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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 Mount Olive (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 Mount Olive. 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.

Name Variations for Mount Olive ...

When searching records, keep in mind that names and their spelling can change over time. Our sources include documents like maps, railroad schedules, Travel, Express and Shipping Guides. Many of these documents date from the 1800's and it's common to find spelling differences.

Although we can't give a definitive list, hopefully the following will give you a feel for the variations that might occur.

For example, a typical abbreviation for Mount Olive: Mt. Olive

You might be interested in other communities that are also named Mount Olive. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Mount Olive.

If you have information about these names (such as the reason for the change, date of change, the origin of the name), please Contact Us.

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 doctors and 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.

Mount Olive is located in Franklin 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 Franklin County: Adams, Amite, Jefferson, Lincoln & Wilkinson.

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

  • Franklin County     (The home county of Mount Olive)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Mount Olive, with the one closest to Mount Olive listed first.
    • Meadville
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
    • Bude
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Bude is located in Franklin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bude
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 987 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Bude <1>
    • White Apple
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
      • White Apple is located in Franklin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White Apple
    • Knoxville
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
      • Knoxville is located in Franklin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Knoxville
    • Garden City
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
      • Garden City is located in Franklin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garden City
    • Roxie
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Eddiceton
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
      • Eddiceton is located in Franklin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eddiceton
    • McCall Creek
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Hamburg
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Hamburg is located in Franklin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hamburg
  • Adams County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Mount Olive, with the one closest to Mount Olive listed first.
    • Jeannette
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Jeannette is located in Adams County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jeannette
    • Selma
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Selma is located in Adams County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Selma
    • Washington
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Washington is located in Adams County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Washington
    • Natchez
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Cloverdale
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
      • Cloverdale is located in Adams County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cloverdale
  • Amite County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Mount Olive, with the one closest to Mount Olive listed first.
    • O'Neil
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
      • O'Neil is located in Amite County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for O'Neil
    • Bewelcome
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
      • Bewelcome is located in Amite County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bewelcome
    • Crosby
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Brookside
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
      • Brookside is located in Amite County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brookside
    • Gloster
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Mount Olive
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
      • Mount Olive is located in Amite County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Olive
    • Liberty
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Liberty is located in Amite County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Liberty
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 634 people
    • Thompson
      (18 miles [29 km] to the east)
      • Thompson is located in Amite County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thompson
    • Glading
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Glading is located in Amite County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glading
    • McElveen
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
      • McElveen is located in Amite County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McElveen
    • Huron
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Huron is located in Amite County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Huron
    • Gillsburg
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Gillsburg is located in Amite County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gillsburg
  • Jefferson County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Mount Olive, with the one closest to Mount Olive listed first.
    • Fayette
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
    • Harriston
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
    • Red Lick
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • Red Lick is located in Jefferson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Lick
  • Lincoln County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Mount Olive, with the one closest to Mount Olive listed first.
    • Cobbs
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Cobbs is located in Lincoln County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cobbs
    • Norfield
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
      • Norfield is located in Lincoln County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Norfield
    • Caseyville
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Caseyville is located in Lincoln County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caseyville
  • Pike County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Mount Olive, with the one closest to Mount Olive listed first.
    • Summit
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
    • Bear Town
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
      • Bear Town is located in Pike County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bear Town
    • McComb
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
  • Wilkinson County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Mount Olive, with the one closest to Mount Olive listed first.
    • Rosetta
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
      • Rosetta is located in Wilkinson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rosetta
    • Centreville
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
    • Wilkinson
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Wilkinson is located in Wilkinson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilkinson
    • Whitaker
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Whitaker is located in Wilkinson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whitaker
    • Woodville
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
  • East Feliciana Parish (LA)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Mount Olive, with the one closest to Mount Olive listed first.
    • Troy ‑ Historic
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
      • Troy is located in East Feliciana Parish (LA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Troy
    • Norwood
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
      • Norwood is located in East Feliciana Parish (LA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Norwood
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 281 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Norwood <1>
    • Woodland
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
      • Woodland is located in East Feliciana Parish (LA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodland
  • Saint Helena Parish (LA)
    • Chipola
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
      • Chipola is located in Saint Helena Parish (LA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chipola

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

Cemeteries Near Mount Olive ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Mount Olive.

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 Mount Olive - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • Smith Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
  • Marvin Huff Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
  • Steele Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
  • Oak Grove Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the north)
  • John Huff Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
  • James Whittington Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
  • Old Mt. Vernon Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Mt. Vernon Methodist Church Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
  • O'Neal Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Stubbs Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
  • Freeman Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
  • Cedar Grove Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
  • Continue List   (725 more) ...
    • Cedar Grove Cemetery
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Deer Cemetery
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Bunkley Cemetery
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)

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

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

  • O'Neil
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
    • O'Neil is located in Amite County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for O'Neil
  • Zion Hill
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Zion Hill is located in Amite County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zion Hill
  • Coles
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Coles is located in Amite County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coles
  • Meadville
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
  • Bewelcome
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
    • Bewelcome is located in Amite County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bewelcome
  • Rosetta
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
    • Rosetta is located in Wilkinson County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rosetta
  • White Apple
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
    • White Apple is located in Franklin County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White Apple
  • Knoxville
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
    • Knoxville is located in Franklin County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Knoxville
  • Gloster
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Garden City
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
    • Garden City is located in Franklin County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garden City
  • Little Springs
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
    • Little Springs is located in Franklin County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Little Springs
  • Roxie
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Continue List   (18 more) ...
    • Smithdale
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
      • Smithdale is located in Amite County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smithdale
    • Orange
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Orange is located in Franklin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orange
    • Tatum
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Tatum is located in Amite County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tatum

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

Newspapers Published in Mount Olive ...

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 108 newspapers that have been published in the area around Mount Olive.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Mount Olive, there are papers which were published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Mount Olive.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we begin with 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 Mount Olive:

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 Mount Olive, 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 drawn from Point A (ie- Mount Olive) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.