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 Samoa (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 Samoa. 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 southwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors and hospitals were in the next county to the west. 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 west 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.
Samoa 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 Samoa. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Samoa:
- Texas County (The home county of Samoa)
- The following are listed by their distance from Samoa, with the one closest to Samoa listed first.
- Yukon
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Yukon is located in Texas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yukon
- Solo
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Solo is located in Texas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Solo
- Houston
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Mineral Springs City
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Raymondville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Simmons
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Simmons is located in Texas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Simmons
- Eunice
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Bucyrus
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Elk Creek
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Elk Creek is located in Texas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elk Creek
- Hartshorn
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Hartshorn is located in Texas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hartshorn
- Hattie
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Hattie is located in Texas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hattie
- Cabool
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Sargent
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Sargent is located in Texas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sargent
- Dent County
- The following are listed by their distance from Samoa, with the one closest to Samoa listed first.
- Coulstone
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Coulstone is located in Dent County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coulstone
- Jadwin
(23 miles [37 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
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Lenox is located in Dent County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lenox
- Douglas County
- Vanzant
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Vanzant is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vanzant
- Howell County
- The following are listed by their distance from Samoa, with the one closest to Samoa listed first.
- Sterling ‑ Historic
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Sterling is located in Howell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sterling
- Willow Springs
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Mountain View
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Burnham
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Burnham is located in Howell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burnham
- Pomona
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Pomona is located in Howell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pomona
- Peace Valley
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Peace Valley is located in Howell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peace Valley
- Laclede County
- Lynchburg
(25 miles [40.2 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 Samoa, with the one closest to Samoa listed first.
- Beulah
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Beulah is located in Phelps County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beulah
- Duke
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Duke is located in Phelps County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Duke
- Edgar Springs
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Shannon County
- The following are listed by their distance from Samoa, with the one closest to Samoa listed first.
- Akers
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Akers is located in Shannon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Akers
- Alley
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Alley is located in Shannon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alley
- Round Spring
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Round Spring is located in Shannon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Round Spring
- Montier
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Montier is located in Shannon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Montier
- Birch Tree
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Wright County
- The following are listed by their distance from Samoa, with the one closest to Samoa listed first.
- Graff
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Graff is located in Wright County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Graff
- Mountain Grove
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Astoria
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Astoria is located in Wright County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Astoria
- Green Mountain
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Green Mountain is located in Wright County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Green Mountain
- Norwood
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Jerktail ‑ Historic
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Jerktail is located in Wright County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jerktail
- Saint George
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Saint George is located in Wright County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint George
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Samoa, see our County-by-County Page for Samoa.
Cemeteries Near Samoa ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Samoa.
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 Samoa - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Samoa covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Samoa, with the one closest to Samoa listed first.
- County Farm Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Foard Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Big Creek Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Pine Lawn Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Allen Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- White Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Rocky Branch Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- New Home Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Emery Chapel Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Mahan Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Antioch Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Hamilton Creek Cemetery
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Continue List (150 more) ...
- Jarrett Cemetery
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jarrett Cemetery
- The Jarrett Cemetery has also been known as:
- Jarrett - Hamilton Creek Cemetery
- Altis Cemetery
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Hamilton Cemetery
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
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, Samoa had a post office and no railroad service.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Samoa, with the one closest to Samoa listed first.
- Big Creek
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Big Creek is located in Texas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Big Creek
- Houston
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Tyrone
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Tyrone is located in Texas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tyrone
- Raymondville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Elk Creek
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Elk Creek is located in Texas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elk Creek
- Eunice
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Lundy
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Lundy is located in Texas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lundy
- Venable
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Venable is located in Texas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Venable
- Oscar
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Oscar is located in Texas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oscar
- Clear Springs
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Clear Springs is located in Texas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clear Springs
- Ellis Prairie
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Ellis Prairie is located in Texas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ellis Prairie
- Plum Valley
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Plum Valley is located in Texas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plum Valley
- Continue List (16 more) ...
- Dykes
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Dykes is located in Texas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dykes
- Bado
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Bado is located in Texas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bado
- Varvol
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Varvol is located in Texas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Varvol
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Samoa. See our List of 1890's Communities around Samoa.
Newspapers Published in Samoa ...
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 42 newspapers that have been published in the area around Samoa.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Samoa, there are papers which were published within 22 miles [35.4 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Samoa.
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 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 Samoa:
- Websites specific to Missouri
- Pages specific to Texas County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Dent County
- Douglas County
- Howell County
- Laclede County
- Phelps County
- Shannon County
- Wright County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Missouri
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 Samoa, 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 things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Samoa) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |