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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 Sand Bluff (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 Sand Bluff. 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 Sand Bluff ...

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.

For example, a typical abbreviation for Sand Bluff: Sand Blf. (or less commonly used: Sand Bluf.)

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

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.

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 southwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors and hospitals were in the next county to the west. 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 west 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.

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

  • Choctaw County     (The home county of Sand Bluff)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Sand Bluff, with the one closest to Sand Bluff listed first.
    • Boswell
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Soper
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Hugo
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
      • 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
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Apple
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
      • Apple is located in Choctaw County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Apple
    • Virgil
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
      • Virgil is located in Choctaw County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Virgil
    • Spencerville
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
    • Sawyer
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
    • Fort Towson
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
  • Atoka County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Sand Bluff, with the one closest to Sand Bluff listed first.
    • Lone Pine
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
      • Lone Pine is located in Atoka County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lone Pine
    • Farris
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Lane
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Bentley
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
      • Bentley is located in Atoka County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bentley
    • Bruno
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Bruno is located in Atoka County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bruno
    • Tushka
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Tushka is located in Atoka County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tushka
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 400 people
    • Caney
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
    • Atoka
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Stringtown
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Daisy
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
  • Bryan County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Sand Bluff, with the one closest to Sand Bluff listed first.
    • Matoy
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
      • Matoy is located in Bryan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Matoy
    • Bennington
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Bokchito
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
    • Wade
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
      • Wade is located in Bryan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wade
    • Albany
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Caddo
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
  • Pushmataha County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Sand Bluff, with the one closest to Sand Bluff listed first.
    • Antlers
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Ethel
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Ethel is located in Pushmataha County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ethel
    • Moyers
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Belzoni
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
      • Belzoni is located in Pushmataha County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belzoni
    • Rattan
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
    • Finley
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Eubanks
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
      • Eubanks is located in Pushmataha County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eubanks
    • Oleta
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
      • Oleta is located in Pushmataha County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oleta
    • Snow
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Corinne
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
      • Corinne is located in Pushmataha County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Corinne
  • Fannin County (TX)
  • Lamar County (TX)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Sand Bluff, with the one closest to Sand Bluff listed first.
    • Garretts Bluff
      (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
      • Garretts Bluff is located in Lamar County (TX)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garretts Bluff
    • Razor
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Razor is located in Lamar County (TX)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Razor
    • Belk
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
      • Belk is located in Lamar County (TX)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belk
    • Direct
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
      • Direct is located in Lamar County (TX)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Direct
    • Chicota
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Arthur City
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
    • Midcity
      (25 miles [40.2 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
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Sumner
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
    • Camp Maxey ‑ Historic
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Camp Maxey is located in Lamar County (TX)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Camp Maxey
    • Caviness
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Caviness is located in Lamar County (TX)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caviness
    • Hinckley
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Hinckley is located in Lamar County (TX)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hinckley

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

Cemeteries Near Sand Bluff ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Sand Bluff.

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 Sand Bluff - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • Holder Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
  • Pierce Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
  • Sugar Creek Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • Restland Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Wade Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
  • Soper Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
    • 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>
  • Darwin Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
  • Hunter Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
  • Edwards Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
  • Farris Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
  • Sugarloaf Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
  • Jones Cemetery
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
  • Continue List   (124 more) ...
    • Crowder Cemetery
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
    • Crystal Cemetery
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Antlers City Cemetery
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)

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

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

  • Direct
    (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
    • Direct is located in Lamar County (TX)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Direct
  • Chicota
    (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Monkstown
    (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
    • Monkstown is located in Fannin County (TX)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monkstown
  • Arthur City
    (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
  • Elwood
    (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Elwood is located in Fannin County (TX)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elwood
  • Emberson
    (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
    • Emberson is located in Lamar County (TX)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Emberson
  • Powderly
    (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
  • Telephone
    (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
  • Sumner
    (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
  • Maxey
    (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
    • Maxey is located in Lamar County (TX)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maxey

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

Newspapers Published in Sand Bluff ...

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 60 newspapers that have been published in the area around Sand Bluff.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Sand Bluff, 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 Sand Bluff.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we first turn to 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 Sand Bluff:

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 Sand Bluff, 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 things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Sand Bluff) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.