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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 Keel (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 Keel. 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 southeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most hospitals and doctors were in the next county to the east. 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 east 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.

Keel is located in Lafayette 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 Lafayette County: Calhoun, Marshall, Panola, Pontotoc, Tate, Union & Yalobusha.

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

  • Lafayette County     (The home county of Keel)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Keel, with the one closest to Keel listed first.
    • Altus
      (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
      • Altus is located in Lafayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Altus
    • Lafayette Springs
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Lafayette Springs is located in Lafayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lafayette Springs
    • Abbeville
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Oxford
      (9 miles [14.5 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>
    • Cornish
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
      • Cornish is located in Lafayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cornish
    • Delay
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
      • Delay is located in Lafayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Delay
    • Alesville
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
      • Alesville is located in Lafayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alesville
    • Taylor
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Harmontown
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
      • Harmontown is located in Lafayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harmontown
    • Springdale
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Springdale is located in Lafayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Springdale
  • Benton County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Keel, with the one closest to Keel listed first.
    • Hickory Flat
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Pine Grove
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
      • Pine Grove is located in Benton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Grove
    • Snow Lake Shores
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
      • Snow Lake Shores is located in Benton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Snow Lake Shores
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 291 people
  • Calhoun County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Keel, with the one closest to Keel listed first.
    • Sarepta
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
      • Sarepta is located in Calhoun County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sarepta
    • Banner
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
    • Bruce
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
      • Bruce is located in Calhoun County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bruce
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,798 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Bruce <1>
  • Marshall County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Keel, with the one closest to Keel listed first.
    • Cornersville
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Cornersville is located in Marshall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cornersville
    • Potts Camp
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
    • Laws Hill
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Laws Hill is located in Marshall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Laws Hill
    • Chulahoma
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Chulahoma is located in Marshall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chulahoma
    • Marianna
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Marianna is located in Marshall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marianna
    • Holly Springs
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
    • Hudsonville
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • Hudsonville is located in Marshall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hudsonville
    • Red Banks
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
  • Panola County
    • Terza
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • Terza is located in Panola County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Terza
  • Pontotoc County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Keel, with the one closest to Keel listed first.
    • Thaxton
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Toccopola
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Toccopola is located in Pontotoc County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Toccopola
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 258 people
    • Turnpike
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Turnpike is located in Pontotoc County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Turnpike
    • Possum Trot
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Possum Trot is located in Pontotoc County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Possum Trot
    • Ecru
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
      • 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
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
      • Cherry Creek is located in Pontotoc County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cherry Creek
    • Pannell
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Pannell is located in Pontotoc County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pannell
    • Pontotoc
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
    • Nixon
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
      • Nixon is located in Pontotoc County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nixon
    • Algoma
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Sherman
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
  • Tate County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Keel, with the one closest to Keel listed first.
    • Tyro
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Tyro is located in Tate County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tyro
    • Wyatte
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Wyatte is located in Tate County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wyatte
    • Aiken
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Aiken is located in Tate County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aiken
    • Looxahoma
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Looxahoma is located in Tate County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Looxahoma
  • Tippah County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Keel, with the one closest to Keel listed first.
    • Blue Mountain
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Blue Mountain is located in Tippah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blue Mountain
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 933 people
    • Lowrey
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Lowrey is located in Tippah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lowrey
    • Gravestown
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Gravestown is located in Tippah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gravestown
    • Clarysville
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Clarysville is located in Tippah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clarysville
    • Whitten Town
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
      • 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 Keel, with the one closest to Keel listed first.
    • Darden
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Darden is located in Union County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Darden
    • Fairview
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
      • Fairview is located in Union County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairview
    • Myrtle
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Ingomar
      (18 miles [29 km] to the east)
      • Ingomar is located in Union County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ingomar
    • Glenfield
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
      • Glenfield is located in Union County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glenfield
    • New Albany
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
    • Mound City
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
      • Mound City is located in Union County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mound City
    • Blue Springs
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
    • Molino
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Molino is located in Union County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Molino
    • Ellistown
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
      • Ellistown is located in Union County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ellistown
  • Yalobusha County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Keel, with the one closest to Keel listed first.
    • Water Valley
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Velma
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Velma is located in Yalobusha County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Velma

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

Cemeteries Near Keel ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Keel.

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

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

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

  • Pine Grove Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
  • Jefferson Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the east)
  • Oak Grove Memorial Gardens
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
  • Bluff Springs Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Shiloh Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
  • Midway Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
  • Mt. Zion Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Midway Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • Cypress Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
  • Liberty Hill Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
  • Liberty Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
  • Martin Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
  • Continue List   (373 more) ...

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

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

  • Denmark
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
    • Denmark is located in Lafayette County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Denmark
  • Lafayette Springs
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Lafayette Springs is located in Lafayette County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lafayette Springs
  • Etta
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Etta is located in Union County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Etta
  • University
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
  • Oxford
    (9 miles [14.5 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>
  • Abbeville
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
  • Delay
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
    • Delay is located in Lafayette County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Delay
  • Gallway
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Gallway is located in Union County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gallway
  • Darden
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Darden is located in Union County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Darden
  • Cornersville
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Cornersville is located in Marshall County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cornersville
  • Bethlehem
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
    • Bethlehem is located in Marshall County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bethlehem
  • College Hill
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
    • College Hill is located in Lafayette County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for College Hill
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Tula
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
      • Tula is located in Lafayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tula
    • Esperanza
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
      • Esperanza is located in Pontotoc County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Esperanza
    • Alesville
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
      • 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 Keel. See our List of 1890's Communities around Keel.

Newspapers Published in Keel ...

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 33 newspapers that have been published in the area around Keel.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Keel, 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 Keel.

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 Keel:

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 Keel, 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 things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Keel) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.