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 ...
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 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.
Bear Creek is located in San Jacinto 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 San Jacinto County: Liberty, Montgomery, Polk, Trinity & Walker.
Below are the counties that are near Bear Creek. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Bear Creek:
- San Jacinto 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.
- Magnolia
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Magnolia is located in San Jacinto County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Magnolia
- Evergreen
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Evergreen is located in San Jacinto County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Evergreen
- Laurel Hill
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Laurel Hill is located in San Jacinto County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Laurel Hill
- Coldspring
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Shepherd
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Oakhurst
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Point Blank
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Harris County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bear Creek, with the one closest to Bear Creek listed first.
- Elm Grove Village
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Elm Grove Village is located in Harris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elm Grove Village
- Sherwood Trails Village
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Woodland Hills Village
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Bear Branch Village
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Bear Branch Village is located in Harris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bear Branch Village
- Greentree Village
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Greentree Village is located in Harris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greentree Village
- Hunter Ridge Village
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Hunter Ridge Village is located in Harris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hunter Ridge Village
- Spring
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Kingwood
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Sandpiper Village
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Sandpiper Village is located in Harris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sandpiper Village
- Forest North
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Forest North is located in Harris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest North
- Huffman
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Liberty County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bear Creek, with the one closest to Bear Creek listed first.
- North Cleveland
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- North Cleveland is located in Liberty County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Cleveland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 313 people
- Cleveland
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Nimrod ‑ Historic
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Nimrod is located in Liberty County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nimrod
- Rayburn
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Rayburn is located in Liberty County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rayburn
- Plum Grove
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Plum Grove is located in Liberty County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plum Grove
- Population from the 2020 Census: 756 people
- Africa ‑ Historic
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Africa is located in Liberty County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Africa
- Romayor
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Big Thicket Creekmore Village
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Rye
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Fuqua ‑ Historic
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Fuqua is located in Liberty County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fuqua
- Coushatta Village
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Coushatta Village is located in Liberty County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coushatta Village
- Gum Grove
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Gum Grove is located in Liberty County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gum Grove
- Montgomery County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bear Creek, with the one closest to Bear Creek listed first.
- Cut and Shoot
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Splendora
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Grangerland
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Willis
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Panorama Village
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Panorama Village is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Panorama Village
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,446 people
- Patton Village
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Patton Village is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Patton Village
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,207 people
- Conroe
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Danville ‑ Historic
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Danville is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Danville
- Woodbranch
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Woodbranch is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodbranch
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,498 people
- Roman Forest
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Roman Forest is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roman Forest
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,035 people
- Woodloch
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Woodloch is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodloch
- Population from the 2020 Census: 207 people
- New Caney
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Porter Heights
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Porter Heights is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Porter Heights
- Polk County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bear Creek, with the one closest to Bear Creek listed first.
- Swartout ‑ Historic
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Swartout is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Swartout
- Goodrich
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Lamont
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Lamont is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lamont
- West Livingston
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- West Livingston is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Livingston
- Ace
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Livingston
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Onalaska
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Schwab City
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Schwab City is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Schwab City
- Bold Springs
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Bold Springs is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bold Springs
- New Willard
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- New Willard is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Willard
- Trinity County
- Carlisle
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Carlisle is located in Trinity County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carlisle
- Walker County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bear Creek, with the one closest to Bear Creek listed first.
- Elmina
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Elmina is located in Walker County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elmina
- New Waverly
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Barado
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Barado is located in Walker County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barado
- Dodge
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Huntsville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Riverside
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
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.
- Purkerson Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Montague Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Youngblood Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Lewis Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Williams Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Evergreen Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Roark Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Squier Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Lovett Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Spring Hill Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Scott Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Hickory Grove Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Continue List (118 more) ...
- Security Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Hargrove Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Hanson Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 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 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.
- Evergreen
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Evergreen is located in San Jacinto County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Evergreen
- Maynard
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Maynard is located in San Jacinto County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maynard
- Keno
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Keno is located in Liberty County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keno
- Cleveland
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Coldspring
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Shepherd
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Willis
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- New Waverly
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Conroe
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Goodrich
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- New Caney
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Point Blank
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Continue List (9 more) ...
- Phelps
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Phelps is located in Walker County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Phelps
- Dodge
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Livingston
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
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 43 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 websites either 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 San Jacinto County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Harris County
- Liberty County
- Montgomery County
- Polk County
- Trinity County
- Walker 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 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 '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'. |