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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 Blackwater (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 Blackwater. 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 northwest 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 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.

Blackwater 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 Blackwater. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Blackwater:

  • Marshall County     (The home county of Blackwater)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Blackwater, with the one closest to Blackwater listed first.
    • Laws Hill
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Laws Hill is located in Marshall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Laws Hill
    • Chulahoma
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
      • Chulahoma is located in Marshall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chulahoma
    • Marianna
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
      • Marianna is located in Marshall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marianna
    • Potts Camp
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
    • Holly Springs
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Cornersville
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
      • Cornersville is located in Marshall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cornersville
    • Red Banks
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
    • Victoria
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
      • Victoria is located in Marshall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Victoria
    • Byhalia
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
    • Atway
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
      • Atway is located in Marshall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Atway
    • Hudsonville
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Hudsonville is located in Marshall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hudsonville
    • Taska
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
      • Taska is located in Marshall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Taska
  • Benton County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Blackwater, with the one closest to Blackwater listed first.
    • Hickory Flat
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
    • Pine Grove
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Pine Grove is located in Benton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Grove
    • Snow Lake Shores
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
      • 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
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
  • DeSoto County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Blackwater, with the one closest to Blackwater listed first.
    • Ingrams Mill
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Ingrams Mill is located in DeSoto County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ingrams Mill
    • Alphaba
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Alphaba is located in DeSoto County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alphaba
    • Bright
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Bright is located in DeSoto County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bright
    • Hernando
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Lafayette County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Blackwater, with the one closest to Blackwater listed first.
    • Harmontown
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Harmontown is located in Lafayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harmontown
    • Abbeville
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Alesville
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
      • Alesville is located in Lafayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alesville
    • Oxford
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
      • Oxford is located in Lafayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oxford
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 28,635 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Oxford <1>
    • Altus
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
      • Altus is located in Lafayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Altus
    • Taylor
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
    • Springdale
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
      • Springdale is located in Lafayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Springdale
    • Delay
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
      • Delay is located in Lafayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Delay
    • Cornish
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Cornish is located in Lafayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cornish
    • Lafayette Springs
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Lafayette Springs is located in Lafayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lafayette Springs
  • Panola County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Blackwater, with the one closest to Blackwater listed first.
    • Sardis
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Como
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
      • Como is located in Panola County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Como
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,170 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Como <1>
    • Terza
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Terza is located in Panola County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Terza
    • Batesville
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Courtland
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Courtland is located in Panola County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Courtland
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 504 people
    • Pope
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Pope is located in Panola County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pope
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 245 people
    • Ballentine
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
      • Ballentine is located in Panola County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ballentine
    • Longtown
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
      • Longtown is located in Panola County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Longtown
  • Pontotoc County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Blackwater, with the one closest to Blackwater listed first.
    • Thaxton
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Toccopola
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Toccopola is located in Pontotoc County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Toccopola
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 258 people
  • Tate County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Blackwater, with the one closest to Blackwater listed first.
    • Tyro
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
      • Tyro is located in Tate County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tyro
    • Wyatte
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Wyatte is located in Tate County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wyatte
    • Aiken
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Aiken is located in Tate County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aiken
    • Looxahoma
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
      • Looxahoma is located in Tate County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Looxahoma
    • Poagville
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Poagville is located in Tate County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Poagville
    • Antioch
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
      • Antioch is located in Tate County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Antioch
    • New Town
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
      • New Town is located in Tate County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Town
    • Senatobia
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
    • Coldwater
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
  • Union County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Blackwater, with the one closest to Blackwater listed first.
    • Darden
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
      • Darden is located in Union County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Darden
    • Myrtle
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
    • Fairview
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
      • Fairview is located in Union County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairview
  • Yalobusha County
    • Water Valley
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)

For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Blackwater, see our County-by-County Page for Blackwater.

Cemeteries Near Blackwater ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Blackwater.

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 Blackwater - one of the links might be able to help.

If not found below, our Cemetery List for Blackwater covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.

The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Blackwater, with the one closest to Blackwater listed first.

  • Wyatt Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the east)
  • New Hope Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
  • New Hope Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
  • Alexander Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
  • Harmontown Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
  • Free Springs Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Mt. Moriah Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
  • Lammey Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
  • St. Johns Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • St. Peter Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Mt. Comfort Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • Peel Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
  • Continue List   (395 more) ...
    • Tucker Cemetery
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Waldrip Cemetery
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
    • Harris Chapel 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>

While we didn't find Blackwater in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Blackwater.

These communities are listed based on their distance from Blackwater, with the one closest to Blackwater listed first.

  • Laws Hill
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Laws Hill is located in Marshall County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Laws Hill
  • Harmontown
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Harmontown is located in Lafayette County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harmontown
  • Abbeville
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Tyro
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
    • Tyro is located in Tate County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tyro
  • Chulahoma
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
    • Chulahoma is located in Marshall County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chulahoma
  • Galena
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
    • Galena is located in Marshall County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Galena
  • Glenville
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
    • Glenville is located in Panola County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glenville
  • College Hill
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
    • College Hill is located in Lafayette County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for College Hill
  • Waterford
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
  • Thyatira
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Thyatira is located in Tate County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thyatira
  • Marianna
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
    • Marianna is located in Marshall County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marianna
  • Orion
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
    • Orion is located in Marshall County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orion
  • Continue List   (13 more) ...
    • Wallhill
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Wallhill is located in Marshall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wallhill
    • Lespedeza
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Lespedeza is located in Panola County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lespedeza
    • Alesville
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
      • Alesville is located in Lafayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alesville

We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Blackwater. See our List of 1890's Communities around Blackwater.

Newspapers Published in Blackwater ...

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 62 newspapers that have been published in the area around Blackwater.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Blackwater, there are papers which were published within 27 miles [43.5 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Blackwater.

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 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 Blackwater:

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 Blackwater, 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' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Blackwater) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.