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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 Williston (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 Williston. 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 and hospitals 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.

Williston is located in Leake 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 Leake County: Attala, Madison, Neshoba, Newton, Scott & Winston.

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

  • Leake County     (The home county of Williston)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Williston, with the one closest to Williston listed first.
    • Coosa
      (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
      • Coosa is located in Leake County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coosa
    • Standing Pine
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
      • Standing Pine is located in Leake County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Standing Pine
    • Carthage
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
    • Redwater
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
      • Redwater is located in Leake County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Redwater
    • High Hill
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
      • High Hill is located in Leake County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for High Hill
    • Walnut Grove
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
    • Tuscola
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Tuscola is located in Leake County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tuscola
    • Saint Ann
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
      • Saint Ann is located in Leake County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Ann
    • Lena
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Attala County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Williston, with the one closest to Williston listed first.
    • Kosciusko
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
    • Zemuly
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
      • Zemuly is located in Attala County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zemuly
    • Newport
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Newport is located in Attala County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newport
    • Ethel
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
      • Ethel is located in Attala County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ethel
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 381 people
    • Gregory ‑ Historic
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
      • Gregory is located in Attala County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gregory
    • Sallis
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
    • McCool
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • McCool is located in Attala County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McCool
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 123 people
  • Kemper County
    • Spinks ‑ Historic
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
      • Spinks is located in Kemper County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spinks
  • Madison County
  • Neshoba County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Williston, with the one closest to Williston listed first.
    • Laurel Hill
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Laurel Hill is located in Neshoba County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Laurel Hill
    • Dowdville
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Dowdville is located in Neshoba County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dowdville
    • Hope
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
      • Hope is located in Neshoba County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hope
    • Pearl River
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
      • Pearl River is located in Neshoba County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pearl River
    • Dixon
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Dixon is located in Neshoba County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dixon
    • Philadelphia
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
    • Neshoba
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Neshoba is located in Neshoba County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Neshoba
    • Tucker
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
      • Tucker is located in Neshoba County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tucker
    • Ocobla
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
      • Ocobla is located in Neshoba County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ocobla
    • House
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
      • House is located in Neshoba County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for House
    • Bogue Chitto
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
      • Bogue Chitto is located in Neshoba County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bogue Chitto
  • Newton County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Williston, with the one closest to Williston listed first.
    • Lucern
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Lucern is located in Newton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lucern
    • Union
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Conehatta
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
      • Conehatta is located in Newton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Conehatta
    • Stamper ‑ Historic
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Stamper is located in Newton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stamper
    • Decatur
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Pine Bluff
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Pine Bluff is located in Newton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Bluff
  • Scott County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Williston, with the one closest to Williston listed first.
    • Sebastopol
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
    • Cash
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Cash is located in Scott County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cash
    • Harperville
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
      • Harperville is located in Scott County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harperville
    • Clifton
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Clifton is located in Scott County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clifton
    • Ludlow
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Ludlow is located in Scott County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ludlow
    • Beach
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
      • Beach is located in Scott County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beach
    • Forest
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
    • Lake
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
    • Raworth
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
      • Raworth is located in Scott County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Raworth
    • Branch
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Branch is located in Scott County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Branch
    • Kalem
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
      • Kalem is located in Scott County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kalem
  • Winston County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Williston, with the one closest to Williston listed first.
    • Vowell
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
      • Vowell is located in Winston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vowell
    • Plattsburg
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Plattsburg is located in Winston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plattsburg
    • Hinze
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
      • Hinze is located in Winston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hinze
    • Noxapater
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)

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

Cemeteries Near Williston ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Williston.

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

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

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

  • Galilee Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
  • Ebenezer Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
  • Stewart Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
  • Sunrise Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
  • Gray Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
  • Shackolo Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • Antioch Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
  • Midway Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
  • Leake Memorial Gardens
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
  • Zion Hill Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Springfield Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • Laurel Hill Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
  • Continue List   (332 more) ...
    • Harrell Cemetery
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
    • Goshen Cemetery
      (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
    • Freeny Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 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.<2>

The Rand McNally Atlas shows that in 1895, Williston had a post office and no railroad service.

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

  • Free Trade
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
    • Free Trade is located in Leake County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Free Trade
  • Laurel Hill
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Laurel Hill is located in Neshoba County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Laurel Hill
  • Edinburg
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Edinburg is located in Leake County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edinburg
  • Coosa
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
    • Coosa is located in Leake County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coosa
  • Freeny
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Freeny is located in Leake County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Freeny
  • Standing Pine
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
    • Standing Pine is located in Leake County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Standing Pine
  • Madden
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Madden is located in Leake County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Madden
  • Renfroe
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Renfroe is located in Leake County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Renfroe
  • Carthage
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
  • Hope
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
    • Hope is located in Neshoba County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hope
  • Marydell
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
    • Marydell is located in Leake County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marydell
  • High Hill
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
    • High Hill is located in Leake County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for High Hill
  • Continue List   (18 more) ...
    • Dixon
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Dixon is located in Neshoba County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dixon
    • Tuscola
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Tuscola is located in Leake County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tuscola
    • Walnut Grove
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)

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

Newspapers Published in Williston ...

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 30 newspapers that have been published in the area around Williston.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Williston, there are papers which were published within 23 miles [37 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Williston.

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 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 Williston:

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 Williston, 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' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Williston) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.