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 Mesa (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 Mesa. 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/Parishes ...
When searching for family records, we have frequently made the mistake of not checking the neighboring counties/parishes.
For example, we have great-grandparents who lived in the southwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors were in the next county to the west. 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/parishes 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 south contained their burial records. If we hadn't included the neighboring counties/parishes, we would have missed many valuable sources of information.
If you're in a similar situation, we hope that the following information helps.
Mesa is located in Walthall 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 Walthall County: Washington (LA), Lawrence, Lincoln, Marion & Pike.
Below are the counties/parishes that are near Mesa. For each of these counties/parishes, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Mesa:
- Walthall County (The home county of Mesa)
- The following are listed by their distance from Mesa, with the one closest to Mesa listed first.
- Tylertown
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Sartinville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Sartinville is located in Walthall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sartinville
- Amite County
- The following are listed by their distance from Mesa, with the one closest to Mesa listed first.
- McElveen
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- McElveen is located in Amite County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McElveen
- Glading
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Glading is located in Amite County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glading
- Huron
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Huron is located in Amite County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Huron
- Thompson
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Thompson is located in Amite County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thompson
- Gillsburg
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Gillsburg is located in Amite County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gillsburg
- Jefferson Davis County
- Oak Vale
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Oak Vale is located in Jefferson Davis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Vale
- Lawrence County
- The following are listed by their distance from Mesa, with the one closest to Mesa listed first.
- Verna
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Verna is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Verna
- Tilton
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Tilton is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tilton
- Arm
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Arm is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arm
- Monticello
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Lincoln County
- The following are listed by their distance from Mesa, with the one closest to Mesa listed first.
- Norfield
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Norfield is located in Lincoln County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Norfield
- Wellman
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Wellman is located in Lincoln County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wellman
- Marion County
- The following are listed by their distance from Mesa, with the one closest to Mesa listed first.
- Kokomo
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Columbia
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Expose
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Expose is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Expose
- Goss
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Goss is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goss
- Twin
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Twin is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Twin
- Pinebur
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Pinebur is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pinebur
- Pike County
- The following are listed by their distance from Mesa, with the one closest to Mesa listed first.
- Holmesville
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Holmesville is located in Pike County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holmesville
- Smithburg
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Smithburg is located in Pike County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smithburg
- Topisaw
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Topisaw is located in Pike County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Topisaw
- Bacots
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Bacots is located in Pike County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bacots
- Magnolia
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- McComb
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Bear Town
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Bear Town is located in Pike County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bear Town
- Chatawa
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Chatawa is located in Pike County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chatawa
- Summit
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Osyka
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Tangipahoa Parish (LA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Mesa, with the one closest to Mesa listed first.
- Kentwood
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Wilmer
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Wilmer is located in Tangipahoa Parish (LA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilmer
- Tangipahoa
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Fluker
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Henry City ‑ Historic
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Henry City is located in Tangipahoa Parish (LA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Henry City
- Washington Parish (LA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Mesa, with the one closest to Mesa listed first.
- Mount Hermon
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Sunny Hill
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Sunny Hill is located in Washington Parish (LA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sunny Hill
- Pine
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Pine is located in Washington Parish (LA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine
- Popeville ‑ Historic
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Popeville is located in Washington Parish (LA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Popeville
- Franklinton
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Stoney Point
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Stoney Point is located in Washington Parish (LA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stoney Point
- Angie
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Angie is located in Washington Parish (LA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Angie
- Population from the 2020 Census: 246 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Angie <1>
- Varnado
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Enon
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Enon is located in Washington Parish (LA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Enon
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Mesa, see our County-by-County Page for Mesa.
Cemeteries Near Mesa ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Mesa.
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 Mesa - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Mesa covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Mesa, with the one closest to Mesa listed first.
- Rushing Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Rushing Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Elisha Thornhill Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Obed Magee Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Holmes Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- HM Lee Memorial Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Gray Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Brumfield Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Walker Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Tylertown Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Founders Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Bridges Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Continue List (716 more) ...
- Union Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Foil Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Wingo Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
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>
While we didn't find Mesa in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Mesa.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Mesa, with the one closest to Mesa listed first.
- Holmesville
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Holmesville is located in Pike County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holmesville
- Smithburg
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Smithburg is located in Pike County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smithburg
- Topisaw
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Topisaw is located in Pike County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Topisaw
- Mount Hermon
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Fernwood
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Fernwood is located in Pike County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fernwood
- Magnolia
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- McComb
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Chatawa
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Chatawa is located in Pike County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chatawa
- Sunny Hill
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Sunny Hill is located in Washington Parish (LA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sunny Hill
- Ruth
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Ruth is located in Lincoln County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ruth
- Osyka
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Summit
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Popeville ‑ Historic
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Popeville is located in Washington Parish (LA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Popeville
- Bailey
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Bailey is located in Tangipahoa Parish (LA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bailey
- Franklinton
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Mesa. See our List of 1890's Communities around Mesa.
Newspapers Published in Mesa ...
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 30 newspapers that have been published in the area around Mesa.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Mesa, there are papers which were published within 23 miles [37 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Mesa.
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 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 Mesa:
- Websites specific to Mississippi
- Pages specific to Walthall County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Amite County
- Jefferson Davis County
- Lawrence County
- Lincoln County
- Marion County
- Pike County
- Tangipahoa Parish
- Washington Parish
- 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 Mesa, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <3> | 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- Mesa) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |