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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 Prosper (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 Prosper. 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.

Prosper is located in Columbus County.

To see how the shape of North Carolina's counties may have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.

The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Columbus County: Bladen, Brunswick, Pender, Robeson & Horry (SC).

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

  • Columbus County     (The home county of Prosper)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Prosper, with the one closest to Prosper listed first.
    • Delco
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
    • Acme
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
      • Acme is located in Columbus County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Acme
    • Byrdville
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
      • Byrdville is located in Columbus County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Byrdville
    • Armour
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
      • Armour is located in Columbus County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Armour
    • Riegelwood
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
    • Sandyfield
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
      • Sandyfield is located in Columbus County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sandyfield
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 415 people
    • Bolton
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Lake Waccamaw
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
    • Hallsboro
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
      • Hallsboro is located in Columbus County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hallsboro
    • Redbug
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
      • Redbug is located in Columbus County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Redbug
    • Rico
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Rico is located in Columbus County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rico
    • Brunswick
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
  • Bladen County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Prosper, with the one closest to Prosper listed first.
    • East Arcadia
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
      • East Arcadia is located in Bladen County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Arcadia
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 470 people
    • Kelly
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
      • Kelly is located in Bladen County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kelly
    • Long View
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
      • Long View is located in Bladen County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Long View
    • Council
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Council is located in Bladen County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Council
    • Rosindale
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Rosindale is located in Bladen County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rosindale
    • Clarkton
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Mount Olive
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Mount Olive is located in Bladen County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Olive
    • White Lake
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Brunswick County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Prosper, with the one closest to Prosper listed first.
    • Sandy Creek
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
      • Sandy Creek is located in Brunswick County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sandy Creek
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 319 people
    • Northwest
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Northwest is located in Brunswick County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Northwest
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 806 people
    • Malmo
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
      • Malmo is located in Brunswick County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Malmo
    • Town Creek
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Town Creek is located in Brunswick County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Town Creek
    • Phoenix
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
      • Phoenix is located in Brunswick County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Phoenix
    • Winnabow
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Makatoka
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Makatoka is located in Brunswick County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Makatoka
    • Navassa
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
      • Navassa is located in Brunswick County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Navassa
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,534 people
    • Bolivia
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Leland
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
      • Leland is located in Brunswick County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leland
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 25,647 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Leland <1>
    • Belville
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
      • Belville is located in Brunswick County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belville
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,135 people
    • Exum
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Exum is located in Brunswick County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Exum
  • New Hanover County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Prosper, with the one closest to Prosper listed first.
    • Hightsville
      (18 miles [29 km] to the east)
      • Hightsville is located in New Hanover County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hightsville
    • Wrightsboro
      (18 miles [29 km] to the east)
      • Wrightsboro is located in New Hanover County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wrightsboro
    • Silver Lake
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
      • Silver Lake is located in New Hanover County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Silver Lake
    • Skippers Corner
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
      • Skippers Corner is located in New Hanover County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Skippers Corner
    • Wilmington
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
    • Castle Hayne
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
    • Kings Grant
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
      • Kings Grant is located in New Hanover County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kings Grant
    • Myrtle Grove
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
      • Myrtle Grove is located in New Hanover County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Myrtle Grove
    • Smith Creek
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
      • Smith Creek is located in New Hanover County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smith Creek
    • Masonboro
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
      • Masonboro is located in New Hanover County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Masonboro
    • Murraysville
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
      • Murraysville is located in New Hanover County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Murraysville
    • Seagate
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
      • Seagate is located in New Hanover County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seagate
  • Pender County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Prosper, with the one closest to Prosper listed first.
    • Currie
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Atkinson
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
    • Rocky Point
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
    • Ashton
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Ashton is located in Pender County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ashton
    • Saint Helena
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Saint Helena is located in Pender County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Helena
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 428 people
    • Burgaw
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Brown Town
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
      • Brown Town is located in Pender County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brown Town
  • Sampson County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Prosper, with the one closest to Prosper listed first.
    • Ivanhoe
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
      • Ivanhoe is located in Sampson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ivanhoe
    • Kerr
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
      • Kerr is located in Sampson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kerr

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

Cemeteries Near Prosper ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Prosper.

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

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

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

  • Atkinson Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
  • Wells Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
  • Lennon Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
  • Rogers Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
  • Malpass Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
  • Skipper Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • Chinnis Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
  • Scull Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Benton Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
  • Skipper Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Mt. Pleasant Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
  • Sykes Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
  • Continue List   (206 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.<3>

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

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

  • Freeman
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Freeman is located in Columbus County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Freeman
  • Byrdville
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
    • Byrdville is located in Columbus County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Byrdville
  • Armour
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
    • Armour is located in Columbus County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Armour
  • Northwest
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Northwest is located in Brunswick County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Northwest
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 806 people
  • Malmo
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
    • Malmo is located in Brunswick County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Malmo
  • Town Creek
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Town Creek is located in Brunswick County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Town Creek
  • Bolton
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
  • Winnabow
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Phoenix
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
    • Phoenix is located in Brunswick County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Phoenix
  • Makatoka
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Makatoka is located in Brunswick County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Makatoka
  • Navassa
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
    • Navassa is located in Brunswick County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Navassa
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,534 people
  • Colly
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
    • Colly is located in Bladen County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colly
  • Continue List   (18 more) ...
    • Exum
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Exum is located in Brunswick County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Exum
    • Kelly
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
      • Kelly is located in Bladen County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kelly
    • Point Caswell
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
      • Point Caswell is located in Pender County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Point Caswell

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

Newspapers Published in Prosper ...

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 91 newspapers that have been published in the area around Prosper.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Prosper, there are papers which were published within 20 miles [32.2 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Prosper.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we start with the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These websites either 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 Prosper:

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