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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 Big Creek (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 Big Creek. 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 Big Creek ...

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.

Another variation: Bigcreek.

  • A typical abbreviation for Big Creek: Big Crk. (or less commonly used: Big Ck. or Big Cr.)

You might be interested in other communities that are also named Big Creek. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Big Creek.

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 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.

Big Creek is located in Texas County.

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

The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Texas County: Dent, Douglas, Howell, Laclede, Phelps, Pulaski, Shannon & Wright.

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

  • Texas County     (The home county of Big Creek)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Big Creek, with the one closest to Big Creek listed first.
    • Yukon
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
      • Yukon is located in Texas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yukon
    • Eunice
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
    • Solo
      (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
      • Solo is located in Texas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Solo
    • Raymondville
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
    • Houston
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Hartshorn
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
      • Hartshorn is located in Texas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hartshorn
    • Mineral Springs City
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Mineral Springs City is located in Texas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mineral Springs City
    • Elk Creek
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
      • Elk Creek is located in Texas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elk Creek
    • Simmons
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
      • Simmons is located in Texas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Simmons
    • Summersville
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
    • Hattie
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
      • Hattie is located in Texas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hattie
    • Bucyrus
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Dent County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Big Creek, with the one closest to Big Creek listed first.
    • Coulstone
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
      • Coulstone is located in Dent County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coulstone
    • Jadwin
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Jadwin is located in Dent County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jadwin
    • Darien
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Darien is located in Dent County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Darien
    • Jack
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Jack is located in Dent County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jack
    • Lenox
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
      • Lenox is located in Dent County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lenox
    • Doss
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Doss is located in Dent County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Doss
  • Howell County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Big Creek, with the one closest to Big Creek listed first.
    • Sterling ‑ Historic
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Sterling is located in Howell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sterling
    • Willow Springs
      (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
    • Mountain View
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
    • Burnham
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
      • Burnham is located in Howell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burnham
    • Peace Valley
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
      • Peace Valley is located in Howell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peace Valley
    • Pomona
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
      • Pomona is located in Howell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pomona
  • Laclede County
    • Lynchburg
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Lynchburg is located in Laclede County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lynchburg
  • Phelps County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Big Creek, with the one closest to Big Creek listed first.
    • Beulah
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
      • Beulah is located in Phelps County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beulah
    • Duke
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • Duke is located in Phelps County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Duke
  • Shannon County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Big Creek, with the one closest to Big Creek listed first.
    • Akers
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
      • Akers is located in Shannon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Akers
    • Alley
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
      • Alley is located in Shannon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alley
    • Montier
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Montier is located in Shannon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Montier
    • Round Spring
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
      • Round Spring is located in Shannon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Round Spring
    • Birch Tree
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Eminence
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
  • Wright County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Big Creek, with the one closest to Big Creek listed first.
    • Graff
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
      • Graff is located in Wright County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Graff
    • Mountain Grove
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
    • Astoria
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
      • Astoria is located in Wright County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Astoria
    • Green Mountain
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • Green Mountain is located in Wright County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Green Mountain

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

Cemeteries Near Big Creek ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Big Creek.

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 Big Creek - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • Big Creek Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the north)
  • New Home Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Allen Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • County Farm Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Pine Lawn Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
  • Foard Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
  • White Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
  • Riley Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
  • Antioch Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
  • Rocky Branch Cemetery
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
  • Summersville Cemetery
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Pickett Cemetery
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
  • Continue List   (143 more) ...
    • Mahan Cemetery
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
    • Cold Spring Cemetery
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Bell Cemetery
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)

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.<2>

The Rand McNally Atlas shows that in 1895, Big Creek had a post office and no railroad service.

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

  • Tyrone
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Tyrone is located in Texas County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tyrone
  • Eunice
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
  • Samoa
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Samoa is located in Texas County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Samoa
  • Raymondville
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
  • Clear Springs
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
    • Clear Springs is located in Texas County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clear Springs
  • Houston
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
  • Elk Creek
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
    • Elk Creek is located in Texas County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elk Creek
  • Hartshorn
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
    • Hartshorn is located in Texas County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hartshorn
  • Hattie
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
    • Hattie is located in Texas County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hattie
  • Summersville
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
  • Varvol
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Varvol is located in Texas County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Varvol
  • Oscar
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
    • Oscar is located in Texas County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oscar
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Lundy
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
      • Lundy is located in Texas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lundy
    • Oakside
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Oakside is located in Shannon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakside
    • Nile
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
      • Nile is located in Texas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nile

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

Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Big Creek ...

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 Big Creek.

We have organized these newspapers into two lists:

  • A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Big Creek. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Big Creek and those printed in the larger area surrounding Big Creek.
  • An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 27 miles [43.5 km]<3> of Big Creek.

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 professional and volunteer 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 Big Creek:

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>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 Big Creek, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.
<3>Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' (or 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- Big Creek) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.