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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 Westwood (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 Westwood. 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 northwest corner of their home parish. During their lives, most hospitals were in the next parish to the west. Almost all of the nearby churches and cemeteries were in the parish to the north.

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 north 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.

Westwood is located in Ouachita 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 Ouachita Parish: Caldwell, Jackson, Lincoln, Morehouse, Richland & Union.

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

  • Ouachita Parish     (The home parish of Westwood)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Westwood, with the one closest to Westwood listed first.
    • Claiborne
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
      • Claiborne is located in Ouachita Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Claiborne
    • West Monroe
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
      • West Monroe is located in Ouachita Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Monroe
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 12,086 people
    • Monroe
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
      • Monroe is located in Ouachita Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monroe
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 46,998 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Monroe <1>
    • Pino Bayou Village
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
      • Pino Bayou Village is located in Ouachita Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pino Bayou Village
    • Lapine
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Lapine is located in Ouachita Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lapine
    • Richwood
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
      • Richwood is located in Ouachita Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Richwood
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,375 people
    • Forksville
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
      • Forksville is located in Ouachita Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forksville
    • Northpark Village
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Northpark Village is located in Ouachita Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Northpark Village
    • Calhoun
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
    • Spanish City
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
      • Spanish City is located in Ouachita Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spanish City
    • Leisure Village
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Leisure Village is located in Ouachita Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leisure Village
    • Eureka
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Eureka is located in Ouachita Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eureka
  • Caldwell Parish
    • The following are listed by their distance from Westwood, with the one closest to Westwood listed first.
    • Vixen
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
      • Vixen is located in Caldwell Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vixen
    • Mount Pleasant
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
      • Mount Pleasant is located in Caldwell Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Pleasant
    • Columbia
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
    • Banks Springs
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
      • Banks Springs is located in Caldwell Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Banks Springs
    • Grayson
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
  • Franklin Parish
    • The following are listed by their distance from Westwood, with the one closest to Westwood listed first.
    • Big Creek
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Big Creek is located in Franklin Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Big Creek
    • Baskin
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Jackson Parish
    • The following are listed by their distance from Westwood, with the one closest to Westwood listed first.
    • Eros
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Eros is located in Jackson Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eros
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 151 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Eros <1>
    • Cartwright
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
      • Cartwright is located in Jackson Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cartwright
    • Nash ‑ Historic
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Nash is located in Jackson Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nash
    • Chatham
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
    • Dalley ‑ Historic
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Dalley is located in Jackson Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dalley
    • Zoar
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
      • Zoar is located in Jackson Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zoar
    • Weston
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Weston is located in Jackson Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weston
    • Ansley
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • Ansley is located in Jackson Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ansley
  • Lincoln Parish
    • The following are listed by their distance from Westwood, with the one closest to Westwood listed first.
    • Averit ‑ Historic
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
      • Averit is located in Lincoln Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Averit
    • Sibley
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
      • Sibley is located in Lincoln Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sibley
    • Choudrant
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
    • Cedarton
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Cedarton is located in Lincoln Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedarton
    • Ruston
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
    • Vienna
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • Vienna is located in Lincoln Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vienna
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 365 people
    • Unionville
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Unionville is located in Lincoln Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Unionville
    • Dubach
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Grambling
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
  • Morehouse Parish
    • The following are listed by their distance from Westwood, with the one closest to Westwood listed first.
    • Windsor
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Windsor is located in Morehouse Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Windsor
    • Collinston
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
    • Bastrop
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Oak Ridge
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
  • Richland Parish
    • The following are listed by their distance from Westwood, with the one closest to Westwood listed first.
    • Start
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
    • Alto
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Alto is located in Richland Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alto
    • Archibald
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
    • Rayville
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
    • Mangham
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
    • New Light
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
      • New Light is located in Richland Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Light
  • Union Parish
    • The following are listed by their distance from Westwood, with the one closest to Westwood listed first.
    • Wilhite
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Wilhite is located in Union Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilhite
    • Downsville
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Ouachita City
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
      • Ouachita City is located in Union Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ouachita City
    • Farmerville
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
    • Haile
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
      • Haile is located in Union Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Haile
    • Marion
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
  • Winn Parish
    • Newport
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
      • Newport is located in Winn Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newport

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

Cemeteries Near Westwood ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Westwood.

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

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

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

  • Smith Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the north)
  • Pierce Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
  • New City Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
  • Hasley Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • Kilpatrick's Serenity Gardens
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
  • Mt. Vernon Baptist Church Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • Old Sardis Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • Beny Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • Jewish Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jewish Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Jewish Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located in Monroe.
    • The Jewish Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Rosena Chapel Cemetery
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2158050 <2>
  • Old City Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • St. Mathew Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
  • New Sardis Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
  • Continue List   (212 more) ...
    • McCormick Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Mt. Zion Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
    • Ballard Cemetery
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)

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

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

  • West Monroe
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
    • West Monroe is located in Ouachita Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Monroe
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 12,086 people
  • Cheniere
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Cheniere is located in Ouachita Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cheniere
  • Monroe
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
    • Monroe is located in Ouachita Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monroe
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 46,998 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Monroe <1>
  • Lapine
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Lapine is located in Ouachita Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lapine
  • Forksville
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
    • Forksville is located in Ouachita Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forksville
  • Cadeville
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Cadeville is located in Ouachita Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cadeville
  • Sicard
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
    • Sicard is located in Ouachita Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sicard
  • Calhoun
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
  • Logtown
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Logtown is located in Ouachita Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Logtown
  • Millhaven
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
    • Millhaven is located in Ouachita Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millhaven
  • Walnut Lane ‑ Historic
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Walnut Lane is located in Union Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walnut Lane
  • Indian Village
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
    • Indian Village is located in Ouachita Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Indian Village
  • Continue List   (15 more) ...
    • Point
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
      • Point is located in Union Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Point
    • Cuba
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Cuba is located in Ouachita Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cuba
    • Bosco
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Bosco is located in Ouachita Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bosco

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

Newspapers Published in Westwood ...

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 30 newspapers that have been published in the area around Westwood.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Westwood, there are papers which were published within 14 miles [22.5 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Westwood.

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 Westwood:

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