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 Bethlehem (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 Bethlehem. 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 and 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.
Bethlehem is located in Marshall 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 Marshall County: Benton, DeSoto, Lafayette, Tate, Union, Fayette (TN) & Shelby (TN).
Below are the counties that are near Bethlehem. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Bethlehem:
- Marshall County (The home county of Bethlehem)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethlehem, with the one closest to Bethlehem listed first.
- Potts Camp
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Cornersville
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Cornersville is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cornersville
- Laws Hill
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Laws Hill is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Laws Hill
- Holly Springs
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Chulahoma
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Chulahoma is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chulahoma
- Marianna
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Marianna is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marianna
- Hudsonville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Hudsonville is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hudsonville
- Atway
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Atway is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Atway
- Red Banks
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Victoria
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Victoria is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Victoria
- Slayden
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Slayden is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Slayden
- Taska
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Taska is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Taska
- Byhalia
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Benton County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethlehem, with the one closest to Bethlehem listed first.
- Hickory Flat
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Pine Grove
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Pine Grove is located in Benton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Grove
- Snow Lake Shores
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Snow Lake Shores is located in Benton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Snow Lake Shores
- Population from the 2020 Census: 291 people
- Ashland
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Canaan
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Canaan is located in Benton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Canaan
- Michigan City
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- DeSoto County
- Ingrams Mill
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Ingrams Mill is located in DeSoto County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ingrams Mill
- Lafayette County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethlehem, with the one closest to Bethlehem listed first.
- Abbeville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Altus
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Altus is located in Lafayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Altus
- Lafayette Springs
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Lafayette Springs is located in Lafayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lafayette Springs
- Oxford
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Harmontown
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Harmontown is located in Lafayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harmontown
- Cornish
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Cornish is located in Lafayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cornish
- Alesville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Alesville is located in Lafayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alesville
- Delay
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Delay is located in Lafayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Delay
- Taylor
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Springdale
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Springdale is located in Lafayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Springdale
- Pontotoc County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethlehem, with the one closest to Bethlehem listed first.
- Thaxton
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Toccopola
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Toccopola is located in Pontotoc County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Toccopola
- Population from the 2020 Census: 258 people
- Ecru
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Possum Trot
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Possum Trot is located in Pontotoc County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Possum Trot
- Turnpike
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Turnpike is located in Pontotoc County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Turnpike
- Cherry Creek
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Cherry Creek is located in Pontotoc County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cherry Creek
- Nixon
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Nixon is located in Pontotoc County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nixon
- Pontotoc
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Tate County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethlehem, with the one closest to Bethlehem listed first.
- Tyro
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Tyro is located in Tate County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tyro
- Wyatte
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Wyatte is located in Tate County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wyatte
- Aiken
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Aiken is located in Tate County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aiken
- Looxahoma
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Looxahoma is located in Tate County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Looxahoma
- Tippah County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethlehem, with the one closest to Bethlehem listed first.
- Blue Mountain
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Blue Mountain is located in Tippah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blue Mountain
- Population from the 2020 Census: 933 people
- Gravestown
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Gravestown is located in Tippah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gravestown
- Lowrey
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Lowrey is located in Tippah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lowrey
- Whitten Town
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Whitten Town is located in Tippah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whitten Town
- Ripley
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Clarysville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Clarysville is located in Tippah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clarysville
- Dumas
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Dumas is located in Tippah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dumas
- Population from the 2020 Census: 474 people
- Falkner
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Union County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethlehem, with the one closest to Bethlehem listed first.
- Darden
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Darden is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Darden
- Myrtle
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Glenfield
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Glenfield is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glenfield
- New Albany
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Fairview
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Fairview is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairview
- Ingomar
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Ingomar is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ingomar
- Mound City
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Mound City is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mound City
- Molino
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Molino is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Molino
- Ellistown
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Ellistown is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ellistown
- Blue Springs
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Alpine
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Alpine is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alpine
- Graham
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Graham is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Graham
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Bethlehem, see our County-by-County Page for Bethlehem.
Cemeteries Near Bethlehem ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Bethlehem.
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 Bethlehem - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Bethlehem covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Bethlehem, with the one closest to Bethlehem listed first.
- Bethlehem Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Baptist Hill Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Bethlehem Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Salem Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Macedonia Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Brent Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Lebanon Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Mt. Maria Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Cornersville Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Potts Camp Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- St. Mary Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Butler Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Continue List (448 more) ...
- Smith Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Potts Camp Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Spring Hill Cemetery
(5 miles [8 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>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Bethlehem had a population of 17 people in 1895 with a post office and no railroad service.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Bethlehem, with the one closest to Bethlehem listed first.
- Potts Camp
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Cornersville
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Cornersville is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cornersville
- Hickory Flat
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Waterford
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Etta
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Etta is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Etta
- Gallway
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Gallway is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gallway
- Darden
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Darden is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Darden
- Abbeville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Myrtle
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Pine Grove
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Pine Grove is located in Benton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Grove
- Galena
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Galena is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Galena
- Laws Hill
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Laws Hill is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Laws Hill
- Continue List (18 more) ...
- Poolville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Poolville is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Poolville
- Holly Springs
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Colbert ‑ Historic
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Colbert is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colbert
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Bethlehem. See our List of 1890's Communities around Bethlehem.
Newspapers Published in Bethlehem ...
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 74 newspapers that have been published in the area around Bethlehem.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Bethlehem, 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 Bethlehem.
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 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 Bethlehem:
- Websites specific to Mississippi
- Pages specific to Marshall County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Benton County
- DeSoto County
- Lafayette County
- Pontotoc County
- Tate County
- Tippah County
- Union 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 Bethlehem, 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 from Point A (ie- Bethlehem) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |