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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 Bessmay (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 Bessmay. 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 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.

Bessmay is located in Jasper County.

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

The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Jasper County: Angelina, Hardin, Newton, Orange, Sabine, San Augustine & Tyler.

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

  • Jasper County     (The home county of Bessmay)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bessmay, with the one closest to Bessmay listed first.
    • Buna
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
    • Bunker Hill
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
      • Bunker Hill is located in Jasper County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bunker Hill
    • Call Junction
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
      • Call Junction is located in Jasper County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Call Junction
    • Evadale
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Kirbyville
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
    • Beech Grove
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
      • Beech Grove is located in Jasper County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beech Grove
  • Hardin County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bessmay, with the one closest to Bessmay listed first.
    • Silsbee
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Lumberton
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Kountze
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
    • Loeb
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
      • Loeb is located in Hardin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Loeb
    • Rose Hill Acres
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
      • Rose Hill Acres is located in Hardin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rose Hill Acres
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 435 people
    • Village Mills
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
    • Pinewood Estates
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Pinewood Estates is located in Hardin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pinewood Estates
  • Jefferson County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bessmay, with the one closest to Bessmay listed first.
    • Voth
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Beaumont
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
    • Bevil Oaks
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Bevil Oaks is located in Jefferson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bevil Oaks
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,209 people
    • Higgins
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
      • Higgins is located in Jefferson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Higgins
    • Amelia
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Amelia is located in Jefferson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Amelia
  • Newton County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bessmay, with the one closest to Bessmay listed first.
    • Call
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
    • Deweyville
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Bleakwood
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Bleakwood is located in Newton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bleakwood
    • Bon Wier
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Hughes ‑ Historic
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Hughes is located in Newton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hughes
    • Newton
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Orange County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bessmay, with the one closest to Bessmay listed first.
    • Texla
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
      • Texla is located in Orange County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Texla
    • Lemonville ‑ Historic
      (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
      • Lemonville is located in Orange County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lemonville
    • Mauriceville
      (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
    • Pine Forest
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
      • Pine Forest is located in Orange County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Forest
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 516 people
    • Pine Grove
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
      • Pine Grove is located in Orange County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Grove
    • Vidor
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
      • Vidor is located in Orange County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vidor
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 10,310 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Vidor <1>
    • Rose City
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
      • Rose City is located in Orange County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rose City
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 489 people
    • Terry
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
      • Terry is located in Orange County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Terry
    • Pinehurst
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Pinehurst is located in Orange County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pinehurst
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,959 people
    • Orangefield
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
    • Orange
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
    • West Orange
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
  • Tyler County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bessmay, with the one closest to Bessmay listed first.
    • Fred
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Spurger
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Town Bluff
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Town Bluff is located in Tyler County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Town Bluff
    • Hillister
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Warren
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
    • Ivanhoe
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Ivanhoe is located in Tyler County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ivanhoe
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,438 people
  • Beauregard Parish (LA)
    • Helme
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
      • Helme is located in Beauregard Parish (LA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Helme
  • Calcasieu Parish (LA)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bessmay, with the one closest to Bessmay listed first.
    • Starks
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Vinton
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Vinton is located in Calcasieu Parish (LA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vinton
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,211 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Vinton <1>
    • Dequincy
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
      • Dequincy is located in Calcasieu Parish (LA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dequincy
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,009 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Dequincy <1>
    • Edgerly
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Edgerly is located in Calcasieu Parish (LA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edgerly

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

Cemeteries Near Bessmay ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Bessmay.

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

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

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

  • Morse Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • Wright Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • Withers Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Craig Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
  • Gore Cemetery
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
  • Laurel Sudduth Bluff Cemetery
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Bean Cemetery
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
  • Peaceful Rest Cemetery
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
  • Cunningham Cemetery
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
  • Rest Haven Cemetery
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
  • Knupple Cemetery
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
  • Fountain Cemetery
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
  • Continue List   (100 more) ...
    • Williamson Cemetery
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
    • Smith Cemetery
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
    • Spikes Cemetery
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)

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 Bessmay in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Bessmay.

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

  • Bleakwood
    (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Bleakwood is located in Newton County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bleakwood
  • Magnolia Springs
    (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
    • Magnolia Springs is located in Jasper County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Magnolia Springs
  • Spurger
    (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
  • Kountze
    (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
  • Nona
    (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Nona is located in Hardin County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nona
  • Erin
    (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
    • Erin is located in Jasper County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Erin
  • Belgrade
    (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
    • Belgrade is located in Newton County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belgrade
  • Rosedale
    (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Rosedale is located in Jefferson County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rosedale
  • Terry
    (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
    • Terry is located in Orange County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Terry
  • Echo
    (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Echo is located in Orange County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Echo
  • Tulane
    (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
    • Tulane is located in Orange County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tulane
  • Town Bluff
    (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Town Bluff is located in Tyler County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Town Bluff
  • Continue List   (9 more) ...
    • Village Mills
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
    • Hyatt
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • Hyatt is located in Tyler County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hyatt
    • Beaumont
      (28 miles [45.1 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 Bessmay. See our List of 1890's Communities around Bessmay.

Newspapers Published in Bessmay ...

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 43 newspapers that have been published in the area around Bessmay.

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

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we like to start 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 Bessmay:

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 Bessmay, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.
<4>Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'point-to-point' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Bessmay) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.