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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 Sawyer (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 Sawyer. 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 southwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most 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.

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

  • Choctaw County     (The home county of Sawyer)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Sawyer, with the one closest to Sawyer listed first.
    • Virgil
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
      • Virgil is located in Choctaw County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Virgil
    • Fort Towson
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
    • Spencerville
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
    • Apple
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Apple is located in Choctaw County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Apple
    • Frogville
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
      • Frogville is located in Choctaw County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frogville
    • Hugo
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
      • 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>
    • Swink
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
    • Grant
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Soper
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
    • Boswell
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
  • Atoka County
    • Lone Pine
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Lone Pine is located in Atoka County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lone Pine
  • McCurtain County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Sawyer, with the one closest to Sawyer listed first.
    • Rufe
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Slim
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
      • Slim is located in McCurtain County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Slim
    • Valliant
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
    • Millerton
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
    • Ringold
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
    • Wright City
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
    • Garvin
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
    • Golden
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
  • Pushmataha County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Sawyer, with the one closest to Sawyer listed first.
    • Corinne
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
      • Corinne is located in Pushmataha County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Corinne
    • Oleta
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
      • Oleta is located in Pushmataha County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oleta
    • Rattan
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
    • Belzoni
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Belzoni is located in Pushmataha County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belzoni
    • Ethel
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Ethel is located in Pushmataha County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ethel
    • Cloudy
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
      • Cloudy is located in Pushmataha County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cloudy
    • Antlers
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Finley
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
    • Snow
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
    • Moyers
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Eubanks
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Eubanks is located in Pushmataha County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eubanks
  • Lamar County (TX)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Sawyer, with the one closest to Sawyer listed first.
    • Arthur City
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Pin Hook
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
      • Pin Hook is located in Lamar County (TX)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pin Hook
    • Chicota
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Midcity
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Midcity is located in Lamar County (TX)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Midcity
      • Midcity has also been known as:
      • Trout Spur
      • Trout
    • Novice
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
      • Novice is located in Lamar County (TX)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Novice
    • Powderly
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Razor
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Razor is located in Lamar County (TX)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Razor
    • Camp Maxey ‑ Historic
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Camp Maxey is located in Lamar County (TX)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Camp Maxey
    • Amherst
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
      • Amherst is located in Lamar County (TX)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Amherst
    • Caviness
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Caviness is located in Lamar County (TX)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caviness
    • Garretts Bluff
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Garretts Bluff is located in Lamar County (TX)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garretts Bluff
    • Hinckley
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Hinckley is located in Lamar County (TX)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hinckley
    • Belk
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
      • Belk is located in Lamar County (TX)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belk
  • Red River County (TX)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Sawyer, with the one closest to Sawyer listed first.
    • Kanawha
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Kanawha is located in Red River County (TX)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kanawha
    • Addielou
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Addielou is located in Red River County (TX)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Addielou
    • Silver City
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Silver City is located in Red River County (TX)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Silver City
    • Albion
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Albion is located in Red River County (TX)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Albion
    • Detroit
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
      • Detroit is located in Red River County (TX)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Detroit
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 684 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Detroit <1>
    • Greenwood
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Greenwood is located in Red River County (TX)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenwood
    • Bagwell
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Liberty
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
      • Liberty is located in Red River County (TX)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Liberty
    • Acworth
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Acworth is located in Red River County (TX)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Acworth

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

Cemeteries Near Sawyer ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Sawyer.

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

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

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

  • Shoat Springs Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Jones Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Dixon Chapel Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Everidge Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • Spring Hill Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • Ft. Towson Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • Missionary Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
  • Oaks Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
  • Old Ft. Towson Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
  • Mt. Olivet Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
  • Frogville Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
  • Mt. Olivet Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
  • Continue List   (108 more) ...
    • Springs Cemetery
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
    • Springs Chapel Cemetery
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
    • Crosley Cemetery
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)

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

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

  • Kanawha
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Kanawha is located in Red River County (TX)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kanawha
  • Arthur City
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
  • Chicota
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
  • Woodland
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
    • Woodland is located in Red River County (TX)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodland
  • Manchester
    (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Manchester is located in Red River County (TX)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Manchester
  • Powderly
    (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Hinckley
    (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Hinckley is located in Lamar County (TX)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hinckley
  • Albion
    (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Albion is located in Red River County (TX)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Albion
  • Givens
    (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
    • Givens is located in Lamar County (TX)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Givens
  • Emberson
    (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Emberson is located in Lamar County (TX)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Emberson
  • Blossom
    (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
    • Blossom is located in Lamar County (TX)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blossom
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,576 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Blossom <1>
  • Reno
    (25 miles [40.2 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
  • Continue List   (5 more) ...
    • Detroit
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
      • Detroit is located in Red River County (TX)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Detroit
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 684 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Detroit <1>
    • Sumner
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Sylvan
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
      • Sylvan is located in Lamar County (TX)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sylvan

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

Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Sawyer ...

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 55 newspapers that have been published in the area around Sawyer.

We have organized these newspapers into two lists:

  • A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Sawyer. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Sawyer and those printed in the larger area surrounding Sawyer.
  • An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 28 miles [45.1 km]<4> of Sawyer.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we start 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 Sawyer:

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