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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 Heater (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 Heater. 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 and 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.

Heater is located in Smith 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 Smith County: Covington, Jasper, Jones, Newton, Rankin, Scott & Simpson.

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

  • Smith County     (The home county of Heater)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Heater, with the one closest to Heater listed first.
    • Daniel
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Daniel is located in Smith County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Daniel
    • Raleigh
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
    • Trenton
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
      • Trenton is located in Smith County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trenton
    • Burns
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Burns is located in Smith County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burns
    • Polkville
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
      • Polkville is located in Smith County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Polkville
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 819 people
    • Bezer
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Bezer is located in Smith County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bezer
    • Mize
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
    • Mineral Springs
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Mineral Springs is located in Smith County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mineral Springs
    • Sylvarena
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
      • Sylvarena is located in Smith County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sylvarena
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 106 people
    • Taylorsville
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
  • Covington County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Heater, with the one closest to Heater listed first.
    • Mount Olive
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
      • Mount Olive is located in Covington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Olive
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 896 people
    • Arbo
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
      • Arbo is located in Covington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arbo
    • Hot Coffee
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Hot Coffee is located in Covington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hot Coffee
    • Collins
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
    • Kola
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
      • Kola is located in Covington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kola
    • Williamsburg
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
      • Williamsburg is located in Covington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Williamsburg
  • Jasper County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Heater, with the one closest to Heater listed first.
    • Bay Springs
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
    • Hamlet ‑ Historic
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
      • Hamlet is located in Jasper County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hamlet
    • Stevens ‑ Historic
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
      • Stevens is located in Jasper County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stevens
    • Louin
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
      • Louin is located in Jasper County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Louin
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 262 people
    • Success ‑ Historic
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
      • Success is located in Jasper County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Success
    • Montrose
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
      • Montrose is located in Jasper County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Montrose
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 137 people
    • Lake Como
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
      • Lake Como is located in Jasper County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Como
    • Turnerville
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
      • Turnerville is located in Jasper County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Turnerville
    • Stringer
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Verba ‑ Historic
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
      • Verba is located in Jasper County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Verba
    • Acme ‑ Historic
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
      • Acme is located in Jasper County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Acme
    • Baxter ‑ Historic
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
      • Baxter is located in Jasper County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Baxter
  • Jones County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Heater, with the one closest to Heater listed first.
    • Amy
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Amy is located in Jones County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Amy
    • Soso
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Soso is located in Jones County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Soso
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 396 people
  • Lawrence County
    • New Hebron
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Newton County
    • Six Towns ‑ Historic
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Six Towns is located in Newton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Six Towns
  • Rankin County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Heater, with the one closest to Heater listed first.
    • Galilee
      (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
      • Galilee is located in Rankin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Galilee
    • Puckett
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
      • Puckett is located in Rankin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Puckett
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 346 people
    • Cato
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
      • Cato is located in Rankin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cato
    • Pelahatchie
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
    • Brandon
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Greenfield
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Greenfield is located in Rankin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenfield
    • King
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
      • King is located in Rankin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for King
    • Florence
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
    • Fannin
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Fannin is located in Rankin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fannin
    • Pearl
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Pearl is located in Rankin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pearl
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 26,560 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Pearl <1>
  • Scott County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Heater, with the one closest to Heater listed first.
    • Cooperville
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
      • Cooperville is located in Scott County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cooperville
    • Hunter Town
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
      • Hunter Town is located in Scott County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hunter Town
    • Kalem
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
      • Kalem is located in Scott County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kalem
    • Morton
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
    • Raworth
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
      • Raworth is located in Scott County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Raworth
    • Forest
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
    • Branch
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
      • Branch is located in Scott County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Branch
    • Lake
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Clifton
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
      • Clifton is located in Scott County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clifton
    • Beach
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • Beach is located in Scott County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beach
  • Simpson County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Heater, with the one closest to Heater listed first.
    • Sanatorium
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Sanatorium is located in Simpson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sanatorium
    • Magee
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Magee is located in Simpson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Magee
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 4,094 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Magee <1>
    • Coats
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
      • Coats is located in Simpson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coats
    • Mendenhall
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
    • D'Lo
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
      • D'Lo is located in Simpson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for D'Lo
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 442 people
    • Braxton
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
      • Braxton is located in Simpson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Braxton
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 179 people
    • Jaynesville
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
      • Jaynesville is located in Simpson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jaynesville
    • Westville
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Westville is located in Simpson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westville
    • Shivers
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Shivers is located in Simpson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shivers

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

Cemeteries Near Heater ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Heater.

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

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

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

  • Merchant Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the south)
  • Crossroads Holiness Church Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
  • White Oak Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
  • Dukes Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
  • Pleasent Hill Baptist Church Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
  • Boykin Church Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boykin Church Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Boykin Church Cemetery is located 5 miles [8 km]<2> to the northwest of Raleigh.
  • Gordan Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
  • Steve Hughes Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Steve Hughes Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Steve Hughes Cemetery is located 8 miles [12.9 km]<2> to the northwest of Raleigh.
    • The Steve Hughes Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Old Field Cemetery
  • Old Terry Graveyard
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
  • Miley Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
  • Sharon Baptist Church Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • Myers Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • Continue List   (435 more) ...
    • Moss Cemetery
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Everett Cemetery
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
    • Overby Cemetery
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)

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.<4>

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

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

  • Gunn
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Gunn is located in Smith County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gunn
  • Daniel
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Daniel is located in Smith County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Daniel
  • Raleigh
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
  • Shongelo
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Shongelo is located in Smith County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shongelo
  • Burns
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Burns is located in Smith County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burns
  • Trenton
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
    • Trenton is located in Smith County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trenton
  • Puckett
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
    • Puckett is located in Rankin County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Puckett
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 346 people
  • Polkville
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
    • Polkville is located in Smith County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Polkville
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 819 people
  • Everett
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
    • Everett is located in Simpson County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Everett
  • Bezer
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Bezer is located in Smith County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bezer
  • Johns
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Johns is located in Rankin County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Johns
  • Magee
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Magee is located in Simpson County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Magee
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 4,094 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Magee <1>
  • Continue List   (15 more) ...
    • Mize
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
    • Homewood
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Homewood is located in Scott County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Homewood
    • Pulaski
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
      • Pulaski is located in Scott County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pulaski

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

Newspapers Published in Heater ...

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 31 newspapers that have been published in the area around Heater.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Heater, there are papers which were published within 26 miles [41.8 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Heater.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we start with the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These professional and volunteer 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 Heater:

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>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- Heater) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.
<3>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.
<4>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 Heater, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.