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 Blue Ridge (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 Blue Ridge. 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 Blue Ridge ...
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 Blue Ridge: Blue Rdg. (or less commonly used: Blue Rdge. or Blue Ridg.)
You might be interested in other communities that are also named Blue Ridge. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Blue Ridge.
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 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.
Blue Ridge is located in Jasper 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 Jasper County: Clarke, Jones, Lauderdale, Newton, Scott, Smith & Wayne.
Below are the counties that are near Blue Ridge. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Blue Ridge:
- Jasper County (The home county of Blue Ridge)
- The following are listed by their distance from Blue Ridge, with the one closest to Blue Ridge listed first.
- Vernon ‑ Historic
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Vernon is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vernon
- Acme ‑ Historic
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Acme is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Acme
- Waldrup ‑ Historic
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Waldrup is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waldrup
- Lake Como
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Lake Como is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Como
- Moss
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Moss is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moss
- Moss has also been known as:
- Mossville
- Stringer
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Heidelberg
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Fouke ‑ Historic
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Fouke is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fouke
- Turnerville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Turnerville is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Turnerville
- Kelona
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Kelona is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kelona
- Bay Springs
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- McNeal ‑ Historic
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- McNeal is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McNeal
- Ras
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Ras is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ras
- Clarke County
- The following are listed by their distance from Blue Ridge, with the one closest to Blue Ridge listed first.
- Barnett
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Barnett is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barnett
- Pachuta
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Pachuta is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pachuta
- Population from the 2020 Census: 227 people
- De Soto
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- De Soto is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for De Soto
- Shubuta
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Shubuta is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shubuta
- Population from the 2020 Census: 399 people
- Quitman
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Stonewall
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Stonewall is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stonewall
- Population from the 2020 Census: 946 people
- Enterprise
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Gin ‑ Historic
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Gin is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gin
- Covington County
- The following are listed by their distance from Blue Ridge, with the one closest to Blue Ridge listed first.
- Hot Coffee
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Hot Coffee is located in Covington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hot Coffee
- Collins
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Kola
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Kola is located in Covington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kola
- Arbo
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Arbo is located in Covington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arbo
- Seminary
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Jones County
- The following are listed by their distance from Blue Ridge, with the one closest to Blue Ridge listed first.
- Errata
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Errata is located in Jones County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Errata
- Sandersville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Sandersville is located in Jones County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sandersville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 721 people
- Amy
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Amy is located in Jones County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Amy
- Service
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Service is located in Jones County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Service
- Soso
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Soso is located in Jones County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Soso
- Population from the 2020 Census: 396 people
- Laurel
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Antioch
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Antioch is located in Jones County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Antioch
- Ellisville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Ovett
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Ovett is located in Jones County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ovett
- Newton County
- The following are listed by their distance from Blue Ridge, with the one closest to Blue Ridge listed first.
- Six Towns ‑ Historic
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Six Towns is located in Newton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Six Towns
- Hickory
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Hickory is located in Newton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hickory
- Population from the 2020 Census: 515 people
- Newton
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Smith County
- The following are listed by their distance from Blue Ridge, with the one closest to Blue Ridge listed first.
- Sylvarena
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Sylvarena is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sylvarena
- Population from the 2020 Census: 106 people
- Mineral Springs
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Mineral Springs is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mineral Springs
- Taylorsville
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Bezer
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Bezer is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bezer
- Raleigh
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Mize
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Burns
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Burns is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burns
- Wayne County
- Whistler
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Whistler is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whistler
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Blue Ridge, see our County-by-County Page for Blue Ridge.
Cemeteries Near Blue Ridge ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Blue Ridge.
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 Blue Ridge - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Blue Ridge covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Blue Ridge, with the one closest to Blue Ridge listed first.
- Graham Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Union Seminary Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Terry Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Mt. Pleasant Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Pisgah Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Memory Gardens Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Enanon Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Enon Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Liberty Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- County Line Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Welborn Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Bethlehem Community Church Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Continue List (358 more) ...
- Corinth Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Lake Como Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Sharon Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
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.<3>
While we didn't find Blue Ridge in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Blue Ridge.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Blue Ridge, with the one closest to Blue Ridge listed first.
- Acme ‑ Historic
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Acme is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Acme
- Lake Como
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Lake Como is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Como
- Turnerville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Turnerville is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Turnerville
- Heidelberg
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Amy
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Amy is located in Jones County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Amy
- Errata
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Errata is located in Jones County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Errata
- Sandersville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Sandersville is located in Jones County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sandersville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 721 people
- Paulding
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Paulding is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Paulding
- Hamlet ‑ Historic
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Hamlet is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hamlet
- Soso
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Soso is located in Jones County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Soso
- Population from the 2020 Census: 396 people
- Vossburg
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Vossburg is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vossburg
- Gitano
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Gitano is located in Jones County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gitano
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Laurel
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Barnett
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Barnett is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barnett
- Sylvarena
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Sylvarena is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sylvarena
- Population from the 2020 Census: 106 people
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Blue Ridge. See our List of 1890's Communities around Blue Ridge.
Newspapers Published in Blue Ridge ...
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 45 newspapers that have been published in the area around Blue Ridge.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Blue Ridge, there are papers which were published within 26 miles [41.8 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Blue Ridge.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we begin with 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 Blue Ridge:
- Websites specific to Mississippi
- Pages specific to Jasper County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Clarke County
- Covington County
- Jones County
- Newton County
- Smith County
- Wayne 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> | 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 Blue Ridge, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <4> | 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- Blue Ridge) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |