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 Balch Springs (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 Balch Springs. 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 Balch Springs ...
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.
For example, a typical abbreviation for Balch Springs: Balch Spgs. (or less commonly used: Balch Spngs. or Balch Sprngs.)
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 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.
Balch Springs is located in Dallas 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 Dallas County: Collin, Denton, Ellis, Kaufman, Rockwall & Tarrant.
Below are the counties that are near Balch Springs. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Balch Springs:
- Dallas County (The home county of Balch Springs)
- The following are listed by their distance from Balch Springs, with the one closest to Balch Springs listed first.
- Mesquite
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Kleberg
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Kleberg is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kleberg
- Lawson
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Lawson is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lawson
- New Hope
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- New Hope is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Hope
- Sunnyvale
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Seagoville
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Hutchins
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Wilmer
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Sargent
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Sargent is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sargent
- Rawlins
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Rawlins is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rawlins
- Combine
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Combine is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Combine
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,537 people
- Lisbon ‑ Historic
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Lisbon is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lisbon
- Centerville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Centerville is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Centerville
- Collin County
- The following are listed by their distance from Balch Springs, with the one closest to Balch Springs listed first.
- Sachse
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Murphy
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Plano
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Saint Paul
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Saint Paul is located in Collin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Paul
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,039 people
- Wylie
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Parker
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Lavon
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Royse City
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Carrollton
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Clear Lake
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Clear Lake is located in Collin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clear Lake
- Lucas
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Lucas is located in Collin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lucas
- Population from the 2020 Census: 8,819 people
- Nevada
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Allen
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Denton County
- The Colony
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Ellis County
- The following are listed by their distance from Balch Springs, with the one closest to Balch Springs listed first.
- Walnut Springs
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Walnut Springs is located in Ellis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walnut Springs
- Bristol
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Bristol is located in Ellis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bristol
- Red Oak
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Pecan Hill
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Pecan Hill is located in Ellis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pecan Hill
- Population from the 2020 Census: 714 people
- Oak Leaf
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Oak Leaf is located in Ellis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Leaf
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,498 people
- Palmer
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Sterrett
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Sterrett is located in Ellis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sterrett
- Crisp
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Crisp is located in Ellis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crisp
- Ike
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Ike is located in Ellis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ike
- Boyce
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Boyce is located in Ellis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boyce
- Garrett
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Garrett is located in Ellis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garrett
- Population from the 2020 Census: 891 people
- Telico
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Telico is located in Ellis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Telico
- Waxahachie
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Hunt County
- The following are listed by their distance from Balch Springs, with the one closest to Balch Springs listed first.
- Union Valley
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Union Valley is located in Hunt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union Valley
- Population from the 2020 Census: 461 people
- Hendrix
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Hendrix is located in Hunt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hendrix
- Quinlan
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Kaufman County
- The following are listed by their distance from Balch Springs, with the one closest to Balch Springs listed first.
- Forney
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Heath
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Crandall
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Talty
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Talty is located in Kaufman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Talty
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,883 people
- Lawrence
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Lawrence is located in Kaufman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lawrence
- Lone Star
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Lone Star is located in Kaufman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lone Star
- Post Oak Bend City
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Post Oak Bend City is located in Kaufman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Post Oak Bend City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 626 people
- Terrell
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Scurry
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Kaufman
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Rosser
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Cottonwood
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Cottonwood is located in Kaufman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cottonwood
- Population from the 2020 Census: 209 people
- Oak Grove
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Oak Grove is located in Kaufman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Grove
- Population from the 2020 Census: 704 people
- Rockwall County
- The following are listed by their distance from Balch Springs, with the one closest to Balch Springs listed first.
- McLendon - Chisholm
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- McLendon - Chisholm is located in Rockwall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McLendon - Chisholm
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,815 people
- Rockwall
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Mobile City
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Mobile City is located in Rockwall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mobile City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 208 people
- Blackland
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Blackland is located in Rockwall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blackland
- Fate
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Tarrant County
- The following are listed by their distance from Balch Springs, with the one closest to Balch Springs listed first.
- Minters Chapel ‑ Historic
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Minters Chapel is located in Tarrant County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Minters Chapel
- Euless
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Arlington
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Johnsons Station
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Johnsons Station is located in Tarrant County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Johnsons Station
- University Park Village
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Balch Springs, see our County-by-County Page for Balch Springs.
Cemeteries Near Balch Springs ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Balch Springs.
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 Balch Springs - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Balch Springs covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Balch Springs, with the one closest to Balch Springs listed first.
- Frost Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Carver Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Potter Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Lumley Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Samuell - Crawford Memorial Park
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Lincoln Memorial Park
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Elmwood Memorial Park
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Sand Branch Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Lee Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Long Creek Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- New Hope Memorial Gardens
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Newton Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Continue List (203 more) ...
- W.W. Glover Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Motley Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Rose Lawn Memorial Gardens
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
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 Balch Springs in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Balch Springs.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Balch Springs, with the one closest to Balch Springs listed first.
- Rylie
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Rylie is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rylie
- Kleberg
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Kleberg is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kleberg
- New Hope
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- New Hope is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Hope
- Hutchins
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Seagoville
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Forney
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Wilmer
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Reinhardt
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Reinhardt is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reinhardt
- Rawlins
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Rawlins is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rawlins
- Lisbon ‑ Historic
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Lisbon is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lisbon
- Crandall
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Heath
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Continue List (17 more) ...
- Dallas
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Lancaster
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Ferris
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Balch Springs. See our List of 1890's Communities around Balch Springs.
Newspapers Published in Balch Springs ...
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 274 newspapers that have been published in the area around Balch Springs.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Balch Springs, there are papers which were published within 25 miles [40.2 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Balch Springs.
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 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 Balch Springs:
- Websites specific to Texas
- Pages specific to Dallas County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Collin County
- Denton County
- Ellis County
- Hunt County
- Kaufman County
- Rockwall County
- Tarrant 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> | 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 Balch Springs, 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 obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Balch Springs) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |