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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 Bennington (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 Bennington. 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.

Bennington is located in Bryan County.

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

The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Bryan County: Atoka, Choctaw, Johnston, Marshall, Fannin (TX), Grayson (TX) & Lamar (TX).

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

  • Bryan County     (The home county of Bennington)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bennington, with the one closest to Bennington listed first.
    • Bokchito
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
    • Wade
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
      • Wade is located in Bryan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wade
    • Matoy
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
      • Matoy is located in Bryan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Matoy
    • Albany
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Caddo
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Yuba
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Yuba is located in Bryan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yuba
    • Armstrong
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
      • Armstrong is located in Bryan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Armstrong
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 111 people
    • Yarnaby
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Yarnaby is located in Bryan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yarnaby
    • Durant
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
    • Kenefic
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Calera
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
    • Achille
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
    • Kemp
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
  • Atoka County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bennington, with the one closest to Bennington listed first.
    • Bentley
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
      • Bentley is located in Atoka County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bentley
    • Lone Pine
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
      • Lone Pine is located in Atoka County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lone Pine
    • Caney
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
    • Lane
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
    • Farris
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Bruno
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
      • Bruno is located in Atoka County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bruno
    • Tushka
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
      • Tushka is located in Atoka County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tushka
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 400 people
    • Atoka
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
  • Choctaw County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bennington, with the one closest to Bennington listed first.
    • Boswell
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
    • Soper
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
    • Grant
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
    • Hugo
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
      • Hugo is located in Choctaw County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hugo
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 5,070 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Hugo <1>
  • Johnston County
  • Pushmataha County
    • Antlers
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
  • Fannin County (TX)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bennington, with the one closest to Bennington listed first.
    • Telephone
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
    • Sowells Bluff
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Sowells Bluff is located in Fannin County (TX)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sowells Bluff
    • Carson
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
      • Carson is located in Fannin County (TX)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carson
    • Ivanhoe
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
    • Ridings
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
      • Ridings is located in Fannin County (TX)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ridings
    • Mulberry
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
      • Mulberry is located in Fannin County (TX)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mulberry
    • Allen Point
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
      • Allen Point is located in Fannin County (TX)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Allen Point
    • Allens Chapel
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
      • Allens Chapel is located in Fannin County (TX)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Allens Chapel
    • Boyd
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
      • Boyd is located in Fannin County (TX)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boyd
    • Ravenna
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Dodd City
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
    • Bonham
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
      • Bonham is located in Fannin County (TX)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bonham
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 10,471 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Bonham <1>
    • Honey Grove
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
  • Lamar County (TX)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bennington, with the one closest to Bennington listed first.
    • Direct
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Direct is located in Lamar County (TX)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Direct
    • Garretts Bluff
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Garretts Bluff is located in Lamar County (TX)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garretts Bluff
    • Belk
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Belk is located in Lamar County (TX)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belk
    • Razor
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
      • Razor is located in Lamar County (TX)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Razor
    • Sumner
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Chicota
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
    • Caviness
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Caviness is located in Lamar County (TX)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caviness
    • Petty
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)

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

Cemeteries Near Bennington ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Bennington.

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

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

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

  • McGee Springs Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
  • Labors Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
  • Julius Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
  • Blue Branch Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
  • Wilson Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
  • Armstrong Academy Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
  • Bokchito Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
  • Hunter Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Jones Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Spring Hill Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
  • Wade Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
  • Restland Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
  • Continue List   (167 more) ...
    • Matoy Cemetery
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
    • Old Philadelphia Cemetery
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
    • Burris Cemetery
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)

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

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

  • Elwood
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
    • Elwood is located in Fannin County (TX)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elwood
  • Telephone
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
  • Monkstown
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Monkstown is located in Fannin County (TX)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monkstown
  • Duplex
    (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
    • Duplex is located in Fannin County (TX)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Duplex
  • Direct
    (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Direct is located in Lamar County (TX)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Direct
  • Ivanhoe
    (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
  • Lamasco
    (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
    • Lamasco is located in Fannin County (TX)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lamasco
  • Selfs
    (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
    • Selfs is located in Fannin County (TX)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Selfs
  • Mulberry
    (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
    • Mulberry is located in Fannin County (TX)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mulberry
  • Continue List   (6 more) ...
    • Ravenna
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Maxey
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Maxey is located in Lamar County (TX)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maxey
    • Lannius
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
      • Lannius is located in Fannin County (TX)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lannius
    • Sumner
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Emberson
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Emberson is located in Lamar County (TX)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Emberson
    • Chicota
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)

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

Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Bennington ...

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 93 newspapers that have been published in the area around Bennington.

We have organized these newspapers into two lists:

  • A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Bennington. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Bennington and those printed in the larger area surrounding Bennington.
  • An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<4> of Bennington.

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 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 Bennington:

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 Bennington, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.
<4>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 drawn from Point A (ie- Bennington) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.