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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 Wills Point (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 Wills Point. 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 Wills Point ...

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.

Although we can't give a definitive list, hopefully the following will give you a feel for the variations that might occur.

  • A typical abbreviation for Wills Point: Wills Pt.
  • While the name of this community is Wills Point, be aware that it's the common practice of mapmakers to remove the apostrophe from possessive names<1>. So Wills Point may originally have been Will's Point.

    Sometimes the trailing 's' might be dropped altogether, in which case Wills Point might be written as Will Point.

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

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 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 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 parishes, we would have missed many valuable sources of information.

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

Wills Point is located in Plaquemines 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 Plaquemines Parish: Jefferson, Orleans & Saint Bernard.

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

  • Plaquemines Parish     (The home parish of Wills Point)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Wills Point, with the one closest to Wills Point listed first.
    • Jesuit Bend
      (Less than 2 miles to the west)
      • Jesuit Bend is located in Plaquemines Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jesuit Bend
    • Linwood
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
      • Linwood is located in Plaquemines Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Linwood
    • Cedar Grove
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
      • Cedar Grove is located in Plaquemines Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar Grove
    • Carlisle
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Stella
      (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
      • Stella is located in Plaquemines Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stella
    • Monsecour
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
      • Monsecour is located in Plaquemines Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monsecour
    • Scarsdale
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
      • Scarsdale is located in Plaquemines Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Scarsdale
    • Belle Chasse
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
    • Myrtle Grove
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Myrtle Grove is located in Plaquemines Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Myrtle Grove
    • English Turn
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
      • English Turn is located in Plaquemines Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for English Turn
    • Braithwaite
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Woodland
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Woodland is located in Plaquemines Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodland
  • Jefferson Parish
    • The following are listed by their distance from Wills Point, with the one closest to Wills Point listed first.
    • Crown Point
      (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
    • Jean Lafitte
      (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
      • Jean Lafitte is located in Jefferson Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jean Lafitte
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,996 people
    • Barataria
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
    • Woodmere
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Woodmere is located in Jefferson Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodmere
    • Lafitte
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Timberlane
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
      • Timberlane is located in Jefferson Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Timberlane
    • Estelle
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Estelle is located in Jefferson Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Estelle
    • Harvey
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
    • Terrytown
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
    • Marrero
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Gretna
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
      • Gretna is located in Jefferson Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gretna
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 17,615 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Gretna <2>
    • Westwego
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
  • Lafourche Parish
    • The following are listed by their distance from Wills Point, with the one closest to Wills Point listed first.
    • Cut Off
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Larose
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Galliano
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Gheens
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
    • Golden Meadow
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Orleans Parish
    • The following are listed by their distance from Wills Point, with the one closest to Wills Point listed first.
    • New Orleans
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
    • Gentilly Terrace
      (18 miles [29 km] to the north)
      • Gentilly Terrace is located in Orleans Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gentilly Terrace
    • Gentilly
      (18 miles [29 km] to the north)
      • Gentilly is located in Orleans Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gentilly
    • Milneburg
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
      • Milneburg is located in Orleans Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Milneburg
    • Pine Village
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
      • Pine Village is located in Orleans Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Village
    • Lake Catherine
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Lake Catherine is located in Orleans Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Catherine
  • Saint Bernard Parish
    • The following are listed by their distance from Wills Point, with the one closest to Wills Point listed first.
    • Poydras
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Poydras is located in Saint Bernard Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Poydras
    • Sebastopol
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Sebastopol is located in Saint Bernard Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sebastopol
    • Mohawk City
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Mohawk City is located in Saint Bernard Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mohawk City
    • Saint Bernard
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Story
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Story is located in Saint Bernard Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Story
    • Violet
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Chalmette
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
    • Meraux
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
    • Saxonholm
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
      • Saxonholm is located in Saint Bernard Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saxonholm
    • Toca
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
      • Toca is located in Saint Bernard Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Toca
    • Arabi
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
    • Versailles
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
      • Versailles is located in Saint Bernard Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Versailles
  • Saint Charles Parish
    • The following are listed by their distance from Wills Point, with the one closest to Wills Point listed first.
    • Chaudiere Casse
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
      • Chaudiere Casse is located in Saint Charles Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chaudiere Casse
    • Tabatiere Perdue
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
      • Tabatiere Perdue is located in Saint Charles Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tabatiere Perdue
    • Camardelle
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
      • Camardelle is located in Saint Charles Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Camardelle
    • Ama
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Davis ‑ Historic
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Davis is located in Saint Charles Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Davis
    • Elkinsville ‑ Historic
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
      • Elkinsville is located in Saint Charles Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elkinsville
      • Elkinsville has also been known as:
      • Freetown
    • Lone Star
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
      • Lone Star is located in Saint Charles Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lone Star
    • Mimosa Park
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
      • Mimosa Park is located in Saint Charles Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mimosa Park
    • Saint Rose
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
    • Destrehan
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
    • Bayou Gauche
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
      • Bayou Gauche is located in Saint Charles Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bayou Gauche
    • Boutte
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)

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

Cemeteries Near Wills Point ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Wills Point.

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 Wills Point - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • Belair Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
  • Dobard Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the west)
  • Little Village Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
  • Coulon Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
  • Bailey Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Lafitte Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Scarsdale Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
  • Coulon Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Adams Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Fisher Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Ironton Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
  • Fleming Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
  • Continue List   (80 more) ...
    • St. Anthony Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
    • English Turn Cemetery
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
    • Westlawn South Cemetery
      (10 miles [16.1 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.<3>

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

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

  • Jesuit Bend
    (Less than 2 miles to the west)
    • Jesuit Bend is located in Plaquemines Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jesuit Bend
  • Greenwood
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
    • Greenwood is located in Plaquemines Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenwood
  • Bertrandville
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
    • Bertrandville is located in Plaquemines Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bertrandville
  • Belair
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Belair is located in Plaquemines Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belair
  • Oakville
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Oakville is located in Plaquemines Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakville
  • Linwood
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
    • Linwood is located in Plaquemines Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Linwood
  • Cedar Grove
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
    • Cedar Grove is located in Plaquemines Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar Grove
  • Alliance
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
    • Alliance is located in Plaquemines Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alliance
  • Dalcour
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
    • Dalcour is located in Plaquemines Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dalcour
  • Burbridge
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
    • Burbridge is located in Plaquemines Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burbridge
  • Monsecour
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
    • Monsecour is located in Plaquemines Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monsecour
  • Stella
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
    • Stella is located in Plaquemines Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stella
  • Continue List   (15 more) ...
    • Concession
      (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
      • Concession is located in Plaquemines Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Concession
    • Saint Rosalie
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
      • Saint Rosalie is located in Plaquemines Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Rosalie
    • Scarsdale
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
      • Scarsdale is located in Plaquemines Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Scarsdale

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

Newspapers Published in Wills Point ...

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 541 newspapers that have been published in the area around Wills Point.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Wills Point, 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 Wills Point.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we 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 Wills Point:

Footnotes ...

<1>It's generally believed that possessive apostrophes are removed to prevent confusion on maps where the apostrophe may be confused with a cartographic symbol. While this is generally true, it's not uncommon to find possessive apostrophes in administrative names (such as towns or counties).
<2>While we're fans and frequent users of TripAdvisor, you should know that we're also members of the TripAdvisor affiliate program.
<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 Wills Point, 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 drawn from Point A (ie- Wills Point) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.