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 Topton (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 Topton. 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 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 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.
Topton is located in Lauderdale 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 Lauderdale County: Choctaw (AL), Sumter (AL), Clarke, Kemper & Newton.
Below are the counties that are near Topton. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Topton:
- Lauderdale County (The home county of Topton)
- The following are listed by their distance from Topton, with the one closest to Topton listed first.
- Lockhart
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Lockhart is located in Lauderdale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lockhart
- Marion
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Russell
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Russell is located in Lauderdale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Russell
- Smith
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Smith is located in Lauderdale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smith
- Bailey
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Bailey is located in Lauderdale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bailey
- Daleville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Daleville is located in Lauderdale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Daleville
- Vimville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Vimville is located in Lauderdale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vimville
- Meridian
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Nellieburg
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Nellieburg is located in Lauderdale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nellieburg
- Hookston
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Hookston is located in Lauderdale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hookston
- Suqualena
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Suqualena is located in Lauderdale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Suqualena
- Increase
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Increase is located in Lauderdale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Increase
- Increase has also been known as:
- Causeyville
- Collinsville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Clarke County
- The following are listed by their distance from Topton, with the one closest to Topton listed first.
- Enterprise
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Stonewall
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Stonewall is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stonewall
- Population from the 2020 Census: 946 people
- Quitman
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Jasper County
- Fellowship ‑ Historic
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Fellowship is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fellowship
- Former name for Fellowship:
- Masengale
- Fellowship has also been known as:
- Old Fellowship
- Kemper County
- The following are listed by their distance from Topton, with the one closest to Topton listed first.
- Narkeeta ‑ Historic
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Narkeeta is located in Kemper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Narkeeta
- Porterville
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Porterville is located in Kemper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Porterville
- Rio
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Rio is located in Kemper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rio
- Sucarnoochee
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Sucarnoochee is located in Kemper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sucarnoochee
- De Kalb
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Electric Mills
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Electric Mills is located in Kemper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Electric Mills
- Spinks ‑ Historic
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Spinks is located in Kemper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spinks
- Scooba
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Giles
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Giles is located in Kemper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Giles
- Lynville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Lynville is located in Kemper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lynville
- Wahalak
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Wahalak is located in Kemper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wahalak
- Neshoba County
- House
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- House is located in Neshoba County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for House
- Newton County
- The following are listed by their distance from Topton, with the one closest to Topton listed first.
- Chunky
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Hickory
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Hickory is located in Newton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hickory
- Population from the 2020 Census: 515 people
- Decatur
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Union
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Choctaw County (AL)
- The following are listed by their distance from Topton, with the one closest to Topton listed first.
- Pushmataha
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Pushmataha is located in Choctaw County (AL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pushmataha
- Cromwell
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Cromwell is located in Choctaw County (AL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cromwell
- Lisman
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Lisman is located in Choctaw County (AL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lisman
- Population from the 2020 Census: 476 people
- Jachin
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Jachin is located in Choctaw County (AL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jachin
- Pelham
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Pelham is located in Choctaw County (AL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pelham
- Sumter County (AL)
- The following are listed by their distance from Topton, with the one closest to Topton listed first.
- Cuba
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Cuba is located in Sumter County (AL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cuba
- Population from the 2020 Census: 287 people
- York
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- York is located in Sumter County (AL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for York
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,218 people
- Former names for York:
- New York Station
- York Station
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for York <1>
- Kinterbish
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Kinterbish is located in Sumter County (AL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kinterbish
- Ward
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Ward is located in Sumter County (AL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ward
- Boyd
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Boyd is located in Sumter County (AL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boyd
- Intercourse
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Intercourse is located in Sumter County (AL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Intercourse
- Sledge ‑ Historic
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Sledge is located in Sumter County (AL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sledge
- Emelle
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Emelle is located in Sumter County (AL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Emelle
- Population from the 2020 Census: 46 people
- Derby
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Derby is located in Sumter County (AL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Derby
- Livingston
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Bethel ‑ Historic
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Bethel is located in Sumter County (AL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bethel
- Bellamy
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Bellamy is located in Sumter County (AL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bellamy
- Sumterville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Sumterville is located in Sumter County (AL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sumterville
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Topton, see our County-by-County Page for Topton.
Cemeteries Near Topton ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Topton.
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 Topton - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Topton covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Topton, with the one closest to Topton listed first.
- White Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Kinard Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Good Hope Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Miller Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Lockhart Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Barker Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Barker Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Confederate Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Parker Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Moore Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Tinnin Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tinnin Cemetery
- The Tinnin Cemetery has also been known as:
- Briarwood North Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #63241 <2>
- Forest Lawn Memory Gardens
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Continue List (266 more) ...
- Old Marion Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Hearn Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Clayton Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 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>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that in 1895, Topton had a post office and railroad service.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Topton, with the one closest to Topton listed first.
- Lockhart
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Lockhart is located in Lauderdale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lockhart
- Russell
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Russell is located in Lauderdale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Russell
- Lizelia
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Lizelia is located in Lauderdale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lizelia
- Bailey
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Bailey is located in Lauderdale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bailey
- Daleville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Daleville is located in Lauderdale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Daleville
- Kemper Springs
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Kemper Springs is located in Kemper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kemper Springs
- Meridian
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Vimville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Vimville is located in Lauderdale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vimville
- Kewanee
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Kewanee is located in Lauderdale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kewanee
- Hookston
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Hookston is located in Lauderdale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hookston
- Tamola
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Tamola is located in Kemper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tamola
- Prismatic
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Prismatic is located in Kemper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prismatic
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- Dove
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Dove is located in Sumter County (AL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dove
- Cuba
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Cuba is located in Sumter County (AL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cuba
- Population from the 2020 Census: 287 people
- Enondale
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Enondale is located in Kemper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Enondale
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Topton. See our List of 1890's Communities around Topton.
Newspapers Published in Topton ...
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 74 newspapers that have been published in the area around Topton.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Topton, there are papers which were published within 25 miles [40.2 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Topton.
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 Topton:
- Websites specific to Mississippi
- Pages specific to Lauderdale County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Clarke County
- Jasper County
- Kemper County
- Neshoba County
- Newton County
- Choctaw County
- Sumter 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 Topton, 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- Topton) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |