mowata is located in Acadia 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 Acadia Parish: Allen, Evangeline, Jefferson Davis, Lafayette, Saint Landry & Vermilion.
Below are the parishes that are near Mowata. For each of these parishes, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Mowata:
- Acadia Parish (The home parish of Mowata)
- The following are listed by their distance from Mowata, with the one closest to Mowata listed first.
- Ellis
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Ellis is located in Acadia Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ellis
- Iota
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Iota is located in Acadia Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Iota
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,428 people
- Branch
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Church Point
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Crowley
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Castille
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Castille is located in Acadia Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Castille
- Egan
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Higginbotham
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Higginbotham is located in Acadia Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Higginbotham
- Rayne
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Evangeline
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Estherwood
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Ebenezer
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Ebenezer is located in Acadia Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ebenezer
- Allen Parish
- The following are listed by their distance from Mowata, with the one closest to Mowata listed first.
- Coverdale
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Coverdale is located in Allen Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coverdale
- Lauderdale
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Lauderdale is located in Allen Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lauderdale
- Bond
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Bond is located in Allen Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bond
- Elder
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Elder is located in Allen Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elder
- Oberlin
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Canton
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Canton is located in Allen Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Canton
- Kinder
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Ward
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Ward is located in Allen Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ward
- Evangeline Parish
- The following are listed by their distance from Mowata, with the one closest to Mowata listed first.
- Tyrone
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Tyrone is located in Evangeline Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tyrone
- Unatex
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Unatex is located in Evangeline Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Unatex
- Duralde
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Duralde is located in Evangeline Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Duralde
- Chataignier
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Basile
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Mamou
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Reddell
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Ville Platte
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Pine Prairie
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Bayou Chicot
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Bayou Chicot is located in Evangeline Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bayou Chicot
- Jefferson Davis Parish
- The following are listed by their distance from Mowata, with the one closest to Mowata listed first.
- Jennings
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Elton
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Elton is located in Jefferson Davis Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,134 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Elton <1>
- Roanoke
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Lake Arthur
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Welsh
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Welsh is located in Jefferson Davis Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Welsh
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,195 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Welsh <1>
- Fenton
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Lafayette Parish
- The following are listed by their distance from Mowata, with the one closest to Mowata listed first.
- Duson
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Ossun
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Ossun is located in Lafayette Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ossun
- Ridge
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Ridge is located in Lafayette Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ridge
- Scott
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Carencro
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Stekey
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Stekey is located in Lafayette Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stekey
- Lafayette
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Milton
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Saint Landry Parish
- The following are listed by their distance from Mowata, with the one closest to Mowata listed first.
- Eunice
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Lewisburg
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Lewisburg is located in Saint Landry Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lewisburg
- Lawtell
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Cankton
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Cankton is located in Saint Landry Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cankton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 504 people
- Sunset
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Grand Coteau
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Opelousas
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Frozard
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Frozard is located in Saint Landry Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frozard
- Leonville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Washington
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Arnaudville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Port Barre
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Vermilion Parish
- The following are listed by their distance from Mowata, with the one closest to Mowata listed first.
- Indian Bayou
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Indian Bayou is located in Vermilion Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Indian Bayou
- Andrew
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Andrew is located in Vermilion Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Andrew
- Gueydan
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Leroy
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Leroy is located in Vermilion Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leroy
- Maurice
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Kaplan
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Meaux
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Meaux is located in Vermilion Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meaux
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Mowata, see our Parish-by-Parish Page for Mowata.
Cemeteries Near Mowata ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Mowata.
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 Mowata - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Mowata covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Mowata, with the one closest to Mowata listed first.
- Mowata Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mowata Cemetery
- The Mowata Cemetery has also been known as:
- St. Lawrence Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #68342 <2>
- Frey Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Mowata Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Riche Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- St. Edwards Catholic Church Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for St. Edwards Catholic Church Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the St. Edwards Catholic Church Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located 5 miles [8 km]<3> to the west of Church Point.
- The St. Edwards Catholic Church Cemetery has also been known as:
- St. Edwards Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #756472 <2>
- Carron Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Savoy Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- St. Louis Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for St. Louis Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the St. Louis Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the southwest of Eunice.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #1162440 <2>
- St. Joseph Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for St. Joseph Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the St. Joseph Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the south of Iota.
- The St. Joseph Cemetery has also been known as:
- St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2196184 <2>
- Murphy Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Branch Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Courtville Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Continue List (177 more) ...
- Odon Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Mt. Calvary Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mt. Calvary Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Mt. Calvary Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the east of Eunice.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #68279 <2>
- St. Paul Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 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.<4>
While we didn't find Mowata in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Mowata.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Mowata, with the one closest to Mowata listed first.
- Cartville ‑ Historic
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Cartville is located in Acadia Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cartville
- Prudhomme
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Prudhomme is located in Acadia Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prudhomme
- Church Point
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Crowley
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Rayne
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Estherwood
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Mermentau
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Duson
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Shuteston
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Shuteston is located in Saint Landry Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shuteston
- Indian Bayou
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Indian Bayou is located in Vermilion Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Indian Bayou
- Sunset
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Ridge
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Ridge is located in Lafayette Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ridge
- Continue List (12 more) ...
- Scott
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Grand Coteau
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Opelousas
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Mowata. See our List of 1890's Communities around Mowata.
Newspapers Published in Mowata ...
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 42 newspapers that have been published in the area around Mowata.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Mowata, there are papers which were published within 27 miles [43.5 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Mowata.
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 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 Mowata:
- Websites specific to Louisiana
- Pages specific to Acadia Parish
- Genealogy information for nearby parishes
- Allen Parish
- Evangeline Parish
- Jefferson Davis Parish
- Lafayette Parish
- Saint Landry Parish
- Vermilion Parish
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Louisiana
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 obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Mowata) 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 Mowata, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |