RoadsideThoughts
A Gazetteer for the United States and Canada
Home >> State of Mississippi >> Claiborne County >> Shelby >> Genealogy HelperIndex...

Our Genealogy Helper

Introduction ...

So far, we found very little information about Shelby. The little that we've found leads us believe that the community is historic.<1>

We've added Shelby to our Gazetteer with the hope that we can develop more information. If you can help us with Shelby, 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 Shelby (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 Shelby. 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/Parishes ...

When searching for family records, we have frequently made the mistake of not checking the neighboring counties/parishes.

For example, we have great-grandparents who lived in the northeast 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 north.

So when searching for records, we had our best success by looking in neighboring counties/parishes 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/parishes, 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 Shelby is historic, it would have been located within present day Claiborne 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 Claiborne County: Tensas (LA), Copiah, Hinds, Jefferson & Warren.

Below are the counties/parishes that are near Shelby. For each of these counties/parishes, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Shelby:

  • Claiborne County     (The home county of Shelby)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Shelby, with the one closest to Shelby listed first.
    • Saint Elmo
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
      • Saint Elmo is located in Claiborne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Elmo
    • Carlisle
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Carlisle is located in Claiborne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carlisle
    • Willows
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Willows is located in Claiborne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willows
    • Rocky Springs
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
      • Rocky Springs is located in Claiborne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rocky Springs
    • Port Gibson
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
    • Ingleside
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Ingleside is located in Claiborne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ingleside
    • Grand Gulf
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
      • Grand Gulf is located in Claiborne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grand Gulf
    • Westside
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
      • Westside is located in Claiborne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westside
  • Copiah County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Shelby, with the one closest to Shelby listed first.
    • Myles
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
      • Myles is located in Copiah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Myles
    • Carpenter
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Carpenter is located in Copiah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carpenter
    • Allen
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Allen is located in Copiah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Allen
    • Bowerton
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Bowerton is located in Copiah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bowerton
    • Glancy
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Glancy is located in Copiah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glancy
    • Hazlehurst
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
    • Martinsville
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Martinsville is located in Copiah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Martinsville
    • Crystal Springs
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
    • Beauregard
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Beauregard is located in Copiah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beauregard
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 322 people
    • Wesson
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Franklin County
    • Hamburg
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Hamburg is located in Franklin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hamburg
  • Hinds County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Shelby, with the one closest to Shelby listed first.
    • Utica
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Cayuga
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Cayuga is located in Hinds County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cayuga
    • Bear Creek
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Bear Creek is located in Hinds County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bear Creek
    • Newman
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
      • Newman is located in Hinds County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newman
    • Adams
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Adams is located in Hinds County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adams
    • Thompsonville
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
      • Thompsonville is located in Hinds County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thompsonville
    • Learned
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
    • Oakley
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Oakley is located in Hinds County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakley
    • Edwards
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Palestine
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Palestine is located in Hinds County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Palestine
    • Midway
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Midway is located in Hinds County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Midway
  • Jefferson County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Shelby, with the one closest to Shelby listed first.
    • Red Lick
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Red Lick is located in Jefferson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Lick
    • Harriston
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Fayette
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Rodney
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
      • Rodney is located in Jefferson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rodney
  • Lincoln County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Shelby, with the one closest to Shelby listed first.
    • Caseyville
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Caseyville is located in Lincoln County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caseyville
    • Cobbs
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Cobbs is located in Lincoln County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cobbs
    • New Sight
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
      • New Sight is located in Lincoln County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Sight
  • Warren County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Shelby, with the one closest to Shelby listed first.
    • Stout
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
      • Stout is located in Warren County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stout
    • Newmans
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
      • Newmans is located in Warren County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newmans
    • Vicksburg
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
  • Madison Parish (LA)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Shelby, with the one closest to Shelby listed first.
    • Delta
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
      • Delta is located in Madison Parish (LA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Delta
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 246 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Delta <2>
    • Mound
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Mound is located in Madison Parish (LA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mound
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 15 people
    • Coleman
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Coleman is located in Madison Parish (LA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coleman
  • Tensas Parish (LA)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Shelby, with the one closest to Shelby listed first.
    • Yucatan Landing
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Yucatan Landing is located in Tensas Parish (LA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yucatan Landing
    • Saint Joseph
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
    • Newellton
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)

For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Shelby, see our County-by-County Page for Shelby.

Cemeteries Near Shelby ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Shelby.

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 Shelby - one of the links might be able to help.

If not found below, our Cemetery List for Shelby covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.

The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Shelby, with the one closest to Shelby listed first.

  • Shelby Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
  • French Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
  • Shield Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the north)
  • Cherry Farm Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
  • Old Mt. Tro Grove Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
  • Center Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
  • Patona Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
  • Jones Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
  • Turnipseed Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
  • Douglass Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
  • Beech Grove Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
  • Pisgah Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
  • Continue List   (274 more) ...
    • Sarepta Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Hulburt Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
    • Hulburt Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)

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 Shelby in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Shelby.

These communities are listed based on their distance from Shelby, with the one closest to Shelby listed first.

  • Hermanville
    (Less than 2 miles to the west)
    • Hermanville is located in Claiborne County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hermanville
  • Saint Elmo
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
    • Saint Elmo is located in Claiborne County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Elmo
  • Carlisle
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Carlisle is located in Claiborne County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carlisle
  • Myles
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Myles is located in Copiah County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Myles
  • Humphreys
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
    • Humphreys is located in Claiborne County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Humphreys
  • Gordon
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Gordon is located in Claiborne County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gordon
  • Rocky Springs
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
    • Rocky Springs is located in Claiborne County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rocky Springs
  • Port Gibson
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
  • Carpenter
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Carpenter is located in Copiah County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carpenter
  • Ingleside
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Ingleside is located in Claiborne County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ingleside
  • Oaklawn
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
    • Oaklawn is located in Claiborne County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oaklawn
  • Russum
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Russum is located in Claiborne County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Russum
  • Continue List   (13 more) ...
    • McBride
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
      • McBride is located in Jefferson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McBride
    • Barlow
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Barlow is located in Copiah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barlow
    • Reganton
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
      • Reganton is located in Claiborne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reganton

We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Shelby. See our List of 1890's Communities around Shelby.

Newspapers Published in Shelby ...

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 61 newspapers that have been published in the area around Shelby.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Shelby, there are papers which were published within 26 miles [41.8 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Shelby.

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 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 Shelby:

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 Shelby, 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>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- Shelby) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.