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 Ashland (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 Ashland. 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 ...
When searching for family records, we have frequently made the mistake of not checking the neighboring counties.
For example, we have great-grandparents who lived in the southwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most hospitals were in the next county to the west. Almost all of the nearby churches and cemeteries were in the county to the south.
So when searching for records, we had our best success by looking in neighboring counties instead of the county in which they lived: their home county contained property and probate records; the county to the west contained birth and death records; the county to the south contained their burial records. If we hadn't included the neighboring counties, we would have missed many valuable sources of information.
If you're in a similar situation, we hope that the following information helps.
Ashland is located in Benton County and is the County Seat.
To see how the shape of Mississippi's counties may have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.
The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Benton County: Marshall, Tippah, Union, Fayette (TN) & Hardeman (TN).
Below are the counties that are near Ashland. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Ashland:
- Benton County (The home county of Ashland)
- The following are listed by their distance from Ashland, with the one closest to Ashland listed first.
- Snow Lake Shores
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Snow Lake Shores is located in Benton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Snow Lake Shores
- Population from the 2020 Census: 291 people
- Canaan
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Canaan is located in Benton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Canaan
- Pine Grove
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Pine Grove is located in Benton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Grove
- Michigan City
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Hickory Flat
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Alcorn County
- The following are listed by their distance from Ashland, with the one closest to Ashland listed first.
- Hightown
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Hightown is located in Alcorn County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hightown
- Kossuth
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Lafayette County
- Abbeville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Marshall County
- The following are listed by their distance from Ashland, with the one closest to Ashland listed first.
- Hudsonville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Hudsonville is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hudsonville
- Atway
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Atway is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Atway
- Potts Camp
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Holly Springs
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Slayden
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Slayden is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Slayden
- Mount Pleasant
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Cornersville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Cornersville is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cornersville
- Red Banks
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Taska
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Taska is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Taska
- Victoria
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Victoria is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Victoria
- Marianna
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Marianna is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marianna
- Cayce
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Cayce is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cayce
- Chulahoma
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Chulahoma is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chulahoma
- Prentiss County
- Jumpertown
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Jumpertown is located in Prentiss County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jumpertown
- Population from the 2020 Census: 477 people
- Tippah County
- The following are listed by their distance from Ashland, with the one closest to Ashland listed first.
- Gravestown
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Gravestown is located in Tippah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gravestown
- Whitten Town
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Whitten Town is located in Tippah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whitten Town
- Falkner
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Lowrey
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Lowrey is located in Tippah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lowrey
- Blue Mountain
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Blue Mountain is located in Tippah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blue Mountain
- Population from the 2020 Census: 933 people
- Ripley
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Tiplersville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Tiplersville is located in Tippah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tiplersville
- Walnut
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Clarysville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Clarysville is located in Tippah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clarysville
- Dumas
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Dumas is located in Tippah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dumas
- Population from the 2020 Census: 474 people
- Union County
- The following are listed by their distance from Ashland, with the one closest to Ashland listed first.
- Myrtle
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Darden
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Darden is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Darden
- Glenfield
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Glenfield is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glenfield
- Molino
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Molino is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Molino
- New Albany
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Graham
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Graham is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Graham
- Fairview
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Fairview is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairview
- Ingomar
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Ingomar is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ingomar
- Mound City
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Mound City is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mound City
- Fayette County (TN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Ashland, with the one closest to Ashland listed first.
- Grand Junction
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- La Grange
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- La Grange is located in Fayette County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for La Grange
- Population from the 2020 Census: 129 people
- Forty Five
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Forty Five is located in Fayette County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forty Five
- Moscow
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Williston
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Williston is located in Fayette County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Williston
- Population from the 2020 Census: 373 people
- Rossville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- New Bethel
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- New Bethel is located in Fayette County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Bethel
- Estimated population in 2014: 3,324 people
- Macon
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Macon is located in Fayette County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Macon
- Piperton
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Piperton is located in Fayette County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Piperton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,128 people
- Somerville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Elba
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Elba is located in Fayette County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elba
- Hardeman County (TN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Ashland, with the one closest to Ashland listed first.
- Saulsbury
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Saulsbury is located in Hardeman County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saulsbury
- Population from the 2020 Census: 90 people
- Rogers Springs
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Rogers Springs is located in Hardeman County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rogers Springs
- Hickory Valley
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Hickory Valley is located in Hardeman County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hickory Valley
- Population from the 2020 Census: 92 people
- Middleton
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Essary Springs
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Essary Springs is located in Hardeman County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Essary Springs
- Newcastle
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Newcastle is located in Hardeman County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newcastle
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Ashland, see our County-by-County Page for Ashland.
Cemeteries Near Ashland ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Ashland.
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 Ashland - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Ashland covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Ashland, with the one closest to Ashland listed first.
- Ashland Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Ashland Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Pleasant Hill Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Friendship Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Robinson Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Bethlehem Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Hamer Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Bogard Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Liberty Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Jordan Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Bluff Springs Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Littleton Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Continue List (512 more) ...
- Ormans Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Samuel Chapel Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Tate Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 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.<2>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Ashland had a population of 138 people in 1895 with a post office and no railroad service. In 2020, Ashland had a population of 514 people.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Ashland, with the one closest to Ashland listed first.
- Spring Hill
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Spring Hill is located in Benton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spring Hill
- Canaan
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Canaan is located in Benton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Canaan
- Pine Grove
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Pine Grove is located in Benton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Grove
- Colbert ‑ Historic
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Colbert is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colbert
- Lamar
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Michigan City
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Hudsonville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Hudsonville is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hudsonville
- Lowrey
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Lowrey is located in Tippah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lowrey
- Falkner
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Potts Camp
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Blue Mountain
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Blue Mountain is located in Tippah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blue Mountain
- Population from the 2020 Census: 933 people
- Ripley
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Grand Junction
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Holly Springs
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- La Grange
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- La Grange is located in Fayette County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for La Grange
- Population from the 2020 Census: 129 people
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Ashland. See our List of 1890's Communities around Ashland.
Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Ashland ...
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 63 newspapers that have been published in the area around Ashland.
We have organized these newspapers into two lists:
- A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Ashland. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Ashland and those printed in the larger area surrounding Ashland.
- An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 29 miles [46.7 km]<3> of Ashland.
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 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 Ashland:
- Websites specific to Mississippi
- Pages specific to Benton County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Alcorn County
- Lafayette County
- Marshall County
- Prentiss County
- Tippah County
- Union County
- Fayette County
- Hardeman County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Mississippi
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> | 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 Ashland, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <3> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' (or point-to-point) distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Ashland) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |