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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 Byng (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 Byng. 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 northeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most hospitals were in the next county to the east. 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 east 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.

Byng is located in Pontotoc County.

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

The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Pontotoc County: Coal, Garvin, Hughes, Johnston, Murray, Pottawatomie & Seminole.

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

  • Pontotoc County     (The home county of Byng)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Byng, with the one closest to Byng listed first.
    • Oakman
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Oakman is located in Pontotoc County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakman
    • Francis
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
    • Ada
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
      • Ada is located in Pontotoc County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ada
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 17,239 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Ada <1>
    • Homer
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Homer is located in Pontotoc County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Homer
    • Bebee
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
      • Bebee is located in Pontotoc County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bebee
    • Oil Center
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
      • Oil Center is located in Pontotoc County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oil Center
    • Ahloso
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
      • Ahloso is located in Pontotoc County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ahloso
    • Allen
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
    • Fitzhugh
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
    • Stonewall
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Fittstown
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
    • Franks
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
      • Franks is located in Pontotoc County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Franks
  • Coal County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Byng, with the one closest to Byng listed first.
    • Tupelo
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Centrahoma
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Clarita
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Garvin County
    • Stratford
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
  • Hughes County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Byng, with the one closest to Byng listed first.
    • Spaulding
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Spaulding is located in Hughes County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spaulding
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 171 people
    • Citra
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
      • Citra is located in Hughes County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Citra
    • Atwood
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
    • Gerty
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
      • Gerty is located in Hughes County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gerty
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 109 people
    • Holdenville
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Calvin
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
    • Non
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
      • Non is located in Hughes County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Non
    • Yeager
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Yeager is located in Hughes County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yeager
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 73 people
    • Horntown
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Horntown is located in Hughes County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Horntown
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 94 people
  • Johnston County
  • McClain County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Byng, with the one closest to Byng listed first.
    • Byars
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
    • Rosedale
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • Rosedale is located in McClain County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rosedale
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 73 people
  • Murray County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Byng, with the one closest to Byng listed first.
    • Hickory
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
      • Hickory is located in Murray County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hickory
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 75 people
    • Sulphur
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Pottawatomie County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Byng, with the one closest to Byng listed first.
    • Sacred Heart
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Sacred Heart is located in Pottawatomie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sacred Heart
    • Asher
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Asher is located in Pottawatomie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Asher
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 418 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Asher <1>
    • Saint Louis
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
    • Maud
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
      • Maud is located in Pottawatomie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maud
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,059 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Maud <1>
    • Wanette
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
    • Macomb
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Macomb is located in Pottawatomie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Macomb
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 33 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Macomb <1>
    • Earlsboro
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
    • Brooksville
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Brooksville is located in Pottawatomie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brooksville
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 57 people
    • Tribbey
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Tribbey is located in Pottawatomie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tribbey
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 422 people
  • Seminole County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Byng, with the one closest to Byng listed first.
    • Konawa
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Sasakwa
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Bowlegs
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
    • Lima
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
      • Lima is located in Seminole County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lima
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 51 people
    • Wewoka
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Seminole
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)

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

Cemeteries Near Byng ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Byng.

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

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

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

  • New Bethel Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the north)
  • Oakman Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
  • Oliver Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
  • Bruner Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
  • Egypt Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Denney Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Denney Cemetery
    • The Denney Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Denny Cemetery
  • East Fairview Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
  • Old Ada Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • Rosedale Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • Francis Cedar Grove Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • Fixico Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
  • Tiger Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
  • Continue List   (179 more) ...
    • Tiger Cemetery
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
    • Swan Hill Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Memorial Park
      (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.<3>

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

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

  • Francis
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
  • Sacred Heart
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Sacred Heart is located in Pottawatomie County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sacred Heart
  • Romulus
    (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Romulus is located in Pottawatomie County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Romulus
  • Anderson
    (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
    • Anderson is located in Pottawatomie County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Anderson
  • Eason
    (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
    • Eason is located in Pottawatomie County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eason

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

Newspapers Published in Byng ...

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 93 newspapers that have been published in the area around Byng.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Byng, there are papers which were published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Byng.

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 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 Byng:

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 Byng, 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- Byng) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.