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 Rafn (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 Rafn. 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 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.
Rafn is located in Lincoln 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 Lincoln County: Amite, Copiah, Franklin, Jefferson, Lawrence, Pike & Walthall.
Below are the counties that are near Rafn. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Rafn:
- Lincoln County (The home county of Rafn)
- The following are listed by their distance from Rafn, with the one closest to Rafn listed first.
- Montgomery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Montgomery is located in Lincoln County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Montgomery
- Brookhaven
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- New Sight
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- New Sight is located in Lincoln County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Sight
- Wellman
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Wellman is located in Lincoln County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wellman
- Cobbs
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Cobbs is located in Lincoln County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cobbs
- Norfield
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Norfield is located in Lincoln County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Norfield
- Caseyville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Caseyville is located in Lincoln County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caseyville
- Copiah County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rafn, with the one closest to Rafn listed first.
- Wesson
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Beauregard
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Beauregard is located in Copiah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beauregard
- Population from the 2020 Census: 322 people
- Sardis
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Sardis is located in Copiah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sardis
- Martinsville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Martinsville is located in Copiah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Martinsville
- Hazlehurst
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Glancy
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Glancy is located in Copiah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glancy
- Georgetown
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Georgetown is located in Copiah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Georgetown
- Population from the 2020 Census: 268 people
- Bowerton
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Bowerton is located in Copiah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bowerton
- Hopewell
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Hopewell is located in Copiah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hopewell
- Allen
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Allen is located in Copiah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Allen
- Crystal Springs
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Franklin County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rafn, with the one closest to Rafn listed first.
- McCall Creek
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Eddiceton
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Eddiceton is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eddiceton
- Jefferson Davis County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rafn, with the one closest to Rafn listed first.
- Oak Vale
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Oak Vale is located in Jefferson Davis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Vale
- Prentiss
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Lawrence County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rafn, with the one closest to Rafn listed first.
- Nola
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Nola is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nola
- Tryus
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Tryus is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tryus
- Rosella
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Rosella is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rosella
- Monticello
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Hooker
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Hooker is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hooker
- Grange ‑ Historic
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Grange is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grange
- Silver Creek
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Verna
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Verna is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Verna
- Arm
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Arm is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arm
- New Hebron
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Tilton
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Tilton is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tilton
- Marion County
- Goss
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Goss is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goss
- Pike County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rafn, with the one closest to Rafn listed first.
- Topisaw
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Topisaw is located in Pike County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Topisaw
- Summit
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- McComb
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Bacots
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Bacots is located in Pike County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bacots
- Bear Town
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Bear Town is located in Pike County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bear Town
- Holmesville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Holmesville is located in Pike County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holmesville
- Rankin County
- Alonzo
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Alonzo is located in Rankin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alonzo
- Simpson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rafn, with the one closest to Rafn listed first.
- Shivers
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Shivers is located in Simpson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shivers
- Westville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Westville is located in Simpson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westville
- Walthall County
- Sartinville
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Sartinville is located in Walthall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sartinville
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Rafn, see our County-by-County Page for Rafn.
Cemeteries Near Rafn ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Rafn.
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 Rafn - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Rafn covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Rafn, with the one closest to Rafn listed first.
- Warren Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Smith Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Big Springs Baptist Church Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Hopewell MB Church Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Thompson Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Kees Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Little Bahala Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Mission Hill Baptist Church Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Macedonia Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Thompson Chapel Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Little Memorial Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Smith Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Continue List (467 more) ...
- Friendship MB Church Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Union Hall Baptist Church Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Wesson Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 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.<3>
While we didn't find Rafn in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Rafn.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Rafn, with the one closest to Rafn listed first.
- Fair River
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Fair River is located in Lincoln County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fair River
- Tryus
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Tryus is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tryus
- Wesson
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Montgomery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Montgomery is located in Lincoln County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Montgomery
- Beauregard
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Beauregard is located in Copiah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beauregard
- Population from the 2020 Census: 322 people
- Brookhaven
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Monticello
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Wellman
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Wellman is located in Lincoln County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wellman
- Ashley
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Ashley is located in Copiah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ashley
- Martinsville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Martinsville is located in Copiah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Martinsville
- Hooker
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Hooker is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hooker
- Rockport
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Rockport is located in Copiah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rockport
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- Bogue Chitto
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Bogue Chitto is located in Lincoln County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bogue Chitto
- Ruth
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Ruth is located in Lincoln County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ruth
- Browns Wells
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Browns Wells is located in Copiah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Browns Wells
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Rafn. See our List of 1890's Communities around Rafn.
Newspapers Published in Rafn ...
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 79 newspapers that have been published in the area around Rafn.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Rafn, there are papers which were published within 28 miles [45.1 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Rafn.
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 Rafn:
- Websites specific to Mississippi
- Pages specific to Lincoln County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Copiah County
- Franklin County
- Jefferson Davis County
- Lawrence County
- Marion County
- Pike County
- Rankin County
- Simpson County
- Walthall 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 Rafn, 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' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Rafn) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |