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 Watson (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 Watson. 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 southeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors and hospitals were in the next county to the east. Almost all of the nearby churches and cemeteries were in the county to the south.
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 south 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.
Watson is located in Marshall 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 Marshall County: Benton, DeSoto, Lafayette, Tate, Union, Fayette (TN) & Shelby (TN).
Below are the counties that are near Watson. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Watson:
- Marshall County (The home county of Watson)
- The following are listed by their distance from Watson, with the one closest to Watson listed first.
- Byhalia
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Victoria
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Victoria is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Victoria
- Red Banks
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Marianna
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Marianna is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marianna
- Chulahoma
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Chulahoma is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chulahoma
- Taska
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Taska is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Taska
- Barton
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Barton is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barton
- Cayce
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Cayce is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cayce
- Holly Springs
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Mount Pleasant
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Laws Hill
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Laws Hill is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Laws Hill
- Atway
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Atway is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Atway
- Slayden
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Slayden is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Slayden
- Benton County
- The following are listed by their distance from Watson, with the one closest to Watson listed first.
- Snow Lake Shores
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Snow Lake Shores is located in Benton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Snow Lake Shores
- Population from the 2020 Census: 291 people
- Michigan City
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Ashland
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Pine Grove
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Pine Grove is located in Benton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Grove
- Hickory Flat
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- DeSoto County
- The following are listed by their distance from Watson, with the one closest to Watson listed first.
- Ingrams Mill
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Ingrams Mill is located in DeSoto County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ingrams Mill
- Alphaba
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Alphaba is located in DeSoto County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alphaba
- Bright
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Bright is located in DeSoto County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bright
- Olive Branch
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Hernando
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Southaven
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Nesbit
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- De Soto Village
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- De Soto Village is located in DeSoto County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for De Soto Village
- Aldens
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Aldens is located in DeSoto County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aldens
- Horn Lake
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Lynchburg
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Lynchburg is located in DeSoto County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lynchburg
- Cub Lake
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Cub Lake is located in DeSoto County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cub Lake
- Eudora
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Eudora is located in DeSoto County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eudora
- Lafayette County
- The following are listed by their distance from Watson, with the one closest to Watson listed first.
- Harmontown
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Harmontown is located in Lafayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harmontown
- Abbeville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Alesville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Alesville is located in Lafayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alesville
- Oxford
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Panola County
- The following are listed by their distance from Watson, with the one closest to Watson listed first.
- Como
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Sardis
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Tate County
- The following are listed by their distance from Watson, with the one closest to Watson listed first.
- Wyatte
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Wyatte is located in Tate County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wyatte
- Aiken
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Aiken is located in Tate County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aiken
- Antioch
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Antioch is located in Tate County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Antioch
- Poagville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Poagville is located in Tate County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Poagville
- Tyro
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Tyro is located in Tate County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tyro
- Looxahoma
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Looxahoma is located in Tate County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Looxahoma
- New Town
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- New Town is located in Tate County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Town
- Coldwater
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Senatobia
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Arkabutla
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Arkabutla is located in Tate County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arkabutla
- Tunica County
- Banks
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Banks is located in Tunica County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Banks
- Fayette County (TN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Watson, with the one closest to Watson listed first.
- Piperton
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Piperton is located in Fayette County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Piperton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,128 people
- Rossville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- New Bethel
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- New Bethel is located in Fayette County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Bethel
- Estimated population in 2014: 3,324 people
- Elba
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Elba is located in Fayette County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elba
- Canadaville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Canadaville is located in Fayette County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Canadaville
- Moscow
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Macon
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Macon is located in Fayette County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Macon
- Forty Five
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Forty Five is located in Fayette County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forty Five
- La Grange
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- La Grange is located in Fayette County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for La Grange
- Population from the 2020 Census: 129 people
- Shelby County (TN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Watson, with the one closest to Watson listed first.
- Collierville
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Bailey
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Bailey is located in Shelby County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bailey
- Forest Hill
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Forest Hill is located in Shelby County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest Hill
- Capleville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Capleville is located in Shelby County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Capleville
- Germantown
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Parkway Village
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Parkway Village is located in Shelby County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parkway Village
- Oakville
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Oakville is located in Shelby County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakville
- Cordova
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- The Village
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- The Village is located in Shelby County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for The Village
- Binghampton
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Binghampton is located in Shelby County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Binghampton
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Watson, see our County-by-County Page for Watson.
Cemeteries Near Watson ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Watson.
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 Watson - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Watson covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Watson, with the one closest to Watson listed first.
- Isaac Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Emory Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Emery Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Liberty Hill Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Mt. Zion Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Grubb Hill Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Horn Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- St. Pauls Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Watkins Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Macedonia Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Ingram Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Harmon Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Continue List (464 more) ...
- McCraven Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Harmonia Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Kelly Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 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.<2>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Watson had a population of 18 people in 1895 with a post office and no railroad service.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Watson, with the one closest to Watson listed first.
- Byhalia
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Wallhill
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Wallhill is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wallhill
- Orion
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Orion is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orion
- Victoria
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Victoria is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Victoria
- Ingrams Mill
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Ingrams Mill is located in DeSoto County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ingrams Mill
- Marianna
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Marianna is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marianna
- Red Banks
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Cockrum
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Cockrum is located in DeSoto County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cockrum
- Independence
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Chulahoma
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Chulahoma is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chulahoma
- Lewisburg
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Lewisburg is located in DeSoto County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lewisburg
- Bowman
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Bowman is located in Tate County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bowman
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- Miller
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Miller is located in DeSoto County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Miller
- Mahon
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Mahon is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mahon
- Thyatira
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Thyatira is located in Tate County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thyatira
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Watson. See our List of 1890's Communities around Watson.
Newspapers Published in Watson ...
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 67 newspapers that have been published in the area around Watson.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Watson, 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 Watson.
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 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 Watson:
- Websites specific to Mississippi
- Pages specific to Marshall County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Benton County
- DeSoto County
- Lafayette County
- Panola County
- Tate County
- Tunica County
- Fayette County
- Shelby 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> | 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 Watson, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <3> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' (or point-to-point) distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Watson) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |