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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 Southdowns (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 Southdowns. 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 Counties/Parishes ...

When searching for family records, we have frequently made the mistake of not checking the neighboring counties/parishes.

For example, we have great-grandparents who lived in the southeast corner of their home parish. During their lives, most hospitals and doctors were in the next parish to the east. 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 counties/parishes 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 south contained their burial records. If we hadn't included the neighboring counties/parishes, we would have missed many valuable sources of information.

If you're in a similar situation, we hope that the following information helps.

Southdowns is located in Caddo 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 Caddo Parish: Lafayette (AR), Miller (AR), Bossier, De Soto, Red River, Cass (TX), Harrison (TX), Marion (TX) & Panola (TX).

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

  • Caddo Parish     (The home parish of Southdowns)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Southdowns, with the one closest to Southdowns listed first.
    • Summer Grove
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Summer Grove is located in Caddo Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Summer Grove
    • South Towne Heights
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
      • South Towne Heights is located in Caddo Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Towne Heights
    • Ellerbe Woods
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
      • Ellerbe Woods is located in Caddo Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ellerbe Woods
    • Chateau Village
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
      • Chateau Village is located in Caddo Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chateau Village
    • Silver Pine Village
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Silver Pine Village is located in Caddo Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Silver Pine Village
    • Edgewood Village
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
      • Edgewood Village is located in Caddo Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edgewood Village
    • Reisor
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Reisor is located in Caddo Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reisor
    • Keithville
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Normandy Village
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
      • Normandy Village is located in Caddo Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Normandy Village
    • Shreveport
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
    • Western Hills Village
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Longwood Village
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Longwood Village is located in Caddo Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Longwood Village
  • Bienville Parish
    • The following are listed by their distance from Southdowns, with the one closest to Southdowns listed first.
    • Armistead
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
      • Armistead is located in Bienville Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Armistead
    • Ringgold
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
  • Bossier Parish
    • The following are listed by their distance from Southdowns, with the one closest to Southdowns listed first.
    • Bossier City
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
    • Parkland Village
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Parkland Village is located in Bossier Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parkland Village
    • Elm Grove
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
    • Bodcau
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Bodcau is located in Bossier Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bodcau
    • Espanita Village
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Espanita Village is located in Bossier Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Espanita Village
    • Red Chute
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Red Chute is located in Bossier Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Chute
    • Atkins
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
      • Atkins is located in Bossier Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Atkins
    • Eastwood
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Eastwood is located in Bossier Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eastwood
    • Haughton
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
    • Fillmore
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Fillmore is located in Bossier Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fillmore
    • Benton
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
    • Princeton
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
  • De Soto Parish
    • The following are listed by their distance from Southdowns, with the one closest to Southdowns listed first.
    • Stonewall
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
    • Frierson
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Gloster
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
    • Keachi
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Keachi is located in De Soto Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keachi
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 300 people
    • Grand Cane
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
    • Screamerville ‑ Historic
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
      • Screamerville is located in De Soto Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Screamerville
    • Longstreet
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Mansfield
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
    • South Mansfield
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
      • South Mansfield is located in De Soto Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Mansfield
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 352 people
    • Stanley
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
      • Stanley is located in De Soto Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stanley
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 116 people
    • Logansport
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Red River Parish
    • The following are listed by their distance from Southdowns, with the one closest to Southdowns listed first.
    • Westdale
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
      • Westdale is located in Red River Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westdale
    • East Point
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
      • East Point is located in Red River Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Point
    • Abington
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Abington is located in Red River Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Abington
    • Halfway
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Halfway is located in Red River Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Halfway
    • Harmon
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Webster Parish
    • The following are listed by their distance from Southdowns, with the one closest to Southdowns listed first.
    • Doyline
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
    • Yellow Pine
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
      • Yellow Pine is located in Webster Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yellow Pine
    • Buckhorn ‑ Historic
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
      • Buckhorn is located in Webster Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buckhorn
    • Heflin
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
    • Sibley
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
    • Dixie Inn
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Dixie Inn is located in Webster Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dixie Inn
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 266 people
  • Harrison County (TX)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Southdowns, with the one closest to Southdowns listed first.
    • Waskom
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
      • Waskom is located in Harrison County (TX)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waskom
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,150 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Waskom <1>
    • Jonesville
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
    • Elysian Fields
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
    • Scottsville
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
    • Karnack
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Uncertain
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Panola County (TX)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Southdowns, with the one closest to Southdowns listed first.
    • Panola
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
    • De Berry
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
    • Midyett
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Midyett is located in Panola County (TX)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Midyett

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

Cemeteries Near Southdowns ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Southdowns.

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

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

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

  • McMillan Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
  • Carver Memorial Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
  • Centuries Memorial Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
  • Springfield Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
  • Forest Park West Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest Park West Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Forest Park West Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the southwest of Shreveport.
    • The Forest Park West Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Forest Park Cemetery East
    • Forest Park Cemetery
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #67545 <2>
  • Zion Rest Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Powell Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • Forest Park East Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest Park East Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Forest Park East Cemetery is a very large cemetery that is located in Shreveport.
    • The Forest Park East Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Forest Park Cemetery East
    • Forest Park Cemetery
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #67544 <2>
  • Walnut Hill St. Mary Baptist Church Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
  • Jewella Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
  • Hebrew Rest Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
  • St. Joseph Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
  • Continue List   (176 more) ...
    • Star Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
    • Hebrew Rest Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
    • Lincoln Memorial Park
      (7 miles [11.3 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>

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

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

  • La Rosen
    (Less than 2 miles to the north)
    • La Rosen is located in Caddo Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for La Rosen
  • Keithville
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Reisor
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Reisor is located in Caddo Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reisor
  • Jewella ‑ Historic
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
    • Jewella is located in Caddo Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jewella
  • Stonewall
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
  • Shreveport
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
  • Flournoy
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Robson
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
    • Robson is located in Caddo Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Robson
  • Curtis
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Curtis is located in Bossier Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Curtis
  • Bossier City
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
  • Spring Ridge
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Spring Ridge is located in Caddo Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spring Ridge
  • Greenwood
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
  • Continue List   (15 more) ...
    • Gloster
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
    • Brownlee
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
      • Brownlee is located in Bossier Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brownlee
    • Kingston
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
      • Kingston is located in De Soto Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kingston

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

Newspapers Published in Southdowns ...

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 82 newspapers that have been published in the area around Southdowns.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Southdowns, there are papers which were published within 9 miles [14.5 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Southdowns.

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 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 Southdowns:

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 Southdowns, 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- Southdowns) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.