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 Bethel (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 Bethel. 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 doctors 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.
Bethel is located in Newton County.
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 Newton County: Clarke, Jasper, Kemper, Lauderdale, Leake, Neshoba, Scott & Smith.
Below are the counties that are near Bethel. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Bethel:
- Newton County (The home county of Bethel)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
- Six Towns ‑ Historic
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Six Towns is located in Newton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Six Towns
- Newton
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Pine Bluff
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Pine Bluff is located in Newton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Bluff
- Hickory
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Hickory is located in Newton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hickory
- Population from the 2020 Census: 515 people
- Decatur
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Conehatta
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Conehatta is located in Newton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Conehatta
- Chunky
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Lucern
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Lucern is located in Newton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lucern
- Stamper ‑ Historic
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Stamper is located in Newton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stamper
- Union
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Clarke County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
- Enterprise
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Pachuta
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Pachuta is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pachuta
- Population from the 2020 Census: 227 people
- Stonewall
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Stonewall is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stonewall
- Population from the 2020 Census: 946 people
- Barnett
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Barnett is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barnett
- Jasper County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
- Baxter ‑ Historic
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Baxter is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Baxter
- Garlandsville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Garlandsville is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garlandsville
- Success ‑ Historic
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Success is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Success
- Verba ‑ Historic
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Verba is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Verba
- Montrose
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Montrose is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Montrose
- Population from the 2020 Census: 137 people
- Penantly
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Penantly is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Penantly
- Rose Hill
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Rose Hill is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rose Hill
- Fellowship ‑ Historic
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Fellowship is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fellowship
- Former name for Fellowship:
- Masengale
- Fellowship has also been known as:
- Old Fellowship
- Louin
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Louin is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Louin
- Population from the 2020 Census: 262 people
- Gridley ‑ Historic
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Gridley is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gridley
- McNeal ‑ Historic
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- McNeal is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McNeal
- Ras
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Ras is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ras
- Stevens ‑ Historic
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Stevens is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stevens
- Kemper County
- Rio
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Rio is located in Kemper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rio
- Lauderdale County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
- Lost Gap
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Lost Gap is located in Lauderdale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lost Gap
- Suqualena
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Suqualena is located in Lauderdale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Suqualena
- Nellieburg
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Nellieburg is located in Lauderdale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nellieburg
- Collinsville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Hookston
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Hookston is located in Lauderdale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hookston
- Martin
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Martin is located in Lauderdale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Martin
- Meridian
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Bailey
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Bailey is located in Lauderdale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bailey
- Leake County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
- High Hill
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- High Hill is located in Leake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for High Hill
- Walnut Grove
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Standing Pine
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Standing Pine is located in Leake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Standing Pine
- Tuscola
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Tuscola is located in Leake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tuscola
- Neshoba County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
- Neshoba
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Neshoba is located in Neshoba County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Neshoba
- Dixon
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Dixon is located in Neshoba County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dixon
- House
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- House is located in Neshoba County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for House
- Dowdville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Dowdville is located in Neshoba County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dowdville
- Tucker
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Tucker is located in Neshoba County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tucker
- Scott County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
- Lake
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Forest
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Sebastopol
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Harperville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Harperville is located in Scott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harperville
- Raworth
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Raworth is located in Scott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Raworth
- Hunter Town
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Hunter Town is located in Scott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hunter Town
- Kalem
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Kalem is located in Scott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kalem
- Clifton
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Clifton is located in Scott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clifton
- Morton
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Cash
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Cash is located in Scott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cash
- Beach
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Beach is located in Scott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beach
- Cooperville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Cooperville is located in Scott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cooperville
- Smith County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
- Sylvarena
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Sylvarena is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sylvarena
- Population from the 2020 Census: 106 people
- Burns
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Burns is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burns
- Raleigh
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Trenton
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Trenton is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trenton
- Mineral Springs
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Mineral Springs is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mineral Springs
- Bezer
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Bezer is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bezer
- Polkville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- 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 Bethel, see our County-by-County Page for Bethel.
Cemeteries Near Bethel ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Bethel.
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 Bethel - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Bethel covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
- Evans Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Baptist Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Masonic Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Eureka Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Doolittle Confederate Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Randall Hill Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Garlandville Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Newton County Memorial Gardens
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Decedar Baptist Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Old Norman Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Bufkin Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bufkin Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Bufkin Cemetery is located 6 miles [9.7 km]<3> to the west of Decatur.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #58333 <2>
- Lake City Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake City Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Lake City Cemetery is located outside and to the northwest of Lake.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2408790 <2>
- Continue List (284 more) ...
- Palestine Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Hickory Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Decatur Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Decatur Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Decatur Cemetery is located less than 2 miles<3> to the southwest of Decatur.
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.<4>
While we didn't find Bethel in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Bethel.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
- Newton
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Lawrence
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Garlandsville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Garlandsville is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garlandsville
- Jewells Hill ‑ Historic
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Jewells Hill is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jewells Hill
- Lake
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Hickory
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Hickory is located in Newton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hickory
- Population from the 2020 Census: 515 people
- Montrose
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Montrose is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Montrose
- Population from the 2020 Census: 137 people
- Penantly
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Penantly is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Penantly
- Decatur
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Conehatta
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Conehatta is located in Newton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Conehatta
- Rose Hill
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Rose Hill is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rose Hill
- Norris
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Norris is located in Scott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Norris
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Fellowship ‑ Historic
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Fellowship is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fellowship
- Former name for Fellowship:
- Masengale
- Fellowship has also been known as:
- Old Fellowship
- Roscoe ‑ Historic
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Roscoe is located in Newton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roscoe
- Stamper ‑ Historic
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Stamper is located in Newton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stamper
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Bethel. See our List of 1890's Communities around Bethel.
Newspapers Published in Bethel ...
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 25 newspapers that have been published in the area around Bethel.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Bethel, there are papers which were published within 23 miles [37 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Bethel.
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 Bethel:
- Websites specific to Mississippi
- Pages specific to Newton County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Clarke County
- Jasper County
- Kemper County
- Lauderdale County
- Leake County
- Neshoba County
- Scott 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> | 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> | 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 drawn from Point A (ie- Bethel) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |
| <4> | 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 Bethel, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |