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 Lamar (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 Lamar. 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 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.
Lamar is located in Benton 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 Benton County: Marshall, Tippah, Union, Fayette (TN) & Hardeman (TN).
Below are the counties that are near Lamar. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Lamar:
- Benton County (The home county of Lamar)
- The following are listed by their distance from Lamar, with the one closest to Lamar listed first.
- Michigan City
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Snow Lake Shores
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- 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
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Canaan
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Canaan is located in Benton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Canaan
- Pine Grove
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Pine Grove is located in Benton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Grove
- Hickory Flat
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- DeSoto County
- The following are listed by their distance from Lamar, with the one closest to Lamar listed first.
- Ingrams Mill
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Ingrams Mill is located in DeSoto County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ingrams Mill
- Olive Branch
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Lafayette County
- Abbeville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Marshall County
- The following are listed by their distance from Lamar, with the one closest to Lamar listed first.
- Hudsonville
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Hudsonville is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hudsonville
- Atway
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Atway is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Atway
- Slayden
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Slayden is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Slayden
- Mount Pleasant
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Holly Springs
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Taska
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Taska is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Taska
- Red Banks
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Cayce
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Cayce is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cayce
- Victoria
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Victoria is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Victoria
- Potts Camp
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Barton
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Barton is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barton
- Byhalia
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Tate County
- Wyatte
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Wyatte is located in Tate County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wyatte
- Tippah County
- The following are listed by their distance from Lamar, with the one closest to Lamar listed first.
- Gravestown
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Gravestown is located in Tippah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gravestown
- Whitten Town
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Whitten Town is located in Tippah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whitten Town
- Falkner
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Tiplersville
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Tiplersville is located in Tippah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tiplersville
- Walnut
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Blue Mountain
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Blue Mountain is located in Tippah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blue Mountain
- Population from the 2020 Census: 933 people
- Lowrey
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Lowrey is located in Tippah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lowrey
- Ripley
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Clarysville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Clarysville is located in Tippah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clarysville
- Union County
- The following are listed by their distance from Lamar, with the one closest to Lamar listed first.
- Myrtle
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Darden
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Darden is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Darden
- Fayette County (TN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Lamar, with the one closest to Lamar listed first.
- Forty Five
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Forty Five is located in Fayette County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forty Five
- La Grange
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- La Grange is located in Fayette County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for La Grange
- Population from the 2020 Census: 129 people
- Moscow
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Grand Junction
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Williston
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Williston is located in Fayette County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Williston
- Population from the 2020 Census: 373 people
- Rossville
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- New Bethel
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- New Bethel is located in Fayette County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Bethel
- Estimated population in 2014: 3,324 people
- Piperton
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Piperton is located in Fayette County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Piperton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,128 people
- Elba
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Elba is located in Fayette County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elba
- Macon
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Macon is located in Fayette County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Macon
- Somerville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Canadaville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Canadaville is located in Fayette County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Canadaville
- Hardeman County (TN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Lamar, with the one closest to Lamar listed first.
- Saulsbury
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Saulsbury is located in Hardeman County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saulsbury
- Population from the 2020 Census: 90 people
- Hickory Valley
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Hickory Valley is located in Hardeman County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hickory Valley
- Population from the 2020 Census: 92 people
- Rogers Springs
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Rogers Springs is located in Hardeman County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rogers Springs
- Newcastle
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Newcastle is located in Hardeman County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newcastle
- Middleton
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Whiteville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Bolivar
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Essary Springs
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Essary Springs is located in Hardeman County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Essary Springs
- Shelby County (TN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Lamar, with the one closest to Lamar listed first.
- Collierville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Bailey
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Bailey is located in Shelby County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bailey
- Forest Hill
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Forest Hill is located in Shelby County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest Hill
- Arlington
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Cordova
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Germantown
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Lamar, see our County-by-County Page for Lamar.
Cemeteries Near Lamar ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Lamar.
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 Lamar - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Lamar covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Lamar, with the one closest to Lamar listed first.
- Old Lamar Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Rynehart Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Hickory Hill Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Thompson Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Smith Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Gorman Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Rice Chapel Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Clear Creek Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Greenwood Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Hardaway Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Howard Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Fleet Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Continue List (534 more) ...
- Pine Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Worship Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Kimbrough Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 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.<2>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that in 1895, Lamar had a post office and railroad service.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Lamar, with the one closest to Lamar listed first.
- Hudsonville
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Hudsonville is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hudsonville
- Michigan City
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Early Grove
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Early Grove is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Early Grove
- Colbert ‑ Historic
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Colbert is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colbert
- Spring Hill
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Spring Hill is located in Benton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spring Hill
- Ashland
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- La Grange
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- La Grange is located in Fayette County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for La Grange
- Population from the 2020 Census: 129 people
- Moscow
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Canaan
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Canaan is located in Benton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Canaan
- Grand Junction
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Mount Pleasant
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Holly Springs
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Mahon
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Mahon is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mahon
- Red Banks
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Saulsbury
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Saulsbury is located in Hardeman County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saulsbury
- Population from the 2020 Census: 90 people
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Lamar. See our List of 1890's Communities around Lamar.
Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Lamar ...
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 78 newspapers that have been published in the area around Lamar.
We have organized these newspapers into two lists:
- A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Lamar. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Lamar and those printed in the larger area surrounding Lamar.
- An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 29 miles [46.7 km]<3> of Lamar.
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 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 Lamar:
- Websites specific to Mississippi
- Pages specific to Benton County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- DeSoto County
- Lafayette County
- Marshall County
- Tate County
- Tippah County
- Union County
- Fayette County
- Hardeman County
- Shelby 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> | 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 Lamar, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <3> | 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- Lamar) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |