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 Bear Creek (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 Bear Creek. 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 Bear Creek ...
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 Bear Creek: Bear Crk. (or less commonly used: Bear Ck. or Bear Cr.)
You might be interested in other communities that are also named Bear Creek. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Bear Creek.
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/Parishes ...
When searching for family records, we have frequently made the mistake of not checking the neighboring counties/parishes.
For example, we have great-grandparents who lived in the southeast 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 south.
So when searching for records, we had our best success by looking in neighboring counties/parishes 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 south contained their burial records. If we hadn't included the neighboring counties/parishes, we would have missed many valuable sources of information.
If you're in a similar situation, we hope that the following information helps.
Bear Creek is located in Cass 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 Cass County: Miller (AR), Caddo (LA), Bowie, Marion & Morris.
Below are the counties/parishes that are near Bear Creek. For each of these counties/parishes, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Bear Creek:
- Cass County (The home county of Bear Creek)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bear Creek, with the one closest to Bear Creek listed first.
- Avinger
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Linden
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Kildare
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Hughes Springs
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Red Hill
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Red Hill is located in Cass County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Hill
- Bivins
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Marietta
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Huffins
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Huffins is located in Cass County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Huffins
- Douglassville
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Atlanta
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- McLeod
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Bryans Mill
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Bryans Mill is located in Cass County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bryans Mill
- Bowie County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bear Creek, with the one closest to Bear Creek listed first.
- Carbondale
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Carbondale is located in Bowie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carbondale
- Bassett
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Bassett is located in Bowie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bassett
- Maud
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Simms
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Camp County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bear Creek, with the one closest to Bear Creek listed first.
- Center Point ‑ Historic
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Center Point is located in Camp County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Center Point
- Harvard
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Harvard is located in Camp County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harvard
- Pine
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Pine is located in Camp County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine
- Pittsburg
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Gregg County
- Judson
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Harrison County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bear Creek, with the one closest to Bear Creek listed first.
- Harleton
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Pope City
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Pope City is located in Harrison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pope City
- Woodlawn
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Woodlawn is located in Harrison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodlawn
- Baldwin
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Baldwin is located in Harrison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Baldwin
- Morton
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Morton is located in Harrison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morton
- Nesbitt
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Nesbitt is located in Harrison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nesbitt
- Population from the 2010 Census: 281 people
- Karnack
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Uncertain
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Marshall
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Noonday
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Noonday is located in Harrison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Noonday
- Scottsville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Hallsville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Marion County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bear Creek, with the one closest to Bear Creek listed first.
- Sarber
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Sarber is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sarber
- Lodi
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Kellyville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Kellyville is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kellyville
- Jefferson
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Macedonia
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Macedonia is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Macedonia
- Jackson
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Jackson is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jackson
- Morris County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bear Creek, with the one closest to Bear Creek listed first.
- Jenkins
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Jenkins is located in Morris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jenkins
- Lone Star
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Daingerfield
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Rocky Branch
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Rocky Branch is located in Morris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rocky Branch
- Cason
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Naples
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Naples is located in Morris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Naples
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,305 people
- Former name for Naples:
- Station Belden
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Naples <1>
- Omaha
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Titus County
- Cookville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Upshur County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bear Creek, with the one closest to Bear Creek listed first.
- Ore City
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Coffeeville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Coffeeville is located in Upshur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coffeeville
- Diana
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- James
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- James is located in Upshur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for James
- LaFayette
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- LaFayette is located in Upshur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for LaFayette
- Graceton
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Graceton is located in Upshur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Graceton
- Ewell
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Ewell is located in Upshur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ewell
- Indian Rock
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Indian Rock is located in Upshur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Indian Rock
- Glenwood
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Glenwood is located in Upshur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glenwood
- Bettie
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Bettie is located in Upshur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bettie
- Delrose
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Delrose is located in Upshur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Delrose
- Miller County (AR)
- Capps City
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Capps City is located in Miller County (AR)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Capps City
- Caddo Parish (LA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bear Creek, with the one closest to Bear Creek listed first.
- Garfield ‑ Historic
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Garfield is located in Caddo Parish (LA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garfield
- Zylks
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Zylks is located in Caddo Parish (LA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zylks
- Rodessa
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Vivian
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Frog Level ‑ Historic
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Frog Level is located in Caddo Parish (LA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frog Level
- Black Bayou ‑ Historic
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Black Bayou is located in Caddo Parish (LA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Black Bayou
- Oil City
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Bear Creek, see our County-by-County Page for Bear Creek.
Cemeteries Near Bear Creek ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Bear Creek.
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 Bear Creek - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Bear Creek covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Bear Creek, with the one closest to Bear Creek listed first.
- Bear Creek Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Simmons Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Lanier Friendship Baptist Church Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Henderson Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Mt. Moriah Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Hickory Hill Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Lockett Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Shiloh Methodist Church Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Pyland Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Concord Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Prospect Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prospect Cemetery
- The Prospect Cemetery has also been known as:
- New Prospect Cemetery
- Valley Plains Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Continue List (177 more) ...
- Old Union Hill Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Zion Hill Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Rankin Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 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 Bear Creek in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Bear Creek.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Bear Creek, with the one closest to Bear Creek listed first.
- Lanier
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Lanier is located in Cass County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lanier
- Avinger
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Orrs
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Orrs is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orrs
- Linden
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Sardis
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Sardis is located in Cass County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sardis
- Kellyville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Kellyville is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kellyville
- Lodi
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Kildare
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Almira
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Almira is located in Cass County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Almira
- Hughes Springs
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Jefferson
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Red Hill
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Red Hill is located in Cass County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Hill
- Continue List (13 more) ...
- Bivins
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- O'Farrell
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- O'Farrell is located in Cass County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for O'Farrell
- Cusseta
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Cusseta is located in Cass County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cusseta
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Bear Creek. See our List of 1890's Communities around Bear Creek.
Newspapers Published in Bear Creek ...
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 63 newspapers that have been published in the area around Bear Creek.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Bear Creek, there are papers which were published within 27 miles [43.5 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Bear Creek.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we like to 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 Bear Creek:
- Websites specific to Texas
- Pages specific to Cass County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Bowie County
- Camp County
- Gregg County
- Harrison County
- Marion County
- Morris County
- Titus County
- Upshur County
- Miller County
- Caddo Parish
- 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 Bear Creek, 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 from Point A (ie- Bear Creek) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |