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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 Blue (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 Blue. 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 doctors 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.

Blue 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 Blue. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Blue:

  • Bryan County     (The home county of Blue)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Blue, with the one closest to Blue listed first.
    • Bokchito
      (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
    • Armstrong
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Armstrong is located in Bryan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Armstrong
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 111 people
    • Albany
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Durant
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
    • Caddo
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
    • Bennington
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
    • Wade
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Wade is located in Bryan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wade
    • Calera
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
    • Matoy
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
      • Matoy is located in Bryan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Matoy
    • Kenefic
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Yuba
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
      • Yuba is located in Bryan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yuba
    • Achille
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
  • Atoka County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Blue, with the one closest to Blue listed first.
    • Caney
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
    • Bentley
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Bentley is located in Atoka County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bentley
    • Tushka
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
      • Tushka is located in Atoka County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tushka
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 400 people
    • Bruno
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
      • Bruno is located in Atoka County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bruno
    • Lane
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Atoka
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
    • Farris
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Lone Pine
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Lone Pine is located in Atoka County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lone Pine
  • Choctaw County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Blue, with the one closest to Blue listed first.
    • Boswell
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
    • Soper
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
  • Johnston County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Blue, with the one closest to Blue listed first.
    • Bee
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Bee is located in Johnston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bee
    • Coleman
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Milburn
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
    • Wapanucka
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Tishomingo
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Marshall County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Blue, with the one closest to Blue listed first.
    • Cumberland
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
      • Cumberland is located in Marshall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cumberland
    • Little City
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
      • Little City is located in Marshall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Little City
    • McBride
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
      • McBride is located in Marshall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McBride
    • New Woodville
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
      • New Woodville is located in Marshall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Woodville
      • Population from the 2010 Census: 132 people
    • Kingston
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
  • Fannin County (TX)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Blue, with the one closest to Blue listed first.
    • Sowells Bluff
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
      • Sowells Bluff is located in Fannin County (TX)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sowells Bluff
    • Mulberry
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
      • Mulberry is located in Fannin County (TX)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mulberry
    • Telephone
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
    • Ivanhoe
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
    • Ridings
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
      • Ridings is located in Fannin County (TX)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ridings
    • Ravenna
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
    • Boyd
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
      • Boyd is located in Fannin County (TX)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boyd
    • Carson
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Carson is located in Fannin County (TX)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carson
    • Bonham
      (28 miles [45.1 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>
    • Savoy
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
      • Savoy is located in Fannin County (TX)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Savoy
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 864 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Savoy <1>
    • Allens Chapel
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Allens Chapel is located in Fannin County (TX)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Allens Chapel
    • Ector
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
      • Ector is located in Fannin County (TX)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ector
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 746 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Ector <1>
  • Grayson County (TX)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Blue, with the one closest to Blue listed first.
    • Red River City
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Red River City is located in Grayson County (TX)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red River City
    • Denison
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Denison is located in Grayson County (TX)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Denison
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 25,792 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Denison <1>
    • Preston
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
      • Preston is located in Grayson County (TX)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Preston
    • Frontier Village
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Frontier Village is located in Grayson County (TX)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frontier Village
    • Bells
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
      • Bells is located in Grayson County (TX)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bells
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,516 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Bells <1>
    • Twin City
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Twin City is located in Grayson County (TX)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Twin City
    • Pottsboro
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Knollwood
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Knollwood is located in Grayson County (TX)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Knollwood
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 503 people
  • Lamar County (TX)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Blue, with the one closest to Blue listed first.
    • Direct
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Direct is located in Lamar County (TX)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Direct
    • Garretts Bluff
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
      • Garretts Bluff is located in Lamar County (TX)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garretts Bluff

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

Cemeteries Near Blue ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Blue.

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

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

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

  • Philadelphia Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
  • Old Philadelphia Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the east)
  • Burris Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
  • Bokchito Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • Pleasant Hill Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
  • Wolf Creek Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
  • Blue Branch Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
  • Brown Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Armstrong Academy Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Pioneer Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
  • Highland Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Highland Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Highland Cemetery is a very large cemetery that is located outside and to the south of Durant.
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #98637 <2>
  • Labors Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
  • Continue List   (212 more) ...
    • Spring Hill Cemetery
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Gethsemane Cemetery
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
    • Burney Cemetery
      (10 miles [16.1 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.<3>

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

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

  • Duplex
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
    • Duplex is located in Fannin County (TX)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Duplex
  • Elwood
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Elwood is located in Fannin County (TX)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elwood
  • Mulberry
    (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
    • Mulberry is located in Fannin County (TX)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mulberry
  • Telephone
    (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
  • Ivanhoe
    (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
  • Ray
    (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Ray is located in Grayson County (TX)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ray
  • Ravenna
    (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
  • Lamasco
    (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Lamasco is located in Fannin County (TX)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lamasco
  • Monkstown
    (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Monkstown is located in Fannin County (TX)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monkstown
  • Preston
    (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
    • Preston is located in Grayson County (TX)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Preston
  • Denison
    (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Denison is located in Grayson County (TX)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Denison
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 25,792 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Denison <1>
  • Direct
    (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Direct is located in Lamar County (TX)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Direct
  • Continue List   (6 more) ...
    • Selfs
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Selfs is located in Fannin County (TX)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Selfs
    • Bells
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
      • Bells is located in Grayson County (TX)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bells
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,516 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Bells <1>
    • Savoy
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
      • Savoy is located in Fannin County (TX)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Savoy
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 864 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Savoy <1>

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

Newspapers Published in Blue ...

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 86 newspapers that have been published in the area around Blue.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Blue, there are papers which were published within 29 miles [46.7 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Blue.

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 Blue:

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 Blue, 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 from Point A (ie- Blue) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.