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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 Fort De Soto (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 Fort De Soto. 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 Fort De Soto ...

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.

For example, a typical abbreviation for Fort De Soto: Ft. De Soto

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 southeast 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 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.

Fort De Soto is located in Pinellas County.

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

The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Pinellas County: Hillsborough & Pasco.

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

  • Pinellas County     (The home county of Fort De Soto)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Fort De Soto, with the one closest to Fort De Soto listed first.
    • Tierra Verde
      (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
    • Saint Pete Beach
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
    • Saint Petersburg Beach
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
    • Gulfport
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
    • South Pasadena
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
      • South Pasadena is located in Pinellas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Pasadena
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 5,067 people
    • Treasure Island
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
    • Madeira Beach
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
    • Saint Petersburg
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Bay Pines
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
    • Kenneth City
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
    • Lealman
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
      • Lealman is located in Pinellas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lealman
    • North Redington Beach
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
    • Redington Beach
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
  • Hillsborough County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Fort De Soto, with the one closest to Fort De Soto listed first.
    • Fort Dade ‑ Historic
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Fort Dade is located in Hillsborough County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fort Dade
    • Sun City
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
    • Gulf City
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
      • Gulf City is located in Hillsborough County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gulf City
    • Manatee Harbor
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
      • Manatee Harbor is located in Hillsborough County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Manatee Harbor
    • Ruskin
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
    • Park Village
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
      • Park Village is located in Hillsborough County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Park Village
    • Bayou Pass Village
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
      • Bayou Pass Village is located in Hillsborough County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bayou Pass Village
    • Golf and Sea Village
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Golf and Sea Village is located in Hillsborough County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Golf and Sea Village
    • McQueens Village ‑ Historic
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
      • McQueens Village is located in Hillsborough County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McQueens Village
    • Port Tampa
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Port Tampa is located in Hillsborough County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Port Tampa
    • Apollo Beach
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Apollo Key Village
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Apollo Key Village is located in Hillsborough County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Apollo Key Village
    • Marina Village
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Marina Village is located in Hillsborough County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marina Village
  • Manatee County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Fort De Soto, with the one closest to Fort De Soto listed first.
    • Anna Maria
      (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
    • Holmes Beach
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
    • Terra Ceia
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
    • Palma Sola
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Bradenton Beach
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
    • Cortez
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
    • West Bradenton
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
      • West Bradenton is located in Manatee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Bradenton
    • Palmetto
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Memphis
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Memphis is located in Manatee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Memphis
    • Whitney Beach
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
    • Bradenton
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Ellenton
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
    • South Bradenton
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
      • South Bradenton is located in Manatee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Bradenton
  • Sarasota County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Fort De Soto, with the one closest to Fort De Soto listed first.
    • North Sarasota
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
      • North Sarasota is located in Sarasota County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Sarasota
    • Desoto Lakes
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Desoto Lakes is located in Sarasota County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Desoto Lakes
    • Kensington Park
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Kensington Park is located in Sarasota County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kensington Park
    • Sarasota
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
    • The Meadows
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
      • The Meadows is located in Sarasota County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for The Meadows
    • Fruitville
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Pinecraft
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
    • South Sarasota
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
      • South Sarasota is located in Sarasota County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Sarasota
    • Southgate
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Southgate is located in Sarasota County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Southgate
    • Ridge Wood Heights
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Ridge Wood Heights is located in Sarasota County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ridge Wood Heights
    • Sarasota Springs
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Sarasota Springs is located in Sarasota County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sarasota Springs
    • Siesta Key
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Bee Ridge
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Bee Ridge is located in Sarasota County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bee Ridge

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

Cemeteries Near Fort De Soto ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Fort De Soto.

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 Fort De Soto - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • Palma Sola Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
  • Lincoln Cemetery
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
  • Royal Palm South Cemetery
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
  • Woodlawn Memory Gardens
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodlawn Memory Gardens
    • The Woodlawn Memory Gardens has also been known as:
    • Woodlawn Cemetery
  • Adams & Rogers Cemetery
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adams & Rogers Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Adams & Rogers Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located in Bradenton.
    • The Adams & Rogers Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Adams Cemetery
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #1989096 <3>
  • Fogartyville Cemetery
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Skyway Memorial Gardens
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Skyway Memorial Gardens
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
  • Greenwood Cemetery
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Major Adams Cemetery
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
  • Bay Pines National Cemetery
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
  • Mansion Memorial Park
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
  • Continue List   (37 more) ...
    • Sunnyside Cemetery
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
    • Memorial Park
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
    • Memorial Park
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)

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

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

  • Palma Sola
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
  • Terra Ceia
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
  • Palmetto
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Bradenton
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
  • Manatee
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Manatee is located in Manatee County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Manatee
  • Ellenton
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
  • Erie
    (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
    • Erie is located in Manatee County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Erie
  • Gulf City
    (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
    • Gulf City is located in Hillsborough County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gulf City
  • Port Tampa
    (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Port Tampa is located in Hillsborough County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Port Tampa
  • Rye
    (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
    • Rye is located in Manatee County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rye
  • Tampa
    (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Tampa is located in Hillsborough County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tampa
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 407,599 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Tampa <1>

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

Newspapers Published in Fort De Soto ...

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 46 newspapers that have been published in the area around Fort De Soto.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Fort De Soto, there are papers which were published within 19 miles [30.6 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Fort De Soto.

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 Fort De Soto:

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