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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 Forney (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 Forney. 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 southeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most hospitals and 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.

Forney is located in Choctaw 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 Choctaw County: Atoka, Bryan, McCurtain, Pushmataha, Lamar (TX) & Red River (TX).

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

  • Choctaw County     (The home county of Forney)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Forney, with the one closest to Forney listed first.
    • Soper
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
    • Hugo
      (6 miles [9.7 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>
    • Grant
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Virgil
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
      • Virgil is located in Choctaw County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Virgil
    • Apple
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
      • Apple is located in Choctaw County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Apple
    • Sawyer
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
    • Boswell
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
    • Spencerville
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Fort Towson
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
    • Frogville
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Frogville is located in Choctaw County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frogville
    • Swink
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
  • Atoka County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Forney, with the one closest to Forney listed first.
    • Lone Pine
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Lone Pine is located in Atoka County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lone Pine
    • Farris
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Lane
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Bentley
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Bentley is located in Atoka County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bentley
  • Bryan County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Forney, with the one closest to Forney listed first.
    • Bennington
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
    • Matoy
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
      • Matoy is located in Bryan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Matoy
    • Wade
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
      • Wade is located in Bryan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wade
    • Bokchito
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
  • McCurtain County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Forney, with the one closest to Forney listed first.
    • Rufe
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
    • Slim
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
      • Slim is located in McCurtain County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Slim
    • Valliant
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
  • Pushmataha County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Forney, with the one closest to Forney listed first.
    • Antlers
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
    • Belzoni
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
      • Belzoni is located in Pushmataha County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belzoni
    • Ethel
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
      • Ethel is located in Pushmataha County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ethel
    • Rattan
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Oleta
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Oleta is located in Pushmataha County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oleta
    • Moyers
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
    • Finley
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
    • Corinne
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Corinne is located in Pushmataha County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Corinne
    • Cloudy
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Cloudy is located in Pushmataha County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cloudy
    • Eubanks
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
      • Eubanks is located in Pushmataha County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eubanks
    • Snow
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
  • Fannin County (TX)
  • Lamar County (TX)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Forney, with the one closest to Forney listed first.
    • Razor
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
      • Razor is located in Lamar County (TX)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Razor
    • Chicota
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
    • Arthur City
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Garretts Bluff
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Garretts Bluff is located in Lamar County (TX)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garretts Bluff
    • Belk
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Belk is located in Lamar County (TX)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belk
    • Midcity
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Midcity is located in Lamar County (TX)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Midcity
      • Midcity has also been known as:
      • Trout Spur
      • Trout
    • Powderly
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
    • Camp Maxey ‑ Historic
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
      • Camp Maxey is located in Lamar County (TX)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Camp Maxey
    • Caviness
      (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
      • Caviness is located in Lamar County (TX)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caviness
    • Direct
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Direct is located in Lamar County (TX)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Direct
    • Hinckley
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
      • Hinckley is located in Lamar County (TX)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hinckley
    • Sumner
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
  • Red River County (TX)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Forney, with the one closest to Forney listed first.
    • Kanawha
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Kanawha is located in Red River County (TX)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kanawha
    • Addielou
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Addielou is located in Red River County (TX)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Addielou

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

Cemeteries Near Forney ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Forney.

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

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

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

  • Cold Springs Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
  • Goodland Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Soper Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Soper Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Soper Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the west of Soper.
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #99554 <2>
  • Cooksville Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
  • Sweet Hill Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Crosley Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Mt. Olive Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Springs Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Springs Chapel Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
  • Mt. Olive Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Mt. Olivet Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
  • Mt. Olivet Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
  • Continue List   (115 more) ...
    • Bluff Cemetery
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
    • Messer Cemetery
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Sugar Creek Cemetery
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)

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

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

  • Chicota
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
  • Arthur City
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Powderly
    (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
  • Emberson
    (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
    • Emberson is located in Lamar County (TX)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Emberson
  • Direct
    (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Direct is located in Lamar County (TX)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Direct
  • Sumner
    (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
  • Hinckley
    (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
    • Hinckley is located in Lamar County (TX)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hinckley
  • Maxey
    (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
    • Maxey is located in Lamar County (TX)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maxey
  • Monkstown
    (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Monkstown is located in Fannin County (TX)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monkstown
  • Givens
    (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
    • Givens is located in Lamar County (TX)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Givens
  • Kanawha
    (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
    • Kanawha is located in Red River County (TX)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kanawha
  • Paris
    (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
    • Paris is located in Lamar County (TX)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Paris
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 24,872 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Paris <1>
  • Continue List   (9 more) ...
    • Woodland
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Woodland is located in Red River County (TX)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodland
    • Reno
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
      • Reno is located in Lamar County (TX)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reno
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,349 people
    • Telephone
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)

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

Newspapers Published in Forney ...

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 61 newspapers that have been published in the area around Forney.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Forney, there are papers which were published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Forney.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we begin with 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 Forney:

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