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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 Watts Junction (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 Watts Junction. 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 Watts Junction ...

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 Watts Junction: Watts Jct. (or less commonly used: Watts Jctn.)
  • While the name of this community is Watts Junction, be aware that it's the common practice of mapmakers to remove the apostrophe from possessive names<1>. So Watts Junction may originally have been Watt's Junction.

    Sometimes the trailing 's' might be dropped altogether, in which case Watts Junction might be written as Watt Junction.

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 and 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.

Watts Junction is located in Hillsborough 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 Hillsborough County: Hardee, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas & Polk.

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

  • Hillsborough County     (The home county of Watts Junction)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Watts Junction, with the one closest to Watts Junction listed first.
    • Balm
      (Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
    • Wimauma
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Boyette
      (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
      • Boyette is located in Hillsborough County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boyette
    • Summerfield Village
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
      • Summerfield Village is located in Hillsborough County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Summerfield Village
    • Sun City Center
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
    • Fish Hawk
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
      • Fish Hawk is located in Hillsborough County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fish Hawk
    • Parkside Village
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
      • Parkside Village is located in Hillsborough County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parkside Village
    • Stelling Village
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Stelling Village is located in Hillsborough County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stelling Village
    • Cypress Creek Village
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
      • Cypress Creek Village is located in Hillsborough County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cypress Creek Village
    • Freedom Village
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
      • Freedom Village is located in Hillsborough County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Freedom Village
    • Countryside Village
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
      • Countryside Village is located in Hillsborough County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Countryside Village
    • Indian Hills
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
      • Indian Hills is located in Hillsborough County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Indian Hills
  • Hardee County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Watts Junction, with the one closest to Watts Junction listed first.
    • Bowling Green
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
    • Ona
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Wauchula
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Manatee County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Watts Junction, with the one closest to Watts Junction listed first.
    • Duette
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Parrish
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Waterbury
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
      • Waterbury is located in Manatee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waterbury
    • Ellenton
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Memphis
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
      • Memphis is located in Manatee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Memphis
    • Terra Ceia
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
    • Verna
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
      • Verna is located in Manatee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Verna
    • Lakewood Ranch
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Palmetto
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Samoset
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Samoset is located in Manatee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Samoset
    • Bradenton
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
    • West Samoset
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
      • West Samoset is located in Manatee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Samoset
  • Pasco County
    • Crystal Springs
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • Crystal Springs is located in Pasco County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crystal Springs
  • Pinellas County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Watts Junction, with the one closest to Watts Junction listed first.
    • Gandy
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
      • Gandy is located in Pinellas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gandy
    • Saint Petersburg
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
    • Gulfport
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
    • Lealman
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • Lealman is located in Pinellas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lealman
    • Feather Sound
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Pinellas Park
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
    • Kenneth City
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
    • Tierra Verde
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
    • High Point
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • High Point is located in Pinellas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for High Point
    • South Highpoint
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • South Highpoint is located in Pinellas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Highpoint
    • Saint Pete Beach
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
    • South Pasadena
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
      • South Pasadena is located in Pinellas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Pasadena
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 5,067 people
  • Polk County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Watts Junction, with the one closest to Watts Junction listed first.
    • Bradley Junction
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
      • Bradley Junction is located in Polk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bradley Junction
    • Brewster ‑ Historic
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
      • Brewster is located in Polk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brewster
    • Nichols
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Willow Oak
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
      • Willow Oak is located in Polk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willow Oak
    • Mulberry
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
    • Medulla
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Medulla is located in Polk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Medulla
    • Lakeland Highlands
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
      • Lakeland Highlands is located in Polk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakeland Highlands
    • Winston
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Winston is located in Polk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winston
    • Armour ‑ Historic
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Armour is located in Polk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Armour
    • Lyle Corner
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Lyle Corner is located in Polk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lyle Corner
    • Homeland
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
    • Bartow
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
  • Sarasota County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Watts Junction, with the one closest to Watts Junction listed first.
    • Desoto Lakes
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Desoto Lakes is located in Sarasota County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Desoto Lakes
    • The Meadows
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • The Meadows is located in Sarasota County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for The Meadows
    • Kensington Park
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Kensington Park is located in Sarasota County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kensington Park
    • North Sarasota
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
      • North Sarasota is located in Sarasota County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Sarasota

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

Cemeteries Near Watts Junction ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Watts Junction.

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 Watts Junction - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • Lithia Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
  • Samford Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
  • Hackney - Riverview Cemetery
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hackney - Riverview Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Hackney - Riverview Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located in Tampa.
    • The Hackney - Riverview Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Hackney Cemetery
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #72067 <3>
  • Serenity Meadows Memorial Park
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
  • Ruskin Memorial Gardens
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
  • Keen Cemetery
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
  • Bethlehem Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bethlehem Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Bethlehem Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery is located 6 miles [9.7 km]<4> to the southwest of Bradley Junction.
    • The Bethlehem Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Bethlehem Cemetery
  • Hunter Cemetery
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Ruskin Cemetery
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
  • Blue Cemetery
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Brandon Family Cemetery
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
  • Hillsboro Memorial Gardens
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
  • Continue List   (99 more) ...
    • Commemorative Cemetery
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
    • Fortner Cemetery
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Limona Cemetery
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Limona Cemetery
      • To give a relative sense of its location, the Limona Cemetery is located in Brandon.

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.<5>

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

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

  • Peru ‑ Historic
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Peru is located in Hillsborough County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peru
  • Bloomingdale
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
    • Bloomingdale is located in Hillsborough County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bloomingdale
  • Keysville
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Keysville is located in Hillsborough County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keysville
  • Gulf City
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
    • Gulf City is located in Hillsborough County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gulf City
  • Valrico
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
  • Brandon
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
  • Limona
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
    • Limona is located in Hillsborough County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Limona
  • Sydney
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
  • Seffner
    (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
  • Mango
    (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
  • Rye
    (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Rye is located in Manatee County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rye
  • Erie
    (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
    • Erie is located in Manatee County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Erie
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Ybor City
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Ybor City is located in Hillsborough County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ybor City
    • Tampa
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
      • 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 <2>
    • Port Tampa
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Port Tampa is located in Hillsborough County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Port Tampa

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

Newspapers Published in Watts Junction ...

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 1 newspapers that have been published in the area around Watts Junction.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Watts Junction, there are papers which were published within 6 miles [9.7 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Watts Junction.

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 Watts Junction:

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>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- Watts Junction) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.
<5>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 Watts Junction, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.