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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 Williams (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 Williams. 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 southwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most hospitals were in the next county to the west. 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 west 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.

Williams is located in Lincoln 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 Lincoln County: Amite, Copiah, Franklin, Jefferson, Lawrence, Pike & Walthall.

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

  • Lincoln County     (The home county of Williams)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Williams, with the one closest to Williams listed first.
    • Cobbs
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
      • Cobbs is located in Lincoln County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cobbs
    • Caseyville
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
      • Caseyville is located in Lincoln County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caseyville
    • Brookhaven
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
    • New Sight
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
      • New Sight is located in Lincoln County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Sight
    • Montgomery
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
      • Montgomery is located in Lincoln County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Montgomery
    • Norfield
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Norfield is located in Lincoln County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Norfield
    • Wellman
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Wellman is located in Lincoln County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wellman
  • Amite County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Williams, with the one closest to Williams listed first.
    • Mount Olive
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
      • Mount Olive is located in Amite County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Olive
    • Brookside
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Brookside is located in Amite County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brookside
    • Thompson
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
      • Thompson is located in Amite County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thompson
    • O'Neil
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
      • O'Neil is located in Amite County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for O'Neil
    • McElveen
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
      • McElveen is located in Amite County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McElveen
    • Glading
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
      • Glading is located in Amite County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glading
    • Liberty
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
      • Liberty is located in Amite County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Liberty
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 634 people
    • Bewelcome
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Bewelcome is located in Amite County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bewelcome
  • Copiah County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Williams, with the one closest to Williams listed first.
    • Allen
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
      • Allen is located in Copiah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Allen
    • Bowerton
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
      • Bowerton is located in Copiah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bowerton
    • Wesson
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Beauregard
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Beauregard is located in Copiah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beauregard
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 322 people
    • Glancy
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
      • Glancy is located in Copiah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glancy
    • Martinsville
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Martinsville is located in Copiah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Martinsville
    • Hazlehurst
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
    • Sardis
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Sardis is located in Copiah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sardis
  • Franklin County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Williams, with the one closest to Williams listed first.
    • McCall Creek
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
    • Eddiceton
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
      • Eddiceton is located in Franklin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eddiceton
    • Bude
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Bude is located in Franklin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bude
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 987 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Bude <1>
    • Meadville
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
    • Hamburg
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
      • Hamburg is located in Franklin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hamburg
    • Roxie
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
    • White Apple
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • White Apple is located in Franklin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White Apple
  • Jefferson County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Williams, with the one closest to Williams listed first.
    • Harriston
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Red Lick
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Red Lick is located in Jefferson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Lick
    • Fayette
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
  • Lawrence County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Williams, with the one closest to Williams listed first.
    • Nola
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
      • Nola is located in Lawrence County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nola
    • Verna
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Verna is located in Lawrence County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Verna
    • Tryus
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
      • Tryus is located in Lawrence County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tryus
    • Rosella
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
      • Rosella is located in Lawrence County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rosella
    • Monticello
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
  • Pike County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Williams, with the one closest to Williams listed first.
    • Summit
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
    • McComb
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
    • Bear Town
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Bear Town is located in Pike County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bear Town
    • Bacots
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Bacots is located in Pike County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bacots
    • Topisaw
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Topisaw is located in Pike County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Topisaw
    • Magnolia
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
    • Holmesville
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Holmesville is located in Pike County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holmesville

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

Cemeteries Near Williams ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Williams.

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

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

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

  • Calcote Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
  • Siloam MB Church Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the north)
  • Pleasant Grove Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
  • Lucien Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Antioch Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
  • New Salem Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Damascus Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
  • Bockles Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Ramah Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • Mt. Zion Church of Christ Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
  • Ebenezer AME Church Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
  • McGehee Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Continue List   (571 more) ...

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.<4>

While we didn't find Williams in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Williams.

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

  • Kennolia
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Kennolia is located in Franklin County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kennolia
  • Caseyville
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
    • Caseyville is located in Lincoln County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caseyville
  • Veto
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
    • Veto is located in Franklin County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Veto
  • Brookhaven
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
  • Little Springs
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Little Springs is located in Franklin County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Little Springs
  • Bogue Chitto
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Bogue Chitto is located in Lincoln County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bogue Chitto
  • Allen
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
    • Allen is located in Copiah County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Allen
  • Auburn
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
    • Auburn is located in Lincoln County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Auburn
  • Norfield
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Norfield is located in Lincoln County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Norfield
  • Montgomery
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Montgomery is located in Lincoln County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Montgomery
  • Union Church
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Union Church is located in Jefferson County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union Church
  • Bowerton
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
    • Bowerton is located in Copiah County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bowerton
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Smithdale
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
      • Smithdale is located in Amite County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smithdale
    • Wellman
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Wellman is located in Lincoln County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wellman
    • Wesson
      (16 miles [25.7 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 Williams. See our List of 1890's Communities around Williams.

Newspapers Published in Williams ...

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 92 newspapers that have been published in the area around Williams.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Williams, there are papers which were published within 29 miles [46.7 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Williams.

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 Williams:

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>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- Williams) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.
<3>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.
<4>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 Williams, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.