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 Aley (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 Aley. 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 northwest 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 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 west 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.
Aley is located in Henderson County.
To see how the shape of Texas' counties may have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.
The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Henderson County: Anderson, Ellis, Kaufman, Navarro, Smith & Van Zandt.
Below are the counties that are near Aley. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Aley:
- Henderson County (The home county of Aley)
- The following are listed by their distance from Aley, with the one closest to Aley listed first.
- Seven Points
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Tool
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Gun Barrel City
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Payne Springs
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Payne Springs is located in Henderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Payne Springs
- Population from the 2020 Census: 756 people
- Enchanted Oaks
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Enchanted Oaks is located in Henderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Enchanted Oaks
- Population from the 2020 Census: 343 people
- Eustace
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Caney City
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Caney City is located in Henderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caney City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 223 people
- Star Harbor
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Star Harbor is located in Henderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Star Harbor
- Population from the 2020 Census: 487 people
- Log Cabin
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Log Cabin is located in Henderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Log Cabin
- Population from the 2020 Census: 785 people
- Trinidad
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Malakoff
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Athens
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Anderson County
- Cayuga
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Dallas County
- The following are listed by their distance from Aley, with the one closest to Aley listed first.
- Combine
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Combine is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Combine
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,537 people
- Seagoville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Ferris
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Ellis County
- The following are listed by their distance from Aley, with the one closest to Aley listed first.
- Telico
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Telico is located in Ellis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Telico
- Alma
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Alma is located in Ellis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alma
- Population from the 2020 Census: 400 people
- Crisp
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Crisp is located in Ellis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crisp
- Bristol
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Bristol is located in Ellis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bristol
- Ennis
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Walnut Springs
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Walnut Springs is located in Ellis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walnut Springs
- Garrett
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Garrett is located in Ellis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garrett
- Population from the 2020 Census: 891 people
- Bardwell
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Palmer
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Boyce
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Boyce is located in Ellis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boyce
- Howard
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Howard is located in Ellis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Howard
- Ike
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Ike is located in Ellis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ike
- Freestone County
- The following are listed by their distance from Aley, with the one closest to Aley listed first.
- Winkler
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Winkler is located in Freestone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winkler
- Streetman
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Kaufman County
- The following are listed by their distance from Aley, with the one closest to Aley listed first.
- Tolosa
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Tolosa is located in Kaufman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tolosa
- Styx
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Styx is located in Kaufman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Styx
- Stubbs
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Stubbs is located in Kaufman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stubbs
- Mabank
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Kemp
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Grays Prairie
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Grays Prairie is located in Kaufman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grays Prairie
- Population from the 2020 Census: 388 people
- Becker
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Becker is located in Kaufman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Becker
- Cottonwood
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Cottonwood is located in Kaufman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cottonwood
- Population from the 2020 Census: 209 people
- Oak Grove
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Oak Grove is located in Kaufman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Grove
- Population from the 2020 Census: 704 people
- Prairieville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Prairieville is located in Kaufman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prairieville
- Rosser
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Scurry
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Navarro County
- The following are listed by their distance from Aley, with the one closest to Aley listed first.
- Bazette
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Bazette is located in Navarro County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bazette
- Chatfield
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Roane
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Roane is located in Navarro County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roane
- Tupelo
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Tupelo is located in Navarro County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tupelo
- Kerens
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Goodlow
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Goodlow is located in Navarro County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goodlow
- Population from the 2020 Census: 197 people
- Goodlow has also been known as:
- Goodlow Park
- Powell
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Powell is located in Navarro County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Powell
- Population from the 2020 Census: 149 people
- Rice
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Elm Flat
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Elm Flat is located in Navarro County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elm Flat
- Mildred
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Mildred is located in Navarro County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mildred
- Population from the 2020 Census: 400 people
- Corsicana
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Emhouse
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Emhouse is located in Navarro County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Emhouse
- Population from the 2020 Census: 154 people
- Van Zandt County
- The following are listed by their distance from Aley, with the one closest to Aley listed first.
- Tundra
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Tundra is located in Van Zandt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tundra
- Canton
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Myrtle Springs
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Myrtle Springs is located in Van Zandt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Myrtle Springs
- Wills Point
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Aley, see our County-by-County Page for Aley.
Cemeteries Near Aley ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Aley.
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 Aley - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Aley covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Aley, with the one closest to Aley listed first.
- King Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Ware Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Shiloh Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Baker Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Guthrie Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Berry Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Timothy Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Prairie Point Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prairie Point Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Prairie Point Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located 5 miles [8 km]<3> to the northwest of Kerens.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #304780 <2>
- Mason Ranch Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Old Chatfield Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- New Chatfield Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- New Chatfield Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Continue List (146 more) ...
- Old Chatfield Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Mabank Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Phillips Cemetery
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
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>
While we didn't find Aley in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Aley.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Aley, with the one closest to Aley listed first.
- Tolosa
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Tolosa is located in Kaufman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tolosa
- Stubbs
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Stubbs is located in Kaufman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stubbs
- Payne Springs
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Payne Springs is located in Henderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Payne Springs
- Population from the 2020 Census: 756 people
- Kemp
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Bazette
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Bazette is located in Navarro County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bazette
- Chatfield
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Kerens
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Powell
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Powell is located in Navarro County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Powell
- Population from the 2020 Census: 149 people
- Roddy
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Roddy is located in Van Zandt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roddy
- Prairieville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Prairieville is located in Kaufman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prairieville
- Rice
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Trinidad
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Continue List (13 more) ...
- Scurry
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Malakoff
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Alma
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Alma is located in Ellis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alma
- Population from the 2020 Census: 400 people
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Aley. See our List of 1890's Communities around Aley.
Newspapers Published in Aley ...
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 91 newspapers that have been published in the area around Aley.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Aley, there are papers which were published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Aley.
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 Aley:
- Websites specific to Texas
- Pages specific to Henderson County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Anderson County
- Dallas County
- Ellis County
- Freestone County
- Kaufman County
- Navarro County
- Van Zandt County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Texas
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> | 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- Aley) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |
| <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 Aley, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |