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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 Merrimac (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 Merrimac. 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 northeast 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 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 east 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.

Merrimac is located in Orange 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 Orange County: Brevard, Lake, Osceola, Polk & Seminole.

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

  • Orange County     (The home county of Merrimac)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Merrimac, with the one closest to Merrimac listed first.
    • Plymouth
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
    • Zellwood
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
    • Apopka
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Tangerine
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
    • South Apopka
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
      • South Apopka is located in Orange County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Apopka
    • Paradise Heights
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
      • Paradise Heights is located in Orange County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Paradise Heights
    • Clarcona
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Crown Point
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
      • Crown Point is located in Orange County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crown Point
    • Lockhart
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Ocoee
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
      • Ocoee is located in Orange County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ocoee
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 49,168 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Ocoee <1>
    • Tildenville
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
      • Tildenville is located in Orange County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tildenville
    • Winter Garden
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
  • Lake County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Merrimac, with the one closest to Merrimac listed first.
    • Mount Plymouth
      (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
      • Mount Plymouth is located in Lake County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Plymouth
    • Sorrento
      (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
    • Lake Jem
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
      • Lake Jem is located in Lake County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Jem
    • Mount Dora
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Ethel
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
      • Ethel is located in Lake County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ethel
    • Oakland Park
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Oakland Park is located in Lake County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakland Park
    • Astatula
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
    • Eustis
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Tavares
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Ferndale
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Montverde
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Cassia
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Cassia is located in Lake County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cassia
  • Marion County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Merrimac, with the one closest to Merrimac listed first.
    • Weirsdale
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Eastlake Weir
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Osceola County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Merrimac, with the one closest to Merrimac listed first.
    • Celebration
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
    • Kissimmee
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
    • Reunion
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
    • Buena Ventura Lakes
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Seminole County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Merrimac, with the one closest to Merrimac listed first.
    • Wekiwa Springs
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
      • Wekiwa Springs is located in Seminole County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wekiwa Springs
    • Forest City
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Forest City is located in Seminole County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest City
    • Heathrow
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
    • Sanlando Springs
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
      • Sanlando Springs is located in Seminole County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sanlando Springs
    • Altamonte Springs
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
    • Fern Park
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
    • Longwood
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
    • Casselberry
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
    • Lake Mary
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
    • Winter Springs
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
    • Lake Monroe
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Sanford
      (18 miles [29 km] to the east)
  • Sumter County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Merrimac, with the one closest to Merrimac listed first.
    • Center Hill
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
    • Mabel
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • Mabel is located in Sumter County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mabel
    • Orange Home
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • Orange Home is located in Sumter County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orange Home
    • The Villages
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • The Villages is located in Sumter County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for The Villages
    • Adamsville
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
      • Adamsville is located in Sumter County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adamsville
    • Linden
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
      • Linden is located in Sumter County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Linden
    • Sumterville
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
    • Webster
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
    • Wildwood
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
  • Volusia County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Merrimac, with the one closest to Merrimac listed first.
    • Fort Florida
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Fort Florida is located in Volusia County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fort Florida
    • Valdez
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Valdez is located in Volusia County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Valdez
    • De Bary
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Enterprise
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Orange City Hills
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Orange City Hills is located in Volusia County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orange City Hills
    • Deltona
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Orange City
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Beresford
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
      • Beresford is located in Volusia County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beresford
    • De Land Southwest
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
      • De Land Southwest is located in Volusia County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for De Land Southwest
    • West De Land
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
      • West De Land is located in Volusia County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West De Land
    • Cassadaga
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Highland Park ‑ Historic
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Highland Park is located in Volusia County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Highland Park

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

Cemeteries Near Merrimac ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Merrimac.

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

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

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

  • Zellwood Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
  • Bay Ridge Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the north)
  • Plymouth Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
  • Tangerine Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
  • Edgewood - Greenwood Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Sorrento Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
  • Florida Memorial Park
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
  • Greenwood Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
  • Lake Jem Burying Grounds
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
  • West Orange Memorial Gardens
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
  • Highland Memory Gardens
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Highland Memory Gardens
    • The Highland Memory Gardens has also been known as:
    • Highland Memorial Garden
    • Highland Memorial Gardens
  • Pine Forest Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Continue List   (99 more) ...
    • Seminole Cemetery
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
    • Montverde Cemetery
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Greenwood Cemetery
      (10 miles [16.1 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 Merrimac in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Merrimac.

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

  • McDonald
    (Less than 2 miles to the south)
    • McDonald is located in Orange County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McDonald
  • Plymouth
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
  • Bay Ridge
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
    • Bay Ridge is located in Orange County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bay Ridge
  • Zellwood
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
  • Apopka
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
  • Tangerine
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
  • Sorrento
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Mount Dora
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Clarcona
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
  • Piedmont
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Piedmont is located in Orange County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Piedmont
  • Ethel
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Ethel is located in Lake County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ethel
  • Crown Point
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
    • Crown Point is located in Orange County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crown Point
  • Continue List   (13 more) ...
    • Seneca
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
      • Seneca is located in Lake County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seneca
    • Ocoee
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
      • Ocoee is located in Orange County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ocoee
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 49,168 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Ocoee <1>
    • Ellsworth Junction
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
      • Ellsworth Junction is located in Lake County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ellsworth Junction

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

Newspapers Published in Merrimac ...

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 Merrimac.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Merrimac, there are papers which were published within 17 miles [27.4 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Merrimac.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we first turn to 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 Merrimac:

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