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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 Williamsville (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 Williamsville. 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 northwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors were in the next county to the west. 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 west 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.

Williamsville is located in Attala 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 Attala County: Carroll, Choctaw, Holmes, Leake, Madison, Montgomery, Neshoba, Winston & Yazoo.

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

  • Attala County     (The home county of Williamsville)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Williamsville, with the one closest to Williamsville listed first.
    • Kosciusko
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Ethel
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
      • Ethel is located in Attala County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ethel
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 381 people
    • Hesterville
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Hesterville is located in Attala County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hesterville
    • Zemuly
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Zemuly is located in Attala County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zemuly
    • Gregory ‑ Historic
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Gregory is located in Attala County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gregory
    • Sallis
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
    • Possumneck
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Possumneck is located in Attala County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Possumneck
    • Rocky Point
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Rocky Point is located in Attala County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rocky Point
    • Langley ‑ Historic
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
      • Langley is located in Attala County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Langley
    • Newport
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Newport is located in Attala County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newport
    • Auris ‑ Historic
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Auris is located in Attala County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Auris
    • McCool
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
      • McCool is located in Attala County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McCool
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 123 people
  • Carroll County
    • Vaiden
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
  • Choctaw County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Williamsville, with the one closest to Williamsville listed first.
    • French Camp
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Weir
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Weir is located in Choctaw County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weir
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 422 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Weir <1>
    • Bankston ‑ Historic
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Bankston is located in Choctaw County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bankston
    • Ackerman
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Holmes County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Williamsville, with the one closest to Williamsville listed first.
    • West
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Durant
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
    • Goodman
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
    • Richland
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
      • Richland is located in Holmes County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Richland
    • Pickens
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Lexington
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
    • Acona
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Acona is located in Holmes County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Acona
  • Leake County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Williamsville, with the one closest to Williamsville listed first.
    • Coosa
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Coosa is located in Leake County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coosa
    • Saint Ann
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
      • Saint Ann is located in Leake County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Ann
    • Redwater
      (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
      • Redwater is located in Leake County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Redwater
    • Carthage
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
    • Standing Pine
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
      • Standing Pine is located in Leake County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Standing Pine
    • Tuscola
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
      • Tuscola is located in Leake County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tuscola
    • Lena
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
    • Walnut Grove
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
  • Madison County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Williamsville, with the one closest to Williamsville listed first.
    • Camden
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
    • Sharpsburg
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Sharpsburg is located in Madison County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sharpsburg
  • Montgomery County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Williamsville, with the one closest to Williamsville listed first.
    • Kilmichael
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
      • Kilmichael is located in Montgomery County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kilmichael
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 538 people
    • Sibleyton
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
      • Sibleyton is located in Montgomery County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sibleyton
      • Sibleyton has also been known as:
      • Sibleton
  • Neshoba County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Williamsville, with the one closest to Williamsville listed first.
    • Laurel Hill
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Laurel Hill is located in Neshoba County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Laurel Hill
    • Pearl River
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Pearl River is located in Neshoba County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pearl River
    • Hope
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Hope is located in Neshoba County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hope
    • Dowdville
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Dowdville is located in Neshoba County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dowdville
  • Winston County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Williamsville, with the one closest to Williamsville listed first.
    • Vowell
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
      • Vowell is located in Winston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vowell
    • Hinze
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
      • Hinze is located in Winston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hinze
    • Plattsburg
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
      • Plattsburg is located in Winston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plattsburg
    • Noxapater
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
    • Louisville
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)

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

Cemeteries Near Williamsville ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Williamsville.

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

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

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

  • Dodd Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the south)
  • Parkway Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
  • Brooks Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
  • West Union Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
  • Bullock Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Herring Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Presley Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
  • Fletcher Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
  • Pleasant Hill Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
  • Mt. Vernon Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
  • Jerusalem Baptist Church Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jerusalem Baptist Church Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Jerusalem Baptist Church Cemetery is located 6 miles [9.7 km]<2> to the southeast of Kosciusko.
    • The Jerusalem Baptist Church Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Jerusalem Church Cemetery
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #1992671 <3>
  • Buffalo Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • Continue List   (451 more) ...
    • Silas Grove Cemetery
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
    • Samarra Cemetery
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
    • Shelley Cemetery
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)

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

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

  • Kosciusko
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
  • Smyrna
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
    • Smyrna is located in Attala County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smyrna
  • McVille
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
    • McVille is located in Attala County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McVille
  • McAdams
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
    • McAdams is located in Attala County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McAdams
  • Ethel
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Ethel is located in Attala County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ethel
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 381 people
  • Newtonville ‑ Historic
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
    • Newtonville is located in Attala County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newtonville
  • Hesterville
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Hesterville is located in Attala County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hesterville
  • Conway
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
    • Conway is located in Leake County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Conway
  • Sallis
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
  • Thomastown
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Thomastown is located in Leake County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thomastown
  • Newport
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Newport is located in Attala County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newport
  • Renfroe
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Renfroe is located in Leake County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Renfroe
  • Continue List   (18 more) ...
    • Chita ‑ Historic
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
      • Chita is located in Attala County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chita
    • Marydell
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Marydell is located in Leake County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marydell
    • Coosa
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Coosa is located in Leake County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coosa

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

Newspapers Published in Williamsville ...

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 35 newspapers that have been published in the area around Williamsville.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Williamsville, there are papers which were published within 23 miles [37 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Williamsville.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we like to start with the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These helpful 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 Williamsville:

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 'straight-line' (or 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- Williamsville) 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 Williamsville, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.