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 Palestine (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 Palestine. 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 northeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors and 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.
Palestine is located in Yalobusha 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 Yalobusha County: Calhoun, Grenada, Lafayette, Panola & Tallahatchie.
Below are the counties that are near Palestine. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Palestine:
- Yalobusha County (The home county of Palestine)
- The following are listed by their distance from Palestine, with the one closest to Palestine listed first.
- Water Valley
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Velma
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Velma is located in Yalobusha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Velma
- Coffeeville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Oakland
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Tillatoba
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Tillatoba is located in Yalobusha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tillatoba
- Population from the 2010 Census: 91 people
- Calhoun County
- The following are listed by their distance from Palestine, with the one closest to Palestine listed first.
- Banner
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Sarepta
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Sarepta is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sarepta
- Bruce
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Pittsboro
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Pittsboro is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pittsboro
- Population from the 2020 Census: 188 people
- Big Creek
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Big Creek is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Big Creek
- Population from the 2020 Census: 146 people
- Loyd
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Loyd is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Loyd
- Calhoun City
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Derma
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Derma is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Derma
- Population from the 2020 Census: 961 people
- Benela
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Benela is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Benela
- Grenada County
- The following are listed by their distance from Palestine, with the one closest to Palestine listed first.
- Memphis Junction
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Memphis Junction is located in Grenada County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Memphis Junction
- Grenada
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Lafayette County
- The following are listed by their distance from Palestine, with the one closest to Palestine listed first.
- Springdale
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Springdale is located in Lafayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Springdale
- Taylor
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Delay
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Delay is located in Lafayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Delay
- Alesville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Alesville is located in Lafayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alesville
- Oxford
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Cornish
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Cornish is located in Lafayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cornish
- Altus
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Altus is located in Lafayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Altus
- Lafayette Springs
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Lafayette Springs is located in Lafayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lafayette Springs
- Abbeville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Harmontown
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Harmontown is located in Lafayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harmontown
- Marshall County
- Laws Hill
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Laws Hill is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Laws Hill
- Panola County
- The following are listed by their distance from Palestine, with the one closest to Palestine listed first.
- Terza
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Terza is located in Panola County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Terza
- Batesville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Courtland
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Courtland is located in Panola County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Courtland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 504 people
- Pope
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Pope is located in Panola County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pope
- Population from the 2020 Census: 245 people
- Sardis
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Chapeltown
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Chapeltown is located in Panola County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chapeltown
- Como
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Mims
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Mims is located in Panola County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mims
- Pontotoc County
- The following are listed by their distance from Palestine, with the one closest to Palestine listed first.
- Toccopola
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Toccopola is located in Pontotoc County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Toccopola
- Population from the 2020 Census: 258 people
- Thaxton
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Pannell
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Pannell is located in Pontotoc County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pannell
- Turnpike
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Turnpike is located in Pontotoc County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Turnpike
- Possum Trot
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Possum Trot is located in Pontotoc County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Possum Trot
- Tallahatchie County
- The following are listed by their distance from Palestine, with the one closest to Palestine listed first.
- Crevi ‑ Historic
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Crevi is located in Tallahatchie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crevi
- Charleston
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Rosebloom
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Rosebloom is located in Tallahatchie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rosebloom
- Tate County
- Tyro
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Tyro is located in Tate County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tyro
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Palestine, see our County-by-County Page for Palestine.
Cemeteries Near Palestine ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Palestine.
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 Palestine - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Palestine covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Palestine, with the one closest to Palestine listed first.
- Palestine Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Jumpers Chapel Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Humphreys Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Oak Ridge Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Springdale Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Brown Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Pilgrim Rest Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Ship Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Camp Ground Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Bethel Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Wyatt Chapel Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Young Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Continue List (323 more) ...
- Holt Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Moore Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Gilmore Cemetery
(5 miles [8 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.<3>
While we didn't find Palestine in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Palestine.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Palestine, with the one closest to Palestine listed first.
- Water Valley
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Springdale
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Springdale is located in Lafayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Springdale
- Taylor
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Paris
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Paris is located in Lafayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Paris
- Velma
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Velma is located in Yalobusha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Velma
- Pine Valley
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Pine Valley is located in Yalobusha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Valley
- Delay
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Delay is located in Lafayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Delay
- Alesville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Alesville is located in Lafayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alesville
- Banner
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Tula
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Tula is located in Lafayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tula
- Oxford
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- University
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- Coffeeville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Wallace
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Wallace is located in Panola County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wallace
- Central Academy
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Central Academy is located in Panola County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Central Academy
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Palestine. See our List of 1890's Communities around Palestine.
Newspapers Published in Palestine ...
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 65 newspapers that have been published in the area around Palestine.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Palestine, there are papers which were published within 29 miles [46.7 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Palestine.
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 Palestine:
- Websites specific to Mississippi
- Pages specific to Yalobusha County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Calhoun County
- Grenada County
- Lafayette County
- Marshall County
- Panola County
- Pontotoc County
- Tallahatchie County
- Tate 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 Palestine, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <4> | 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- Palestine) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |