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 Rufus (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 Rufus. 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.
Rufus is located in Rankin 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 Rankin County: Copiah, Hinds, Madison, Scott, Simpson & Smith.
Below are the counties that are near Rufus. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Rufus:
- Rankin County (The home county of Rufus)
- The following are listed by their distance from Rufus, with the one closest to Rufus listed first.
- Puckett
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Puckett is located in Rankin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Puckett
- Population from the 2020 Census: 346 people
- Cato
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Cato is located in Rankin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cato
- Pelahatchie
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Galilee
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Galilee is located in Rankin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Galilee
- Brandon
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Greenfield
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Greenfield is located in Rankin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenfield
- Fannin
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Fannin is located in Rankin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fannin
- Pearl
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Flowood
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Florence
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Pearson
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Pearson is located in Rankin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pearson
- Goshen Springs
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Goshen Springs is located in Rankin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goshen Springs
- King
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- King is located in Rankin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for King
- Copiah County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rufus, with the one closest to Rufus listed first.
- Georgetown
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Georgetown is located in Copiah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Georgetown
- Population from the 2020 Census: 268 people
- Hopewell
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Hopewell is located in Copiah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hopewell
- Covington County
- Mount Olive
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Mount Olive is located in Covington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Olive
- Population from the 2020 Census: 896 people
- Hinds County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rufus, with the one closest to Rufus listed first.
- North Town Plaza
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- North Town Plaza is located in Hinds County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Town Plaza
- Jackson
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Choctaw Village
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Choctaw Village is located in Hinds County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Choctaw Village
- Byram
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Terry
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Jasper County
- Success ‑ Historic
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Success is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Success
- Leake County
- Lena
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Madison County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rufus, with the one closest to Rufus listed first.
- Madisonville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Madisonville is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Madisonville
- Ridgeland
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Madison
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Twelve Oaks
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Twelve Oaks is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Twelve Oaks
- Scott County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rufus, with the one closest to Rufus listed first.
- Cooperville
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Cooperville is located in Scott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cooperville
- Hunter Town
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Hunter Town is located in Scott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hunter Town
- Morton
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Kalem
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Kalem is located in Scott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kalem
- Branch
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Branch is located in Scott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Branch
- Raworth
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Raworth is located in Scott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Raworth
- Forest
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Beach
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Beach is located in Scott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beach
- Clifton
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Clifton is located in Scott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clifton
- Ludlow
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Ludlow is located in Scott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ludlow
- Harperville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Harperville is located in Scott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harperville
- Lake
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Cash
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Cash is located in Scott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cash
- Simpson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rufus, with the one closest to Rufus listed first.
- D'Lo
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- D'Lo is located in Simpson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for D'Lo
- Population from the 2020 Census: 442 people
- Mendenhall
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Braxton
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Braxton is located in Simpson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Braxton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 179 people
- Sanatorium
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Sanatorium is located in Simpson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sanatorium
- Magee
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Coats
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Coats is located in Simpson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coats
- Westville
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Westville is located in Simpson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westville
- Jaynesville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Jaynesville is located in Simpson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jaynesville
- Shivers
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Shivers is located in Simpson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shivers
- Smith County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rufus, with the one closest to Rufus listed first.
- Daniel
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Daniel is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Daniel
- Polkville
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Polkville is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Polkville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 819 people
- Trenton
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Trenton is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trenton
- Burns
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Burns is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burns
- Raleigh
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Bezer
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Bezer is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bezer
- Mineral Springs
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Mineral Springs is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mineral Springs
- Mize
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Sylvarena
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Sylvarena is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sylvarena
- Population from the 2020 Census: 106 people
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Rufus, see our County-by-County Page for Rufus.
Cemeteries Near Rufus ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Rufus.
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 Rufus - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Rufus covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Rufus, with the one closest to Rufus listed first.
- Antioch Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Walters Grove Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- New Prospect Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Prospect Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Concord Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Johns Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Silverena Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- James Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Old Polkville Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Old Polkville Cemetery
- The Old Polkville Cemetery has also been known as:
- Polkville Cemetery
- Old Stubbs Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Crossroads Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Union Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Continue List (395 more) ...
- Rock Bluff Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Polkville First Baptist Church Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Shiloh Cemetery
(5 miles [8 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 Rufus in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Rufus.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Rufus, with the one closest to Rufus listed first.
- Lynwood ‑ Historic
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Lynwood is located in Rankin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lynwood
- Johns
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Johns is located in Rankin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Johns
- Daniel
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Daniel is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Daniel
- Polkville
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Polkville is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Polkville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 819 people
- Puckett
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Puckett is located in Rankin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Puckett
- Population from the 2020 Census: 346 people
- Dobson ‑ Historic
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Dobson is located in Rankin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dobson
- Cato
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Cato is located in Rankin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cato
- Gunn
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Gunn is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gunn
- Trenton
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Trenton is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trenton
- Pelahatchie
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Everett
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Everett is located in Simpson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Everett
- Rankin
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Rankin is located in Rankin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rankin
- Continue List (13 more) ...
- Pulaski
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Pulaski is located in Scott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pulaski
- Burns
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Burns is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burns
- Morton
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Rufus. See our List of 1890's Communities around Rufus.
Newspapers Published in Rufus ...
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 26 newspapers that have been published in the area around Rufus.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Rufus, there are papers which were published within 21 miles [33.8 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Rufus.
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 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 Rufus:
- Websites specific to Mississippi
- Pages specific to Rankin County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Copiah County
- Covington County
- Hinds County
- Jasper County
- Leake County
- Madison County
- Scott County
- Simpson County
- Smith 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 Rufus, 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 things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Rufus) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |