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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 Cairo (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 Cairo. 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 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.

Cairo is located in Pontotoc 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 Pontotoc County: Calhoun, Chickasaw, Lafayette, Lee & Union.

Below are the counties that are near Cairo. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Cairo:

  • Pontotoc County     (The home county of Cairo)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Cairo, with the one closest to Cairo listed first.
    • Ecru
      (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
      • Ecru is located in Pontotoc County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ecru
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,067 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Ecru <1>
    • Cherry Creek
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Cherry Creek is located in Pontotoc County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cherry Creek
    • Possum Trot
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
      • Possum Trot is located in Pontotoc County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Possum Trot
    • Nixon
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Nixon is located in Pontotoc County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nixon
    • Turnpike
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Turnpike is located in Pontotoc County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Turnpike
    • Pontotoc
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
    • Thaxton
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Sherman
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
    • Algoma
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
    • Toccopola
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Toccopola is located in Pontotoc County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Toccopola
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 258 people
    • Pannell
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
      • Pannell is located in Pontotoc County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pannell
    • Goodford
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
      • Goodford is located in Pontotoc County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goodford
  • Benton County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Cairo, with the one closest to Cairo listed first.
    • Hickory Flat
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
    • Pine Grove
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
      • Pine Grove is located in Benton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Grove
  • Calhoun County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Cairo, with the one closest to Cairo listed first.
    • Sarepta
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Sarepta is located in Calhoun County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sarepta
    • Banner
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Loyd
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
      • Loyd is located in Calhoun County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Loyd
  • Chickasaw County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Cairo, with the one closest to Cairo listed first.
    • New Houlka
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
      • New Houlka is located in Chickasaw County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Houlka
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 601 people
      • Former names for New Houlka:
      • Houlka
      • Old Houlka
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for New Houlka <1>
    • Thelma
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
      • Thelma is located in Chickasaw County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thelma
    • Van Vleet
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
      • Van Vleet is located in Chickasaw County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Van Vleet
    • Okolona
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Itawamba County
    • Ballardsville
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
      • Ballardsville is located in Itawamba County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ballardsville
  • Lafayette County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Cairo, with the one closest to Cairo listed first.
    • Lafayette Springs
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
      • Lafayette Springs is located in Lafayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lafayette Springs
    • Cornish
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Cornish is located in Lafayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cornish
    • Altus
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
      • Altus is located in Lafayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Altus
    • Delay
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Delay is located in Lafayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Delay
    • Abbeville
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
    • Oxford
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • 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>
  • Lee County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Cairo, with the one closest to Cairo listed first.
    • Jug Fork
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
      • Jug Fork is located in Lee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jug Fork
    • Birmingham
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
      • Birmingham is located in Lee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Birmingham
    • Corrona
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Corrona is located in Lee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Corrona
    • Boggan Bend
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
      • Boggan Bend is located in Lee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boggan Bend
    • Bissell
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Bissell is located in Lee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bissell
    • Saltillo
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
    • Indian Hills
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
      • Indian Hills is located in Lee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Indian Hills
    • Tupelo
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Guntown
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
    • Verona
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Plantersville
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
    • Shannon
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Mooreville
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
      • Mooreville is located in Lee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mooreville
  • Marshall County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Cairo, with the one closest to Cairo listed first.
    • Cornersville
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Cornersville is located in Marshall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cornersville
    • Potts Camp
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
  • Prentiss County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Cairo, with the one closest to Cairo listed first.
    • Baldwyn
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
    • Geeville
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Geeville is located in Prentiss County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Geeville
    • Blackland
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Blackland is located in Prentiss County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blackland
    • Wheeler
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Wheeler is located in Prentiss County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wheeler
  • Tippah County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Cairo, with the one closest to Cairo listed first.
    • Clarysville
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
      • Clarysville is located in Tippah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clarysville
    • Blue Mountain
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
      • Blue Mountain is located in Tippah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blue Mountain
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 933 people
    • Lowrey
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
      • Lowrey is located in Tippah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lowrey
    • Dumas
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Dumas is located in Tippah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dumas
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 474 people
    • Ripley
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
    • Gravestown
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
      • Gravestown is located in Tippah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gravestown
    • Whitten Town
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
      • Whitten Town is located in Tippah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whitten Town
  • Union County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Cairo, with the one closest to Cairo listed first.
    • Ingomar
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
      • Ingomar is located in Union County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ingomar
    • Fairview
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Fairview is located in Union County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairview
    • New Albany
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
    • Mound City
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
      • Mound City is located in Union County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mound City
    • Blue Springs
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
    • Glenfield
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
      • Glenfield is located in Union County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glenfield
    • Ellistown
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Ellistown is located in Union County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ellistown
    • Darden
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Darden is located in Union County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Darden
    • Myrtle
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
    • Alpine
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Alpine is located in Union County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alpine
    • Molino
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Molino is located in Union County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Molino
    • Graham
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
      • Graham is located in Union County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Graham

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

Cemeteries Near Cairo ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Cairo.

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

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

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

  • Ecru Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ecru Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Ecru Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the northeast of Ecru.
    • The Ecru Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Ecru City Cemetery
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2147928 <2>
  • Ingomar Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
  • Babb Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
  • Oliver Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
  • Pleasant Grove Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
  • Shady Grove Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
  • Liberty Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • Henry Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • Miller Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
  • Harmony Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
  • Wilkins Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
  • Vista Memorial Park
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Continue List   (412 more) ...
    • Martin Cemetery
      (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
    • Weatherall Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
    • Pontotoc Memorial Park
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)

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 Cairo in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Cairo.

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

  • Ecru
    (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
    • Ecru is located in Pontotoc County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ecru
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,067 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Ecru <1>
  • Ingomar
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
    • Ingomar is located in Union County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ingomar
  • Fairview
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Fairview is located in Union County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairview
  • Cherry Creek
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Cherry Creek is located in Pontotoc County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cherry Creek
  • Esperanza
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
    • Esperanza is located in Pontotoc County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Esperanza
  • Wallerville
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Wallerville is located in Union County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wallerville
  • Poolville
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Poolville is located in Union County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Poolville
  • Thaxton
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
  • Pontotoc
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
  • New Albany
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
  • Blue Springs
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
  • Baker
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Baker is located in Union County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Baker
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Sherman
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
    • Gallway
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Gallway is located in Union County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gallway
    • Ellistown
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Ellistown is located in Union County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ellistown

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

Newspapers Published in Cairo ...

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 42 newspapers that have been published in the area around Cairo.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Cairo, there are papers which were published within 20 miles [32.2 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Cairo.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we first visit 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 Cairo:

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 Cairo, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.
<4>Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' (or point-to-point) distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Cairo) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.