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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 Fort Gibson (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 Fort Gibson. 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.

Name Variations for Fort Gibson ...

When searching records, keep in mind that names and their spelling can change over time. Our sources include documents like maps, railroad schedules, Travel, Express and Shipping Guides. Many of these documents date from the 1800's and it's common to find spelling differences.

Although we can't give a definitive list, hopefully the following will give you a feel for the variations that might occur.

The town of Fort Gibson was originally named Cantonment Gibson

  • A typical abbreviation for Fort Gibson: Ft. Gibson

You might be interested in other communities that are also named Fort Gibson. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Fort Gibson.

If you have information about these names (such as the reason for the change, date of change, the origin of the name), please Contact Us.

A Few Details for Fort Gibson ...

While it's still very early in our research, we found that:

  • Fort Gibson was established in 1824.

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 and 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.

Fort Gibson is primarily located in Muskogee County. A portion of Fort Gibson extends into Cherokee 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 Muskogee County: Cherokee, Haskell, McIntosh, Okmulgee, Sequoyah & Wagoner.

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

  • Muskogee County     (The home county of Fort Gibson)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Fort Gibson, with the one closest to Fort Gibson listed first.
    • Wybark
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Wybark is located in Muskogee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wybark
    • Bacone
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
      • Bacone is located in Muskogee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bacone
    • Muskogee
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
    • Braggs
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
    • River Bottom
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
      • River Bottom is located in Muskogee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for River Bottom
    • Summit
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Summit is located in Muskogee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Summit
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 136 people
    • Sour John
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Sour John is located in Muskogee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sour John
    • Beland
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
      • Beland is located in Muskogee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beland
    • Taft
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
      • Taft is located in Muskogee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Taft
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 236 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Taft <1>
    • Oktaha
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
    • Warner
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
    • Webbers Falls
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
  • Adair County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Fort Gibson, with the one closest to Fort Gibson listed first.
    • Rocky Mountain
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
      • Rocky Mountain is located in Adair County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rocky Mountain
    • Wauhillau
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
      • Wauhillau is located in Adair County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wauhillau
    • Bunch
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
    • Proctor
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Lyons
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
      • Lyons is located in Adair County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lyons
      • Lyons has also been known as:
      • Lyons Switch
  • Cherokee County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Fort Gibson, with the one closest to Fort Gibson listed first.
    • Woodall
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
      • Woodall is located in Cherokee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodall
    • Zeb
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
      • Zeb is located in Cherokee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zeb
    • Hulbert
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Shady Grove
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Shady Grove is located in Cherokee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shady Grove
    • Keys
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
      • Keys is located in Cherokee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keys
    • Pettit
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
      • Pettit is located in Cherokee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pettit
    • Lost City
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Lost City is located in Cherokee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lost City
    • Park Hill
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
    • Pettit Bay
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
      • Pettit Bay is located in Cherokee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pettit Bay
    • Tsa La Gi Indian Village
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
    • Tahlequah
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
    • Carters Landing
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
      • Carters Landing is located in Cherokee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carters Landing
  • Haskell County
    • Tamaha
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Tamaha is located in Haskell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tamaha
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 235 people
  • Mayes County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Fort Gibson, with the one closest to Fort Gibson listed first.
    • Cedar Crest
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
      • Cedar Crest is located in Mayes County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar Crest
    • Mazie
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
    • Ballou
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
      • Ballou is located in Mayes County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ballou
    • Pin Oaks Acres
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
      • Pin Oaks Acres is located in Mayes County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pin Oaks Acres
    • Murphy
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
      • Murphy is located in Mayes County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Murphy
    • Iron Post
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
      • Iron Post is located in Mayes County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Iron Post
    • Chouteau
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
    • Locust Grove
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
    • Sams Corner
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
      • Sams Corner is located in Mayes County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sams Corner
    • Snake Creek
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
      • Snake Creek is located in Mayes County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Snake Creek
  • McIntosh County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Fort Gibson, with the one closest to Fort Gibson listed first.
    • Rentiesville
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Shady Grove
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Shady Grove is located in McIntosh County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shady Grove
    • Checotah
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Duchess Landing
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
      • Duchess Landing is located in McIntosh County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Duchess Landing
    • Onapa
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Onapa is located in McIntosh County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Onapa
      • Onapa has also been known as:
      • Bond
  • Rogers County
    • Inola
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
  • Sequoyah County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Fort Gibson, with the one closest to Fort Gibson listed first.
    • Paradise Hill
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Paradise Hill is located in Sequoyah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Paradise Hill
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 80 people
    • Gore
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
      • Gore is located in Sequoyah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gore
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 946 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Gore <1>
    • Redbird Smith
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Redbird Smith is located in Sequoyah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Redbird Smith
    • Box
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Box is located in Sequoyah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Box
    • Evening Shade
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Evening Shade is located in Sequoyah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Evening Shade
    • Carlisle
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
      • Carlisle is located in Sequoyah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carlisle
    • Vian
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Vian is located in Sequoyah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vian
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,356 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Vian <1>
    • Pinhook Corners
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Pinhook Corners is located in Sequoyah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pinhook Corners
    • Flute Springs
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
      • Flute Springs is located in Sequoyah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flute Springs
    • Dwight Mission
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Dwight Mission is located in Sequoyah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dwight Mission
    • Marble City
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Marble City Community
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Marble City Community is located in Sequoyah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marble City Community
  • Wagoner County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Fort Gibson, with the one closest to Fort Gibson listed first.
    • Mallard Bay
      (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
      • Mallard Bay is located in Wagoner County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mallard Bay
    • Okay
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Okay is located in Wagoner County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Okay
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 712 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Okay <1>
    • Anchor
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Anchor is located in Wagoner County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Anchor
    • Gibson
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Gibson is located in Wagoner County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gibson
    • Tullahassee
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
      • Tullahassee is located in Wagoner County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tullahassee
    • Wagoner
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Clarksville
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
      • Clarksville is located in Wagoner County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clarksville
    • Porter
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Redbird
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
    • Choska ‑ Historic
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
      • Choska is located in Wagoner County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Choska
      • Choska has also been known as:
      • Chooska Bottoms
      • Choska Bottoms
    • Stones Corner
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
      • Stones Corner is located in Wagoner County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stones Corner
    • Coweta
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)

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

Cemeteries Near Fort Gibson ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Fort Gibson.

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 Fort Gibson - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • New Hope Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
  • Walker Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
  • Ft. Gibson Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
  • Ft. Gibson National Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
  • Frozen Rock Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Harnage Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
  • Greenhill Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
  • Three Rivers Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
  • Harris Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • Anderson Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • Starnes Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • Marshall Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
  • Continue List   (204 more) ...
    • Hammer Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
    • Cherokee Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Jamison Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 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 Fort Gibson in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Fort Gibson.

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

  • Martin
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
    • Martin is located in Muskogee County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Martin
  • Keith
    (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
    • Keith is located in Rogers County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keith

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

Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Fort Gibson ...

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 100 newspapers that have been published in the area around Fort Gibson.

We have organized these newspapers into two lists:

  • A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Fort Gibson. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Fort Gibson and those printed in the larger area surrounding Fort Gibson.
  • An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 29 miles [46.7 km]<4> of Fort Gibson.

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 Fort Gibson:

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 Fort Gibson, 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' (or point-to-point) distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Fort Gibson) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.