RoadsideThoughts
A Gazetteer for the United States and Canada
Home >> State of California >> Santa Cruz County >> Mesa de Ojo de Agua >> Genealogy HelperIndex...

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 Mesa de Ojo de Agua (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 Mesa de Ojo de Agua. 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 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.

Mesa de Ojo de Agua is located in Santa Cruz County.

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

The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Santa Cruz County: Monterey, San Benito, San Mateo & Santa Clara.

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

  • Santa Cruz County     (The home county of Mesa de Ojo de Agua)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Mesa de Ojo de Agua, with the one closest to Mesa de Ojo de Agua listed first.
    • Santa Cruz
      (Less than 2 miles to the east)
    • Pasatiempo
      (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
      • Pasatiempo is located in Santa Cruz County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pasatiempo
    • Twin Lakes
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
      • Twin Lakes is located in Santa Cruz County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Twin Lakes
    • Paradise Park
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
      • Paradise Park is located in Santa Cruz County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Paradise Park
    • Capitola
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
    • Opal Cliffs
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
      • Opal Cliffs is located in Santa Cruz County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Opal Cliffs
    • Soquel
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
    • Mount Hermon
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
    • Felton
      (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
    • Scotts Valley
      (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
    • Eccles ‑ Historic
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
      • Eccles is located in Santa Cruz County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eccles
    • Aptos
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
  • Monterey County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Mesa de Ojo de Agua, with the one closest to Mesa de Ojo de Agua listed first.
    • Pajaro
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
      • Pajaro is located in Monterey County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pajaro
    • Las Lomas
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
      • Las Lomas is located in Monterey County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Las Lomas
    • Moss Landing
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
    • Vega ‑ Historic
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
      • Vega is located in Monterey County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vega
    • Elkhorn
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Elkhorn is located in Monterey County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elkhorn
    • Castroville
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Aromas
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
    • Marina
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Marina is located in Monterey County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marina
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 21,836 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Marina <1>
    • Pacific Grove
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
    • Prattco ‑ Historic
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Prattco is located in Monterey County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prattco
    • Prunedale
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Point Alones ‑ Historic
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
      • Point Alones is located in Monterey County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Point Alones
  • San Benito County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Mesa de Ojo de Agua, with the one closest to Mesa de Ojo de Agua listed first.
    • River Oaks
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
      • River Oaks is located in San Benito County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for River Oaks
    • San Juan Bautista
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
  • San Mateo County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Mesa de Ojo de Agua, with the one closest to Mesa de Ojo de Agua listed first.
    • Loma Mar
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
    • La Honda
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Pescadero
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Portola Valley
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
    • Ladera
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • Ladera is located in San Mateo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ladera
    • San Gregorio
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Santa Clara County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Mesa de Ojo de Agua, with the one closest to Mesa de Ojo de Agua listed first.
    • Chemeketa Park
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
      • Chemeketa Park is located in Santa Clara County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chemeketa Park
    • Holy City ‑ Historic
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
      • Holy City is located in Santa Clara County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holy City
    • Patchen
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
      • Patchen is located in Santa Clara County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Patchen
    • Redwood Estates
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
    • Lexington Hills
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
      • Lexington Hills is located in Santa Clara County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lexington Hills
    • Lexington ‑ Historic
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
      • Lexington is located in Santa Clara County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lexington
    • Sveadal
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Sveadal is located in Santa Clara County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sveadal
    • Monte Sereno
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
    • English Town
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
      • English Town is located in Santa Clara County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for English Town
    • Los Gatos
      (18 miles [29 km] to the north)
    • New Almaden
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
    • Saratoga
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)

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

Cemeteries Near Mesa de Ojo de Agua ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Mesa de Ojo de Agua.

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 Mesa de Ojo de Agua - one of the links might be able to help.

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

The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Mesa de Ojo de Agua, with the one closest to Mesa de Ojo de Agua listed first.

  • Home of Peace Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
  • Evergreen Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the east)
  • Santa Cruz Memorial Park
    (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
  • Holy Cross Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
  • Old Holy Cross Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
  • Oakwood Memorial Park
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakwood Memorial Park
    • The Oakwood Memorial Park has also been known as:
    • Oak Wood Cemetery
    • Santa Cruz Memorial Oakwood Chapel Cemetery
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #8219 <2>
  • Soquel Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Soquel Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Soquel Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the north of Soquel.
    • The Soquel Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Beit Olam Cemetery
    • Eternal Home Cemetery
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #999577 <2>
  • Felton Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Felton Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Felton Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the west of Felton.
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #274025 <2>
  • Calvary Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
  • Day Valley Cemetery
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
  • IOOF Cemetery
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
  • Pioneer Cemetery
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
  • Continue List   (31 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 Mesa de Ojo de Agua in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Mesa de Ojo de Agua.

These communities are listed based on their distance from Mesa de Ojo de Agua, with the one closest to Mesa de Ojo de Agua listed first.

  • Santa Cruz
    (Less than 2 miles to the east)
  • Capitola
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
  • Soquel
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
  • Felton
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Zayante
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
    • Zayante is located in Santa Cruz County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zayante
  • Ben Lomond
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
  • Aptos
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
  • Bonny Doon
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Glenwood
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
    • Glenwood is located in Santa Cruz County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glenwood
  • Boulder Creek
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
  • Laurel
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Laurel is located in Santa Cruz County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Laurel
  • Patchen
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
    • Patchen is located in Santa Clara County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Patchen
  • Continue List   (13 more) ...
    • Corralitos
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
    • Watsonville
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
    • Pajaro
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
      • Pajaro is located in Monterey County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pajaro

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

Newspapers Published in Mesa de Ojo de Agua ...

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 166 newspapers that have been published in the area around Mesa de Ojo de Agua.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Mesa de Ojo de Agua, there are papers which were published within 23 miles [37 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Mesa de Ojo de Agua.

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 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 Mesa de Ojo de Agua:

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 Mesa de Ojo de Agua, 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 things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Mesa de Ojo de Agua) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.