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 Bay Springs (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 Bay Springs. 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 Bay Springs ...
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.
For example, a typical abbreviation for Bay Springs: Bay Spgs. (or less commonly used: Bay Spngs. or Bay Sprngs.)
You might be interested in other communities that are also named Bay Springs. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Bay Springs.
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 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 northwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors and hospitals were in the next county to the west. Almost all of the nearby churches and cemeteries were in the county to the north.
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 north 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.
Bay Springs is located in Jasper 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 Jasper County: Clarke, Jones, Lauderdale, Newton, Scott, Smith & Wayne.
Below are the counties that are near Bay Springs. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Bay Springs:
- Jasper County (The home county of Bay Springs)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bay Springs, with the one closest to Bay Springs listed first.
- Hamlet ‑ Historic
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Hamlet is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hamlet
- Stevens ‑ Historic
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Stevens is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stevens
- Lake Como
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Lake Como is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Como
- Turnerville
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Turnerville is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Turnerville
- Acme ‑ Historic
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Acme is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Acme
- Louin
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Louin is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Louin
- Population from the 2020 Census: 262 people
- Stringer
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- McNeal ‑ Historic
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- McNeal is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McNeal
- Vernon ‑ Historic
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Vernon is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vernon
- Ras
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Ras is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ras
- Fouke ‑ Historic
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Fouke is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fouke
- Waldrup ‑ Historic
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Waldrup is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waldrup
- Montrose
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Montrose is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Montrose
- Population from the 2020 Census: 137 people
- Clarke County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bay Springs, with the one closest to Bay Springs listed first.
- Barnett
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Barnett is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barnett
- Pachuta
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Pachuta is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pachuta
- Population from the 2020 Census: 227 people
- Stonewall
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Stonewall is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stonewall
- Population from the 2020 Census: 946 people
- Enterprise
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Covington County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bay Springs, with the one closest to Bay Springs listed first.
- Hot Coffee
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Hot Coffee is located in Covington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hot Coffee
- Mount Olive
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Mount Olive is located in Covington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Olive
- Population from the 2020 Census: 896 people
- Arbo
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Arbo is located in Covington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arbo
- Collins
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Kola
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Kola is located in Covington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kola
- Jones County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bay Springs, with the one closest to Bay Springs listed first.
- Amy
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Amy is located in Jones County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Amy
- Soso
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Soso is located in Jones County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Soso
- Population from the 2020 Census: 396 people
- Service
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Service is located in Jones County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Service
- Errata
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Errata is located in Jones County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Errata
- Sandersville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Sandersville is located in Jones County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sandersville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 721 people
- Laurel
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Ellisville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Antioch
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Antioch is located in Jones County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Antioch
- Newton County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bay Springs, with the one closest to Bay Springs listed first.
- Six Towns ‑ Historic
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Six Towns is located in Newton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Six Towns
- Newton
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Hickory
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Hickory is located in Newton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hickory
- Population from the 2020 Census: 515 people
- Pine Bluff
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Pine Bluff is located in Newton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Bluff
- Rankin County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bay Springs, with the one closest to Bay Springs listed first.
- Galilee
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Galilee is located in Rankin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Galilee
- Puckett
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Puckett is located in Rankin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Puckett
- Population from the 2020 Census: 346 people
- Scott County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bay Springs, with the one closest to Bay Springs listed first.
- Lake
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Hunter Town
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Hunter Town is located in Scott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hunter Town
- Forest
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Simpson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bay Springs, with the one closest to Bay Springs listed first.
- Coats
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Coats is located in Simpson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coats
- Magee
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Sanatorium
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Sanatorium is located in Simpson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sanatorium
- Smith County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bay Springs, with the one closest to Bay Springs listed first.
- Sylvarena
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Sylvarena is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sylvarena
- Population from the 2020 Census: 106 people
- Mineral Springs
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Mineral Springs is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mineral Springs
- Bezer
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Bezer is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bezer
- Taylorsville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Raleigh
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Mize
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Burns
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Burns is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burns
- Trenton
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Trenton is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trenton
- Daniel
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Daniel is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Daniel
- Polkville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Polkville is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Polkville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 819 people
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Bay Springs, see our County-by-County Page for Bay Springs.
Cemeteries Near Bay Springs ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Bay Springs.
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 Bay Springs - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Bay Springs covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Bay Springs, with the one closest to Bay Springs listed first.
- Bay Springs Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- New Zion Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Holden Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Blue Mtn. Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Lake Como Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Old Mt. Nebo Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Old Mt. Nebo Cemetery
- The Old Mt. Nebo Cemetery has also been known as:
- Mt. Nebo Cemetery
- Bethel Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bethel Cemetery
- The Bethel Cemetery has also been known as:
- Old Louin Cemetery
- McCraw Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Enanon Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Antioch Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Ted Baptist Church Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Shady Grove MB Church Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Continue List (372 more) ...
- Union Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Louin Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Bethany Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 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.<2>
While we didn't find Bay Springs in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Bay Springs.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Bay Springs, with the one closest to Bay Springs listed first.
- Hamlet ‑ Historic
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Hamlet is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hamlet
- Lake Como
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Lake Como is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Como
- Turnerville
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Turnerville is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Turnerville
- Acme ‑ Historic
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Acme is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Acme
- Sylvarena
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Sylvarena is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sylvarena
- Population from the 2020 Census: 106 people
- Montrose
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Montrose is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Montrose
- Population from the 2020 Census: 137 people
- Bezer
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Bezer is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bezer
- Taylorsville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Amy
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Amy is located in Jones County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Amy
- Gitano
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Gitano is located in Jones County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gitano
- Paulding
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Paulding is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Paulding
- Jewells Hill ‑ Historic
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Jewells Hill is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jewells Hill
- Continue List (13 more) ...
- Raleigh
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Soso
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Soso is located in Jones County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Soso
- Population from the 2020 Census: 396 people
- Shongelo
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Shongelo is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shongelo
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Bay Springs. See our List of 1890's Communities around Bay Springs.
Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Bay Springs ...
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 36 newspapers that have been published in the area around Bay Springs.
We have organized these newspapers into two lists:
- A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Bay Springs. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Bay Springs and those printed in the larger area surrounding Bay Springs.
- An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 24 miles [38.6 km]<3> of Bay Springs.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we first turn to the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These helpful 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 Bay Springs:
- Websites specific to Mississippi
- Pages specific to Jasper County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Clarke County
- Covington County
- Jones County
- Newton County
- Rankin County
- Scott County
- Simpson County
- Smith 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 Bay Springs, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <3> | 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- Bay Springs) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |