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 Willing (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 Willing. 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 and doctors 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.
Willing is located in Copiah 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 Copiah County: Claiborne, Hinds, Lawrence, Lincoln, Rankin & Simpson.
Below are the counties that are near Willing. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Willing:
- Copiah County (The home county of Willing)
- The following are listed by their distance from Willing, with the one closest to Willing listed first.
- Carpenter
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Carpenter is located in Copiah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carpenter
- Myles
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Myles is located in Copiah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Myles
- Glancy
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Glancy is located in Copiah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glancy
- Crystal Springs
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Bowerton
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Bowerton is located in Copiah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bowerton
- Hazlehurst
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Allen
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Allen is located in Copiah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Allen
- Martinsville
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Martinsville is located in Copiah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Martinsville
- Sardis
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Sardis is located in Copiah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sardis
- Beauregard
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Beauregard is located in Copiah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beauregard
- Population from the 2020 Census: 322 people
- Wesson
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Hopewell
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Hopewell is located in Copiah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hopewell
- Claiborne County
- The following are listed by their distance from Willing, with the one closest to Willing listed first.
- Carlisle
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Carlisle is located in Claiborne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carlisle
- Saint Elmo
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Saint Elmo is located in Claiborne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Elmo
- Rocky Springs
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Rocky Springs is located in Claiborne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rocky Springs
- Willows
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Willows is located in Claiborne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willows
- Ingleside
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Ingleside is located in Claiborne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ingleside
- Port Gibson
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Grand Gulf
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Grand Gulf is located in Claiborne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grand Gulf
- Westside
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Westside is located in Claiborne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westside
- Hinds County
- The following are listed by their distance from Willing, with the one closest to Willing listed first.
- Bear Creek
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Bear Creek is located in Hinds County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bear Creek
- Utica
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Thompsonville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Thompsonville is located in Hinds County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thompsonville
- Adams
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Adams is located in Hinds County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adams
- Cayuga
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Cayuga is located in Hinds County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cayuga
- Learned
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Oakley
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Oakley is located in Hinds County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakley
- Palestine
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Palestine is located in Hinds County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Palestine
- Newman
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Newman is located in Hinds County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newman
- Midway
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Midway is located in Hinds County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Midway
- Terry
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Raymond
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Jefferson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Willing, with the one closest to Willing listed first.
- Red Lick
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Red Lick is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Lick
- Harriston
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Lawrence County
- Tryus
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Tryus is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tryus
- Lincoln County
- The following are listed by their distance from Willing, with the one closest to Willing listed first.
- Caseyville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Caseyville is located in Lincoln County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caseyville
- New Sight
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- New Sight is located in Lincoln County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Sight
- Montgomery
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Montgomery is located in Lincoln County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Montgomery
- Cobbs
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Cobbs is located in Lincoln County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cobbs
- Brookhaven
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Rankin County
- The following are listed by their distance from Willing, with the one closest to Willing listed first.
- Alonzo
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Alonzo is located in Rankin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alonzo
- Clear Branch
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Clear Branch is located in Rankin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clear Branch
- Whites
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Whites is located in Rankin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whites
- King
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- King is located in Rankin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for King
- Warren County
- The following are listed by their distance from Willing, with the one closest to Willing listed first.
- Newmans
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Newmans is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newmans
- Stout
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Stout is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stout
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Willing, see our County-by-County Page for Willing.
Cemeteries Near Willing ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Willing.
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 Willing - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Willing covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Willing, with the one closest to Willing listed first.
- Flower Hill Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Green Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Bethel Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Bethel Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Pleasant Hill Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Mt. Zion Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Vaughn Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Little Zion Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Pine Bluff Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Grant Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Hill Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Greenlee Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Continue List (255 more) ...
- Mt. Hope Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Pleasant Ridge UMC Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Ridge UMC Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Pleasant Ridge UMC Cemetery is located 9 miles [14.5 km]<2> to the west of Hazlehurst.
- The Pleasant Ridge UMC Cemetery has also been known as:
- Pleasant Ridge Methodist Church Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2277119 <3>
- White Oak Cemetery
(5 miles [8 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.<4>
While we didn't find Willing in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Willing.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Willing, with the one closest to Willing listed first.
- Carpenter
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Carpenter is located in Copiah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carpenter
- Myles
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Myles is located in Copiah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Myles
- Bear Creek
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Bear Creek is located in Hinds County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bear Creek
- Barlow
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Barlow is located in Copiah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barlow
- Thompsonville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Thompsonville is located in Hinds County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thompsonville
- Utica
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Carlisle
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Carlisle is located in Claiborne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carlisle
- Gallatin
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Gallatin is located in Copiah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gallatin
- Chapel Hill
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Chapel Hill is located in Hinds County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chapel Hill
- Gallman
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Gallman is located in Copiah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gallman
- Saint Elmo
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Saint Elmo is located in Claiborne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Elmo
- Adams
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Adams is located in Hinds County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adams
- Continue List (13 more) ...
- Hermanville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Hermanville is located in Claiborne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hermanville
- Bowerton
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Bowerton is located in Copiah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bowerton
- Browns Wells
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Browns Wells is located in Copiah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Browns Wells
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Willing. See our List of 1890's Communities around Willing.
Newspapers Published in Willing ...
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 70 newspapers that have been published in the area around Willing.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Willing, there are papers which were published within 26 miles [41.8 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Willing.
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 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 Willing:
- Websites specific to Mississippi
- Pages specific to Copiah County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Claiborne County
- Hinds County
- Jefferson County
- Lawrence County
- Lincoln County
- Rankin County
- Warren 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> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' (or point-to-point) distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Willing) 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 Willing, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |