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 Driftwood (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 Driftwood. 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.
Driftwood is located in Alfalfa 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 Alfalfa County: Barber (KS), Harper (KS), Garfield, Grant, Major & Woods.
Below are the counties that are near Driftwood. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Driftwood:
- Alfalfa County (The home county of Driftwood)
- The following are listed by their distance from Driftwood, with the one closest to Driftwood listed first.
- Byron
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Byron is located in Alfalfa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Byron
- Population from the 2020 Census: 35 people
- Burlington
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Amorita
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Ingersoll
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Ingersoll is located in Alfalfa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ingersoll
- Cherokee
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Yewed
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Yewed is located in Alfalfa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yewed
- Vining
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Vining is located in Alfalfa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vining
- Lambert
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Lambert is located in Alfalfa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lambert
- Population from the 2020 Census: 6 people
- Jet
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Carmen
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Helena
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Aline
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Goltry
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Garfield County
- Hillsdale
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Hillsdale is located in Garfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hillsdale
- Population from the 2020 Census: 119 people
- Former name for Hillsdale:
- Coldwater
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Hillsdale <1>
- Grant County
- The following are listed by their distance from Driftwood, with the one closest to Driftwood listed first.
- Sand Creek
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Sand Creek is located in Grant County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sand Creek
- Manchester
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Nash
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Wakita
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Woods County
- The following are listed by their distance from Driftwood, with the one closest to Driftwood listed first.
- Capron
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Capron is located in Woods County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Capron
- Population from the 2010 Census: 23 people
- Alva
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Dacoma
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Hopeton
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Winchester
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Winchester is located in Woods County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winchester
- Avard
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Avard is located in Woods County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avard
- Barber County (KS)
- The following are listed by their distance from Driftwood, with the one closest to Driftwood listed first.
- Kiowa
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Kiowa is located in Barber County (KS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kiowa
- Population from the 2020 Census: 917 people
- Kiowa has also been known as:
- Kiowa
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Kiowa <1>
- Hazelton
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Hazelton is located in Barber County (KS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hazelton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 84 people
- Stubbs
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Stubbs is located in Barber County (KS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stubbs
- Hardtner
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Gerlane
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Gerlane is located in Barber County (KS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gerlane
- Sharon
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Sharon is located in Barber County (KS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sharon
- Population from the 2020 Census: 142 people
- Former name for Sharon:
- Bible Valley
- Eldred ‑ Historic
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Eldred is located in Barber County (KS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eldred
- Pixley
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Pixley is located in Barber County (KS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pixley
- Medicine Lodge
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Harper County (KS)
- The following are listed by their distance from Driftwood, with the one closest to Driftwood listed first.
- Waldron
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Waldron is located in Harper County (KS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waldron
- Population from the 2020 Census: 10 people
- Ruella
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Ruella is located in Harper County (KS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ruella
- Crisfield
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Crisfield is located in Harper County (KS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crisfield
- Attica
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Anthony
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Bluff City
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Bluff City is located in Harper County (KS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bluff City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 58 people
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Driftwood, see our County-by-County Page for Driftwood.
Cemeteries Near Driftwood ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Driftwood.
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 Driftwood - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Driftwood covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Driftwood, with the one closest to Driftwood listed first.
- Driftwood Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Driftwood Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Driftwood Cemetery is located 3 miles [4.8 km]<2> to the southeast of Burlington.
- The Driftwood Cemetery has also been known as:
- Driftwood Christian Church Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #1990952 <3>
- Apostolic Christian Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Apostolic Christian Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Apostolic Christian Cemetery is located less than 2 miles<2> to the southeast of Burlington.
- The Apostolic Christian Cemetery has also been known as:
- Apostolic Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #97876 <3>
- Byron - Amorita Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Byron - Amorita Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Byron - Amorita Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located less than 2 miles<2> to the west of Amorita.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #98075 <3>
- Riverside Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Keith Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Stella Friends Academy Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Bethel Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bethel Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Bethel Cemetery is located 2 miles [3.2 km]<2> to the north of Amorita.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #97943 <3>
- Cherokee Catholic Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Cherokee Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cherokee Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Cherokee Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the southeast of Cherokee.
- The Cherokee Cemetery has also been known as:
- Cherokee Memorial Park
- Cherokee Municipal Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #1962635 <3>
- Liberty Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Short Spring Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Short Springs Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Continue List (67 more) ...
- Ware Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ware Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Ware Cemetery is located 11 miles [17.7 km]<2> to the northeast of Cherokee.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #99749 <3>
- Riverview Cemetery
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riverview Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Riverview Cemetery is located outside and to the east of Kiowa (KS).
- The Riverview Cemetery has also been known as:
- Kiowa Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #93501 <3>
- Capron Cemetery
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Capron Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Capron Cemetery is located outside and to the northeast of Capron.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #98098 <3>
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.<4>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that in 1895, Driftwood had no post office or railroad service.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Driftwood, with the one closest to Driftwood listed first.
- Cherokee
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Kiowa
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Kiowa is located in Barber County (KS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kiowa
- Population from the 2020 Census: 917 people
- Kiowa has also been known as:
- Kiowa
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Kiowa <1>
- Corwin
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Corwin is located in Harper County (KS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Corwin
- Hazelton
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Hazelton is located in Barber County (KS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hazelton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 84 people
- Ruella
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Ruella is located in Harper County (KS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ruella
- Alva
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Jet
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Hardtner
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Crisfield
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Crisfield is located in Harper County (KS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crisfield
- Noel
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Noel is located in Woods County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Noel
- Helena
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Wakita
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Continue List (11 more) ...
- Winchester
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Winchester is located in Woods County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winchester
- Aline
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Eldred ‑ Historic
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Eldred is located in Barber County (KS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eldred
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Driftwood. See our List of 1890's Communities around Driftwood.
Newspapers Published in Driftwood ...
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 90 newspapers that have been published in the area around Driftwood.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Driftwood, there are papers which were published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Driftwood.
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 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 Driftwood:
- Websites specific to Oklahoma
- Pages specific to Alfalfa County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Garfield County
- Grant County
- Woods County
- Barber County
- Harper County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Oklahoma
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> | 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- Driftwood) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |
| <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> | 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 Driftwood, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |