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 Smurney (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 Smurney. 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 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.
Smurney is located in Union 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 Union Parish: Ashley (AR), Union (AR), Claiborne, Lincoln, Morehouse & Ouachita.
Below are the parishes/counties that are near Smurney. For each of these parishes/counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Smurney:
- Union Parish (The home parish of Smurney)
- The following are listed by their distance from Smurney, with the one closest to Smurney listed first.
- Downsville
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Wilhite
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Wilhite is located in Union Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilhite
- Farmerville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Ouachita City
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Ouachita City is located in Union Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ouachita City
- Haile
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Haile is located in Union Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Haile
- Marion
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Bernice
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Truxno
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Truxno is located in Union Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Truxno
- Cane Ridge ‑ Historic
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Cane Ridge is located in Union Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cane Ridge
- Pisgah
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Pisgah is located in Union Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pisgah
- Oakland
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Oakland is located in Union Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakland
- Spearsville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Lillie
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Caldwell Parish
- Vixen
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Vixen is located in Caldwell Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vixen
- Claiborne Parish
- The following are listed by their distance from Smurney, with the one closest to Smurney listed first.
- Weldon
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Weldon is located in Claiborne Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weldon
- Sugar Creek
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Sugar Creek is located in Claiborne Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sugar Creek
- Jackson Parish
- The following are listed by their distance from Smurney, with the one closest to Smurney listed first.
- Cartwright
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Cartwright is located in Jackson Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cartwright
- Eros
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Nash ‑ Historic
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Nash is located in Jackson Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nash
- Dalley ‑ Historic
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Dalley is located in Jackson Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dalley
- Chatham
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Ansley
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Ansley is located in Jackson Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ansley
- Quitman
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Weston
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Weston is located in Jackson Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weston
- Zoar
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Zoar is located in Jackson Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zoar
- North Hodge
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- North Hodge is located in Jackson Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Hodge
- Population from the 2020 Census: 372 people
- East Hodge
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- East Hodge is located in Jackson Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Hodge
- Population from the 2020 Census: 270 people
- Lincoln Parish
- The following are listed by their distance from Smurney, with the one closest to Smurney listed first.
- Sibley
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Sibley is located in Lincoln Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sibley
- Averit ‑ Historic
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Averit is located in Lincoln Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Averit
- Cedarton
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Cedarton is located in Lincoln Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedarton
- Choudrant
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Vienna
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Vienna is located in Lincoln Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vienna
- Population from the 2020 Census: 365 people
- Ruston
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Unionville
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Unionville is located in Lincoln Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Unionville
- Dubach
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Grambling
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Hico
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Hico is located in Lincoln Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hico
- Vining Mills ‑ Historic
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Vining Mills is located in Lincoln Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vining Mills
- Simsboro
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Morehouse Parish
- The following are listed by their distance from Smurney, with the one closest to Smurney listed first.
- Windsor
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Windsor is located in Morehouse Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Windsor
- Collinston
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Bastrop
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Ouachita Parish
- The following are listed by their distance from Smurney, with the one closest to Smurney listed first.
- Eureka
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Eureka is located in Ouachita Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eureka
- Frost Town
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Frost Town is located in Ouachita Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frost Town
- Calhoun
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Forksville
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Forksville is located in Ouachita Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forksville
- Indian Village
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Indian Village is located in Ouachita Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Indian Village
- Claiborne
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Claiborne is located in Ouachita Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Claiborne
- West Monroe
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- West Monroe is located in Ouachita Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Monroe
- Population from the 2020 Census: 12,086 people
- Lapine
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Lapine is located in Ouachita Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lapine
- Monroe
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Northpark Village
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Northpark Village is located in Ouachita Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Northpark Village
- Fairbanks
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Sterlington
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Leisure Village
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Leisure Village is located in Ouachita Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leisure Village
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Smurney, see our Parish-by-Parish Page for Smurney.
Cemeteries Near Smurney ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Smurney.
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 Smurney - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Smurney covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Smurney, with the one closest to Smurney listed first.
- Smyrna Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Spillers Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Downsville Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Holmesville Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Mt. Nebo Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Morse Hill Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- King Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Butler Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Wilhite Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Cedar Grove Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Terral Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Roselawn Memorial Gardens
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Continue List (206 more) ...
- Mt. Zion Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- McCormick Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Carter Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
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 Smurney in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Smurney.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Smurney, with the one closest to Smurney listed first.
- Walnut Lane ‑ Historic
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Walnut Lane is located in Union Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walnut Lane
- Downsville
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Sibley
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Sibley is located in Lincoln Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sibley
- Calhoun
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Point
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Point is located in Union Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Point
- Moselys Bluff
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Moselys Bluff is located in Union Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moselys Bluff
- Averit ‑ Historic
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Averit is located in Lincoln Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Averit
- Forksville
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Forksville is located in Ouachita Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forksville
- D'Arbonne
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- D'Arbonne is located in Union Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for D'Arbonne
- Douglas
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Douglas is located in Lincoln Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Douglas
- Cedarton
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Cedarton is located in Lincoln Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedarton
- Choudrant
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Indian Village
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Indian Village is located in Ouachita Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Indian Village
- Cheniere
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Cheniere is located in Ouachita Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cheniere
- Colsons ‑ Historic
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Colsons is located in Union Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colsons
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Smurney. See our List of 1890's Communities around Smurney.
Newspapers Published in Smurney ...
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 40 newspapers that have been published in the area around Smurney.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Smurney, 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 Smurney.
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 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 Smurney:
- Websites specific to Louisiana
- Pages specific to Union Parish
- Genealogy information for nearby parishes
- Caldwell Parish
- Claiborne Parish
- Jackson Parish
- Lincoln Parish
- Morehouse Parish
- Ouachita 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> | 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 Smurney, 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 from Point A (ie- Smurney) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |