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 Olive Branch (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 Olive Branch. 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 Olive Branch ...
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.
For example, a typical abbreviation for Olive Branch: Olive Br. (or less commonly used: Olive Brnch.)
You might be interested in other communities that are also named Olive Branch. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Olive Branch.
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 northeast 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 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 east 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.
Olive Branch is located in DeSoto 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 DeSoto County: Crittenden (AR), Marshall, Tate, Tunica & Shelby (TN).
Below are the counties that are near Olive Branch. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Olive Branch:
- DeSoto County (The home county of Olive Branch)
- The following are listed by their distance from Olive Branch, with the one closest to Olive Branch listed first.
- Southaven
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Bright
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Bright is located in DeSoto County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bright
- De Soto Village
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- De Soto Village is located in DeSoto County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for De Soto Village
- Ingrams Mill
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Ingrams Mill is located in DeSoto County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ingrams Mill
- Nesbit
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Aldens
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Aldens is located in DeSoto County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aldens
- Horn Lake
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Hernando
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Alphaba
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Alphaba is located in DeSoto County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alphaba
- Lynchburg
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Lynchburg is located in DeSoto County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lynchburg
- Southhaven
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Southhaven is located in DeSoto County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Southhaven
- Walls
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Walls is located in DeSoto County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walls
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,441 people
- Former name for Walls:
- Alpika
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Walls <1>
- Marshall County
- The following are listed by their distance from Olive Branch, with the one closest to Olive Branch listed first.
- Barton
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Barton is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barton
- Byhalia
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Cayce
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Cayce is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cayce
- Victoria
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Victoria is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Victoria
- Taska
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Taska is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Taska
- Mount Pleasant
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Red Banks
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Marianna
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Marianna is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marianna
- Slayden
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Slayden is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Slayden
- Chulahoma
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Chulahoma is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chulahoma
- Atway
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Atway is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Atway
- Holly Springs
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Tate County
- The following are listed by their distance from Olive Branch, with the one closest to Olive Branch listed first.
- Antioch
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Antioch is located in Tate County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Antioch
- Coldwater
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Poagville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Poagville is located in Tate County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Poagville
- Aiken
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Aiken is located in Tate County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aiken
- Wyatte
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Wyatte is located in Tate County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wyatte
- Arkabutla
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Arkabutla is located in Tate County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arkabutla
- New Town
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- New Town is located in Tate County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Town
- Looxahoma
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Looxahoma is located in Tate County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Looxahoma
- Senatobia
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Tyro
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Tyro is located in Tate County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tyro
- Tunica County
- Banks
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Banks is located in Tunica County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Banks
- Crittenden County (AR)
- The following are listed by their distance from Olive Branch, with the one closest to Olive Branch listed first.
- Hulbert
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Hulbert is located in Crittenden County (AR)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hulbert
- Mound City
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Mound City is located in Crittenden County (AR)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mound City
- Amanca
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Amanca is located in Crittenden County (AR)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Amanca
- West Memphis
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Pinckney
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Pinckney is located in Crittenden County (AR)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pinckney
- Seyppel
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Seyppel is located in Crittenden County (AR)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seyppel
- Marion
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Marion is located in Crittenden County (AR)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marion
- Population from the 2020 Census: 12,290 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Marion <1>
- Horseshoe Lake
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Horseshoe Lake is located in Crittenden County (AR)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Horseshoe Lake
- Population from the 2020 Census: 270 people
- Sunset
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Sunset is located in Crittenden County (AR)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sunset
- Population from the 2020 Census: 199 people
- Edmondson
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Edmondson is located in Crittenden County (AR)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edmondson
- Population from the 2020 Census: 378 people
- Anthonyville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Anthonyville is located in Crittenden County (AR)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Anthonyville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 148 people
- James Mill
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- James Mill is located in Crittenden County (AR)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for James Mill
- Fayette County (TN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Olive Branch, with the one closest to Olive Branch listed first.
- Piperton
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Piperton is located in Fayette County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Piperton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,128 people
- Rossville
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Elba
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Elba is located in Fayette County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elba
- Canadaville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Canadaville is located in Fayette County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Canadaville
- New Bethel
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- New Bethel is located in Fayette County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Bethel
- Estimated population in 2014: 3,324 people
- Hickory Withe
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Hickory Withe is located in Fayette County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hickory Withe
- Macon
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Macon is located in Fayette County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Macon
- Moscow
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Oakland
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Oakland is located in Fayette County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 8,669 people
- Gallaway
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Williston
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Williston is located in Fayette County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Williston
- Population from the 2020 Census: 373 people
- Shelby County (TN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Olive Branch, with the one closest to Olive Branch listed first.
- Capleville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Capleville is located in Shelby County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Capleville
- Parkway Village
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Parkway Village is located in Shelby County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parkway Village
- Germantown
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Forest Hill
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Forest Hill is located in Shelby County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest Hill
- Oakville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Oakville is located in Shelby County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakville
- Bailey
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Bailey is located in Shelby County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bailey
- The Village
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- The Village is located in Shelby County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for The Village
- Collierville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Cordova
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Binghampton
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Binghampton is located in Shelby County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Binghampton
- Hunt Village
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Hunt Village is located in Shelby County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hunt Village
- Estimated population in 2014: 1,234 people
- Memphis
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Tipton County (TN)
- Wilkinsville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Wilkinsville is located in Tipton County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilkinsville
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Olive Branch, see our County-by-County Page for Olive Branch.
Cemeteries Near Olive Branch ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Olive Branch.
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 Olive Branch - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Olive Branch covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Olive Branch, with the one closest to Olive Branch listed first.
- Clemonts Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Bass Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Blocker Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Stateline Church of Christ
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Cowan Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- South Woods Memorial Park
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Woods Memorial Park
- To give a relative sense of its location, the South Woods Memorial Park is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the southeast of Memphis (TN).
- The South Woods Memorial Park has also been known as:
- Southwoods Memorial Park
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #1983707 <2>
- New Sardis Baptist Church Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- All Saints Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Bethlehem Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- St. Thomas Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Jeremiah Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Shiloh Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Continue List (458 more) ...
- Kelsey Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Cox Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Bethel Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
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>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Olive Branch had a population of 199 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Olive Branch had a population of 39,646 people.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Olive Branch, with the one closest to Olive Branch listed first.
- Cedarview
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Cedarview is located in DeSoto County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedarview
- Capleville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Capleville is located in Shelby County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Capleville
- Miller
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Miller is located in DeSoto County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Miller
- Lewisburg
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Lewisburg is located in DeSoto County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lewisburg
- Plum Point
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Plum Point is located in DeSoto County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plum Point
- Bright
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Bright is located in DeSoto County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bright
- Forest Hill
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Forest Hill is located in Shelby County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest Hill
- Germantown
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Oakville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Oakville is located in Shelby County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakville
- Barton
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Barton is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barton
- Bailey
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Bailey is located in Shelby County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bailey
- Nesbit
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Ingrams Mill
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Ingrams Mill is located in DeSoto County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ingrams Mill
- Horn Lake
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Cockrum
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Cockrum is located in DeSoto County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cockrum
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Olive Branch. See our List of 1890's Communities around Olive Branch.
Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Olive Branch ...
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 214 newspapers that have been published in the area around Olive Branch.
We have organized these newspapers into two lists:
- A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Olive Branch. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Olive Branch and those printed in the larger area surrounding Olive Branch.
- An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 19 miles [30.6 km]<4> of Olive Branch.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we like to start with the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These professional and volunteer 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 Olive Branch:
- Websites specific to Mississippi
- Pages specific to DeSoto County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Marshall County
- Tate County
- Tunica County
- Crittenden County
- Fayette County
- Shelby County
- Tipton 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> | 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 Olive Branch, 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 drawn from Point A (ie- Olive Branch) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |