Our Genealogy Helper
Introduction ...
So far, we found very little information about Big Lake. The little that we've found leads us believe that the community is historic.<1>
We've added Big Lake to our Gazetteer with the hope that we can develop more information. If you can help us with Big Lake, please Contact Us.
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 Big Lake (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 Big Lake. 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 Big Lake ...
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.
For example, a typical abbreviation for Big Lake: Big Lk.
You might be interested in other communities that are also named Big Lake. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Big Lake.
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 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.
Although our information shows that the community of Big Lake is historic, it would have been located within present day Noxubee 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 Noxubee County: Pickens (AL), Sumter (AL), Kemper, Lowndes, Oktibbeha & Winston.
Below are the counties that are near Big Lake. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Big Lake:
- Noxubee County (The home county of Big Lake)
- The following are listed by their distance from Big Lake, with the one closest to Big Lake listed first.
- Harlan ‑ Historic
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Harlan is located in Noxubee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harlan
- Cooksville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Cooksville is located in Noxubee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cooksville
- Macon
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Ravine
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Ravine is located in Noxubee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ravine
- Shuqualak
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Shuqualak is located in Noxubee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shuqualak
- Population from the 2020 Census: 422 people
- Deerbrook
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Deerbrook is located in Noxubee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deerbrook
- Brooksville
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Mashulaville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Mashulaville is located in Noxubee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mashulaville
- Fairport ‑ Historic
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Fairport is located in Noxubee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairport
- Hashuqua ‑ Historic
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Hashuqua is located in Noxubee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hashuqua
- Kemper County
- The following are listed by their distance from Big Lake, with the one closest to Big Lake listed first.
- Binnsville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Binnsville is located in Kemper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Binnsville
- Wahalak
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Wahalak is located in Kemper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wahalak
- Giles
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Giles is located in Kemper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Giles
- Scooba
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Electric Mills
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Electric Mills is located in Kemper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Electric Mills
- Sucarnoochee
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Sucarnoochee is located in Kemper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sucarnoochee
- De Kalb
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Porterville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Porterville is located in Kemper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Porterville
- Narkeeta ‑ Historic
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Narkeeta is located in Kemper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Narkeeta
- Lynville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Lynville is located in Kemper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lynville
- Lowndes County
- The following are listed by their distance from Big Lake, with the one closest to Big Lake listed first.
- Crawford
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Bent Oak
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Bent Oak is located in Lowndes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bent Oak
- New Hope
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- New Hope is located in Lowndes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Hope
- Artesia
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Artesia is located in Lowndes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Artesia
- Population from the 2020 Census: 420 people
- Columbus
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Winston County
- The following are listed by their distance from Big Lake, with the one closest to Big Lake listed first.
- Fearns Springs
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Fearns Springs is located in Winston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fearns Springs
- Handle
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Handle is located in Winston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Handle
- Randalls Bluff ‑ Historic
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Randalls Bluff is located in Winston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Randalls Bluff
- Greene County (AL)
- The following are listed by their distance from Big Lake, with the one closest to Big Lake listed first.
- West Greene
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- West Greene is located in Greene County (AL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Greene
- Lewiston
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Lewiston is located in Greene County (AL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lewiston
- Clinton
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Clinton is located in Greene County (AL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clinton
- Mantua
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Mantua is located in Greene County (AL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mantua
- Lizzieville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Lizzieville is located in Greene County (AL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lizzieville
- Union
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Union is located in Greene County (AL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union
- Population from the 2020 Census: 207 people
- Boligee
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Miller
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Miller is located in Greene County (AL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Miller
- Pickens County (AL)
- The following are listed by their distance from Big Lake, with the one closest to Big Lake listed first.
- Memphis
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Memphis is located in Pickens County (AL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Memphis
- Population from the 2020 Census: 26 people
- Aliceville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Garden
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Garden is located in Pickens County (AL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garden
- McMullen
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- McMullen is located in Pickens County (AL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McMullen
- Population from the 2020 Census: 9 people
- Pickensville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Pickensville is located in Pickens County (AL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pickensville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 572 people
- Beaver Town
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Beaver Town is located in Pickens County (AL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beaver Town
- Archer
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Archer is located in Pickens County (AL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Archer
- Olney
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Olney is located in Pickens County (AL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Olney
- Carrollton
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Carrollton is located in Pickens County (AL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carrollton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 935 people
- Benevola
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Benevola is located in Pickens County (AL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Benevola
- Macedonia
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Macedonia is located in Pickens County (AL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Macedonia
- Ethelsville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Ethelsville is located in Pickens County (AL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ethelsville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 73 people
- McShan
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- McShan is located in Pickens County (AL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McShan
- Sumter County (AL)
- The following are listed by their distance from Big Lake, with the one closest to Big Lake listed first.
- Panola
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Panola is located in Sumter County (AL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Panola
- Geiger
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Geiger is located in Sumter County (AL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Geiger
- Population from the 2020 Census: 142 people
- Gainesville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Gainesville is located in Sumter County (AL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gainesville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 182 people
- Emelle
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Emelle is located in Sumter County (AL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Emelle
- Population from the 2020 Census: 46 people
- Bethel ‑ Historic
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Bethel is located in Sumter County (AL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bethel
- Sledge ‑ Historic
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Sledge is located in Sumter County (AL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sledge
- Sumterville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Sumterville is located in Sumter County (AL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sumterville
- Epes
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Epes is located in Sumter County (AL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Epes
- Population from the 2020 Census: 326 people
- Boyd
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Boyd is located in Sumter County (AL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boyd
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Big Lake, see our County-by-County Page for Big Lake.
Cemeteries Near Big Lake ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Big Lake.
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 Big Lake - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Big Lake covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Big Lake, with the one closest to Big Lake listed first.
- Prairie Ridge Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Cooksville Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- McLeod Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Cluster Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Hebron Church Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- DeJarnate Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Dancy Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Cedar Grove Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Zion Hill Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Adams Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Memphis Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Eaves Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Continue List (323 more) ...
- Watts Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- X-Prairie Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Old Christian Love Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 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.
While we didn't find Big Lake in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Big Lake.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Big Lake, with the one closest to Big Lake listed first.
- Harlan ‑ Historic
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Harlan is located in Noxubee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harlan
- Paulette
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Paulette is located in Noxubee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Paulette
- Cooksville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Cooksville is located in Noxubee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cooksville
- Prairie Point
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Prairie Point is located in Noxubee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prairie Point
- Memphis
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Memphis is located in Pickens County (AL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Memphis
- Population from the 2020 Census: 26 people
- Brazelia ‑ Historic
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Brazelia is located in Noxubee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brazelia
- Binnsville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Binnsville is located in Kemper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Binnsville
- Macon
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Shuqualak
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Shuqualak is located in Noxubee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shuqualak
- Population from the 2020 Census: 422 people
- Vienna
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Vienna is located in Pickens County (AL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vienna
- Wahalak
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Wahalak is located in Kemper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wahalak
- Deerbrook
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Deerbrook is located in Noxubee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deerbrook
- Continue List (13 more) ...
- Warsaw
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Warsaw is located in Sumter County (AL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Warsaw
- Bigbee Valley
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Bigbee Valley is located in Noxubee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bigbee Valley
- Cliftonville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Cliftonville is located in Noxubee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cliftonville
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Big Lake. See our List of 1890's Communities around Big Lake.
Newspapers Published in Big Lake ...
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 51 newspapers that have been published in the area around Big Lake.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Big Lake, there are papers which were published within 24 miles [38.6 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Big Lake.
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 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 Big Lake:
- Websites specific to Mississippi
- Pages specific to Noxubee County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Kemper County
- Lowndes County
- Winston County
- Greene County
- Pickens County
- Sumter County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Mississippi
Footnotes ...
| <1> | 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 Big Lake, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <2> | While we're fans and frequent users of TripAdvisor, you should know that we're also members of the TripAdvisor affiliate program. |
| <3> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Big Lake) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |