Our Genealogy Helper
Introduction ...
So far, we found very little information about Nelia. The little that we've found leads us believe that the community is historic.<1>
We've added Nelia to our Gazetteer with the hope that we can develop more information. If you can help us with Nelia, please Contact Us.
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 Nelia (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 Nelia. 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.
Although our information shows that the community of Nelia is historic, it would have been located within present day Washington 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 Washington County: Chicot (AR), Bolivar, Humphreys, Issaquena, Sharkey & Sunflower.
Below are the counties that are near Nelia. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Nelia:
- Washington County (The home county of Nelia)
- The following are listed by their distance from Nelia, with the one closest to Nelia listed first.
- Stoneville
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Stoneville is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stoneville
- Leland
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Metcalfe
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Metcalfe is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Metcalfe
- Population from the 2020 Census: 935 people
- Greenville
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Dunleith
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Dunleith is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunleith
- Napanee
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Napanee is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Napanee
- Helm
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Helm is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Helm
- Wilmot
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Wilmot is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilmot
- Arcola
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Arcola is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arcola
- Population from the 2020 Census: 315 people
- Avon
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Avon is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avon
- Forrest City ‑ Historic
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Forrest City is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forrest City
- James
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- James is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for James
- Hollandale
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Bolivar County
- The following are listed by their distance from Nelia, with the one closest to Nelia listed first.
- Lamont
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Lamont is located in Bolivar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lamont
- Choctaw
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Grapeland
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Grapeland is located in Bolivar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grapeland
- Scott
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Scott is located in Bolivar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Scott
- Lake Vista
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Lake Vista is located in Bolivar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Vista
- Benoit
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Longshot
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Longshot is located in Bolivar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Longshot
- Shaw
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Shaw is located in Bolivar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shaw
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,655 people
- Mound Landing
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Mound Landing is located in Bolivar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mound Landing
- Dahomy
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Dahomy is located in Bolivar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dahomy
- Eutaw
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Eutaw is located in Bolivar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eutaw
- Boyle
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Christmas
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Christmas is located in Bolivar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Christmas
- Hinds County
- Delta City
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Delta City is located in Hinds County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Delta City
- Humphreys County
- The following are listed by their distance from Nelia, with the one closest to Nelia listed first.
- Isola
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Isola is located in Humphreys County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Isola
- Population from the 2020 Census: 591 people
- Gooden Lake
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Gooden Lake is located in Humphreys County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gooden Lake
- Jaketown
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Jaketown is located in Humphreys County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jaketown
- Sharkey County
- The following are listed by their distance from Nelia, with the one closest to Nelia listed first.
- Panther Burn
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Panther Burn is located in Sharkey County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Panther Burn
- Nitta Yuma
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Nitta Yuma is located in Sharkey County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nitta Yuma
- Auter
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Auter is located in Sharkey County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Auter
- Richey
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Richey is located in Sharkey County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Richey
- Sunflower County
- The following are listed by their distance from Nelia, with the one closest to Nelia listed first.
- Heathman
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Heathman is located in Sunflower County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Heathman
- New Town
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- New Town is located in Sunflower County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Town
- Indianola
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Faisonia
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Faisonia is located in Sunflower County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Faisonia
- Baird
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Baird is located in Sunflower County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Baird
- Inverness
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Inverness is located in Sunflower County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Inverness
- Population from the 2020 Census: 852 people
- Roundaway
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Roundaway is located in Sunflower County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roundaway
- Sunflower
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Sunflower is located in Sunflower County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sunflower
- Population from the 2020 Census: 960 people
- Moorhead
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Moorhead is located in Sunflower County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moorhead
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,059 people
- Halstead
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Halstead is located in Sunflower County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Halstead
- White City
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- White City is located in Sunflower County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White City
- Doddsville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Doddsville is located in Sunflower County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Doddsville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 72 people
- Quiver ‑ Historic
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Quiver is located in Sunflower County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Quiver
- Chicot County (AR)
- The following are listed by their distance from Nelia, with the one closest to Nelia listed first.
- Lake Village
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Eudora
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Dermott
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Desha County (AR)
- The following are listed by their distance from Nelia, with the one closest to Nelia listed first.
- Arkansas City
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Arkansas City is located in Desha County (AR)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arkansas City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 310 people
- Napoleon ‑ Historic
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Napoleon is located in Desha County (AR)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Napoleon
- McArthur
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- McArthur is located in Desha County (AR)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McArthur
- McGehee
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Rohwer
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Drew County (AR)
- Jerome
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Jerome is located in Drew County (AR)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jerome
- Population from the 2020 Census: 34 people
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Nelia, see our County-by-County Page for Nelia.
Cemeteries Near Nelia ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Nelia.
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 Nelia - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Nelia covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Nelia, with the one closest to Nelia listed first.
- Stoneville - Leland Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Lamont Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Oakland Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Greenlawn Memorial Gardens
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Christian Life Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Shamrock Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Morning Star Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Jake Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Jake Cemetery #2
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Brown Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Charity Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Hopkins Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Continue List (164 more) ...
- Jones Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Heads Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Greenville Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 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.
While we didn't find Nelia in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Nelia.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Nelia, with the one closest to Nelia listed first.
- Stoneville
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Stoneville is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stoneville
- Magenta
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Magenta is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Magenta
- Leland
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Elizabeth
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Elizabeth is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elizabeth
- Greenville
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Burdette
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Burdette is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burdette
- Helm
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Helm is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Helm
- Swiftwater
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Swiftwater is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Swiftwater
- Holly Ridge
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Holly Ridge is located in Sunflower County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holly Ridge
- Lamont
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Lamont is located in Bolivar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lamont
- Arcola
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Arcola is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arcola
- Population from the 2020 Census: 315 people
- Choctaw
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Continue List (16 more) ...
- Wayside
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Wayside is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wayside
- Heathman
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Heathman is located in Sunflower County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Heathman
- Scott
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Scott is located in Bolivar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Scott
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Nelia. See our List of 1890's Communities around Nelia.
Newspapers Published in Nelia ...
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 Nelia.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Nelia, there are papers which were published within 23 miles [37 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Nelia.
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 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 Nelia:
- Websites specific to Mississippi
- Pages specific to Washington County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Bolivar County
- Hinds County
- Humphreys County
- Sharkey County
- Sunflower County
- Chicot County
- Desha County
- Drew County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Mississippi
Footnotes ...
| <1> | 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 Nelia, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <2> | While we're fans and frequent users of TripAdvisor, you should know that we're also members of the TripAdvisor affiliate program. |
| <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> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' (or 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- Nelia) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |