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 Star (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 Star. 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.
Star 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 Star. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Star:
- Rankin County (The home county of Star)
- The following are listed by their distance from Star, with the one closest to Star listed first.
- King
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- King is located in Rankin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for King
- Florence
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Clear Branch
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Clear Branch is located in Rankin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clear Branch
- Whites
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Whites is located in Rankin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whites
- Cato
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Cato is located in Rankin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cato
- Greenfield
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Greenfield is located in Rankin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenfield
- Richland
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Alonzo
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Alonzo is located in Rankin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alonzo
- Pearson
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Pearson is located in Rankin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pearson
- Pearl
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Brandon
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Puckett
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Puckett is located in Rankin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Puckett
- Population from the 2020 Census: 346 people
- Copiah County
- The following are listed by their distance from Star, with the one closest to Star listed first.
- Hopewell
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Hopewell is located in Copiah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hopewell
- Georgetown
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Georgetown is located in Copiah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Georgetown
- Population from the 2020 Census: 268 people
- Crystal Springs
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Sardis
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Sardis is located in Copiah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sardis
- Hazlehurst
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Martinsville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Martinsville is located in Copiah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Martinsville
- Hinds County
- The following are listed by their distance from Star, with the one closest to Star listed first.
- Byram
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Choctaw Village
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Choctaw Village is located in Hinds County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Choctaw Village
- Terry
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Jackson
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Midway
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Midway is located in Hinds County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Midway
- North Town Plaza
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- North Town Plaza is located in Hinds County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Town Plaza
- Palestine
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Palestine is located in Hinds County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Palestine
- Clinton
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Raymond
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Thompsonville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Thompsonville is located in Hinds County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thompsonville
- Bear Creek
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Bear Creek is located in Hinds County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bear Creek
- Oakley
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Oakley is located in Hinds County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakley
- Lawrence County
- The following are listed by their distance from Star, with the one closest to Star listed first.
- New Hebron
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Grange ‑ Historic
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Grange is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grange
- Tryus
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Tryus is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tryus
- Madison County
- The following are listed by their distance from Star, with the one closest to Star listed first.
- Ridgeland
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Madison
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Twelve Oaks
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Twelve Oaks is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Twelve Oaks
- Madisonville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Madisonville is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Madisonville
- Mannsdale
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Mannsdale is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mannsdale
- Scott County
- The following are listed by their distance from Star, with the one closest to Star listed first.
- Cooperville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Cooperville is located in Scott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cooperville
- Morton
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Hunter Town
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Hunter Town is located in Scott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hunter Town
- Branch
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Branch is located in Scott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Branch
- Simpson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Star, with the one closest to Star listed first.
- Braxton
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Braxton is located in Simpson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Braxton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 179 people
- D'Lo
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- D'Lo is located in Simpson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for D'Lo
- Population from the 2020 Census: 442 people
- Mendenhall
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Westville
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Westville is located in Simpson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westville
- Shivers
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Shivers is located in Simpson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shivers
- Sanatorium
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Sanatorium is located in Simpson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sanatorium
- Magee
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Coats
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Coats is located in Simpson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coats
- Jaynesville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Jaynesville is located in Simpson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jaynesville
- Smith County
- The following are listed by their distance from Star, with the one closest to Star listed first.
- Daniel
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Daniel is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Daniel
- Polkville
(21 miles [33.8 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
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Trenton is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trenton
- Burns
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Burns is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burns
- Raleigh
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Star, see our County-by-County Page for Star.
Cemeteries Near Star ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Star.
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 Star - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Star covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Star, with the one closest to Star listed first.
- Morning Star Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Star Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Wesleyanna Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Goodhope Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Middleton Field Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Campbellite Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Enoch Grove Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Rexford Methodist Church Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Piney Woods Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Old Taylor Hill Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Rockhill Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- David Thomas Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Continue List (405 more) ...
- Dry Creek Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Mountain Creek Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- New Hope Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
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 Star in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Star.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Star, with the one closest to Star listed first.
- Thomasville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Thomasville is located in Rankin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thomasville
- King
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- King is located in Rankin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for King
- Monterey
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Monterey is located in Rankin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monterey
- Braxton
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Braxton is located in Simpson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Braxton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 179 people
- Harrisville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Harrisville is located in Simpson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harrisville
- Whites
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Whites is located in Rankin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whites
- Cato
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Cato is located in Rankin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cato
- Dobson ‑ Historic
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Dobson is located in Rankin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dobson
- Pearl
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Pearl is located in Simpson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pearl
- Greenfield
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Greenfield is located in Rankin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenfield
- D'Lo
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- D'Lo is located in Simpson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for D'Lo
- Population from the 2020 Census: 442 people
- Pearson
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Pearson is located in Rankin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pearson
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- Johns
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Johns is located in Rankin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Johns
- Everett
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Everett is located in Simpson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Everett
- Brandon
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Star. See our List of 1890's Communities around Star.
Newspapers Published in Star ...
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 136 newspapers that have been published in the area around Star.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Star, there are papers which were published within 16 miles [25.7 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Star.
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 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 Star:
- Websites specific to Mississippi
- Pages specific to Rankin County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Copiah County
- Hinds County
- Lawrence 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 Star, 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 obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Star) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |