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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 Simms (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 Simms. 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.

Simms is located in Muskogee 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 Muskogee County: Cherokee, Haskell, McIntosh, Okmulgee, Sequoyah & Wagoner.

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

  • Muskogee County     (The home county of Simms)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Simms, with the one closest to Simms listed first.
    • Porum
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Webbers Falls
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Warner
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
    • River Bottom
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
      • River Bottom is located in Muskogee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for River Bottom
    • Sour John
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
      • Sour John is located in Muskogee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sour John
    • Braggs
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
    • Oktaha
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Summit
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
      • Summit is located in Muskogee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Summit
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 136 people
    • Wainwright
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Muskogee
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
    • Bacone
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
      • Bacone is located in Muskogee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bacone
    • Fort Gibson
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
    • Beland
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Beland is located in Muskogee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beland
  • Cherokee County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Simms, with the one closest to Simms listed first.
    • Cookson
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Pettit Bay
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Pettit Bay is located in Cherokee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pettit Bay
    • Pettit
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Pettit is located in Cherokee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pettit
    • Dry Creek
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Dry Creek is located in Cherokee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dry Creek
  • Haskell County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Simms, with the one closest to Simms listed first.
    • Whitefield
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
    • Stigler
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Hoyt
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Tamaha
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
      • Tamaha is located in Haskell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tamaha
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 235 people
    • Enterprise
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Enterprise is located in Haskell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Enterprise
    • Sans Bois
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
      • Sans Bois is located in Haskell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sans Bois
    • Keota
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Kinta
      (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
    • Lequire
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
    • McCurtain
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
  • Latimer County
    • Red Oak
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
  • Le Flore County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Simms, with the one closest to Simms listed first.
    • Cowlington
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
      • Cowlington is located in Le Flore County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cowlington
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 152 people
    • Bokoshe
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
  • McIntosh County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Simms, with the one closest to Simms listed first.
    • Duchess Landing
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
      • Duchess Landing is located in McIntosh County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Duchess Landing
    • Texanna
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
      • Texanna is located in McIntosh County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Texanna
    • Shady Grove
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Shady Grove is located in McIntosh County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shady Grove
    • Rentiesville
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
    • Checotah
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
    • Onapa
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
      • Onapa is located in McIntosh County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Onapa
      • Onapa has also been known as:
      • Bond
    • Eufaula
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
    • Carters Corner
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
      • Carters Corner is located in McIntosh County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carters Corner
    • Richardsville
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • Richardsville is located in McIntosh County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Richardsville
    • Stidham
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
    • Vivian
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • Vivian is located in McIntosh County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vivian
  • Pittsburg County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Simms, with the one closest to Simms listed first.
    • Longtown
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Quinton
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Carlton Landing
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
      • Carlton Landing is located in Pittsburg County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carlton Landing
    • Bristow Point
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Bristow Point is located in Pittsburg County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bristow Point
    • Canadian
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Blocker
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Sams Point
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Sams Point is located in Pittsburg County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sams Point
  • Sequoyah County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Simms, with the one closest to Simms listed first.
    • Gore
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Gore is located in Sequoyah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gore
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 946 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Gore <1>
    • Carlisle
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Carlisle is located in Sequoyah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carlisle
    • Vian
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Vian is located in Sequoyah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vian
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,356 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Vian <1>
    • Redbird Smith
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Redbird Smith is located in Sequoyah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Redbird Smith
    • Paradise Hill
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Paradise Hill is located in Sequoyah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Paradise Hill
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 80 people
    • McKey
      (18 miles [29 km] to the east)
      • McKey is located in Sequoyah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McKey
    • Box
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
      • Box is located in Sequoyah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Box
    • Pinhook Corners
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Pinhook Corners is located in Sequoyah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pinhook Corners
    • Brent
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
      • Brent is located in Sequoyah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brent
    • Dwight Mission
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Dwight Mission is located in Sequoyah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dwight Mission
    • Evening Shade
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Evening Shade is located in Sequoyah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Evening Shade
    • Sallisaw
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
    • Marble City Community
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
      • Marble City Community is located in Sequoyah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marble City Community

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

Cemeteries Near Simms ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Simms.

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

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

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

  • Fields Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the west)
  • Cramp Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the south)
  • Toney Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
  • Coleman Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
  • McClure Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • Girty Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
  • Girty Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • Starr Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Starr Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
  • Briartown Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
  • Kyle Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Toney Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Continue List   (184 more) ...
    • Gritts Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Gum Spring Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
    • Woodall Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 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.<3>

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

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

  • Martin
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Martin is located in Muskogee County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Martin
  • Seven Oaks
    (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
    • Seven Oaks is located in Sequoyah County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seven Oaks

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

Newspapers Published in Simms ...

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 54 newspapers that have been published in the area around Simms.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Simms, 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 Simms.

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 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 Simms:

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