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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 Founders Village (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 Founders Village. 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.

Name Variations for Founders Village ...

When searching records, keep in mind that names and their spelling can change over time. Our sources include documents like maps, railroad schedules, Travel, Express and Shipping Guides. Many of these documents date from the 1800's and it's common to find spelling differences.

Although we can't give a definitive list, hopefully the following will give you a feel for the variations that might occur.

  • A typical abbreviation for Founders Village: Founders Vlg. (in Canada, 'Vlge.' is the more common abbreviation.)
  • While the name of this community is Founders Village, be aware that it's the common practice of mapmakers to remove the apostrophe from possessive names<1>. So Founders Village may originally have been Founder's Village.

    Sometimes the trailing 's' might be dropped altogether, in which case Founders Village might be written as Founder Village.

If you have information about these names (such as the reason for the change, date of change, the origin of the name), please Contact Us.

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 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.

Founders Village is located in Douglas County.

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

The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Douglas County: Arapahoe, El Paso, Elbert, Jefferson, Park & Teller.

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

  • Douglas County     (The home county of Founders Village)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Founders Village, with the one closest to Founders Village listed first.
    • Castle Rock
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
    • Franktown
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
    • The Pinery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
      • The Pinery is located in Douglas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for The Pinery
    • Castle Pines
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Cherry Creek Highlands
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
    • Castle Pines North
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Castle Pines North is located in Douglas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Castle Pines North
      • Estimated population in 2011: 10,602 people
    • Sedalia
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Parker
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
    • Pine Valley
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
      • Pine Valley is located in Douglas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Valley
    • Stonegate
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
      • Stonegate is located in Douglas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stonegate
    • Grand View Estates
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
      • Grand View Estates is located in Douglas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grand View Estates
    • Carriage Club
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Carriage Club is located in Douglas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carriage Club
    • Larkspur
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Adams County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Founders Village, with the one closest to Founders Village listed first.
    • Friendly Village
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
      • Friendly Village is located in Adams County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Friendly Village
    • Hillcrest Village
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
      • Hillcrest Village is located in Adams County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hillcrest Village
    • Watkins
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
  • Arapahoe County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Founders Village, with the one closest to Founders Village listed first.
    • Centennial
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
    • Foxfield
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
      • Foxfield is located in Arapahoe County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Foxfield
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 771 people
    • Algonquin Acres
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
      • Algonquin Acres is located in Arapahoe County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Algonquin Acres
    • Castlewood
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
      • Castlewood is located in Arapahoe County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Castlewood
    • Cherry Knolls
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Cherry Knolls is located in Arapahoe County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cherry Knolls
    • Southglenn
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Southglenn is located in Arapahoe County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Southglenn
    • Greenwood Village
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
    • Columbine Valley
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Columbine Valley is located in Arapahoe County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Columbine Valley
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,508 people
    • Littleton
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
    • Cherry Hills Village
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Englewood
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Hallcrafts Village East
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
    • Bow Mar
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Bow Mar is located in Arapahoe County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bow Mar
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 947 people
  • Denver County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Founders Village, with the one closest to Founders Village listed first.
    • Cherry Creek
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
      • Cherry Creek is located in Denver County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cherry Creek
    • Denver
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
      • Denver is located in Denver County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Denver
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 735,538 people
      • Former names for Denver:
      • Auraina
      • Denver City
      • Montana City
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Denver <2>
    • Sandown
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
      • Sandown is located in Denver County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sandown
    • West Denver
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
      • West Denver is located in Denver County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Denver
    • Montbello
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
  • El Paso County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Founders Village, with the one closest to Founders Village listed first.
    • Palmer Lake
      (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
    • Monument
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
    • Woodmoor
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
      • Woodmoor is located in El Paso County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodmoor
    • Gleneagle
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
      • Gleneagle is located in El Paso County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gleneagle
    • Black Forest
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
    • Eastonville ‑ Historic
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Eastonville is located in El Paso County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eastonville
    • Peyton
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Elbert County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Founders Village, with the one closest to Founders Village listed first.
    • Ponderosa Park
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
      • Ponderosa Park is located in Elbert County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ponderosa Park
    • Elizabeth
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
    • Kiowa
      (18 miles [29 km] to the east)
    • Elbert
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
    • Fondis
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Fondis is located in Elbert County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fondis
  • Jefferson County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Founders Village, with the one closest to Founders Village listed first.
    • Archer
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Archer is located in Jefferson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Archer
    • Columbine
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Columbine is located in Jefferson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Columbine
    • Dome Rock
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
      • Dome Rock is located in Jefferson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dome Rock
    • Ken Caryl
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Foxton ‑ Historic
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
      • Foxton is located in Jefferson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Foxton
    • Buffalo Creek
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
    • Sky Village
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Sky Village is located in Jefferson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sky Village
    • Twin Forks
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Twin Forks is located in Jefferson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Twin Forks
    • Lakewood
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Morrison
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Indian Springs Village
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
    • Pine
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
    • Aspen Park
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Aspen Park is located in Jefferson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aspen Park
  • Teller County
    • Woodland Park
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)

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

Cemeteries Near Founders Village ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Founders Village.

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 Founders Village - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • Franktown Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
  • Cedar Hill Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
  • Fonder Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
  • Elizabeth Cemetery
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
  • Newlin Cemetery
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
  • Parker Cemetery
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parker Cemetery
    • The Parker Cemetery has also been known as:
    • J.S. Parker Cemetery
    • James Sample Parker Cemetery
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #722189 <3>
  • Glen Grove Cemetery
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Miller Cemetery
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
  • Spring Valley Cemetery
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
  • Lewis Cemetery
    (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
  • Melvin Lewis Cemetery
    (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
  • James Cemetery
    (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Continue List   (48 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.<4>

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

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

  • Castle Rock
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
  • Franktown
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
  • Hilltop
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Hilltop is located in Douglas County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hilltop
  • Sedalia
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
  • Parker
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
  • Larkspur
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Elizabeth
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
  • Greenland
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
    • Greenland is located in Douglas County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenland
  • Acequia
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Acequia is located in Douglas County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Acequia
  • Archer
    (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Archer is located in Jefferson County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Archer
  • Palmer Lake
    (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
  • Elbert
    (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Kiowa
      (18 miles [29 km] to the east)
    • Monument
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
    • Littleton
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)

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

Newspapers Published in Founders Village ...

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 37 newspapers that have been published in the area around Founders Village.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Founders Village, there are papers which were published within 20 miles [32.2 km]<5>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Founders Village.

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 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 Founders Village:

Footnotes ...

<1>It's generally believed that possessive apostrophes are removed to prevent confusion on maps where the apostrophe may be confused with a cartographic symbol. While this is generally true, it's not uncommon to find possessive apostrophes in administrative names (such as towns or counties).
<2>While we're fans and frequent users of TripAdvisor, you should know that we're also members of the TripAdvisor affiliate program.
<3>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.
<4>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 Founders Village, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.
<5>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- Founders Village) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.