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 Belk (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 Belk. 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 doctors 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.
Belk is located in Lamar 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 Lamar County: Bryan (OK), Choctaw (OK), Delta, Fannin & Red River.
Below are the counties that are near Belk. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Belk:
- Lamar County (The home county of Belk)
- The following are listed by their distance from Belk, with the one closest to Belk listed first.
- Garretts Bluff
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Garretts Bluff is located in Lamar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garretts Bluff
- Razor
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Razor is located in Lamar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Razor
- Sumner
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Direct
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Direct is located in Lamar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Direct
- Chicota
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Caviness
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Caviness is located in Lamar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caviness
- Camp Maxey ‑ Historic
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Camp Maxey is located in Lamar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Camp Maxey
- Hopewell
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Hopewell is located in Lamar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hopewell
- Midcity
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Midcity is located in Lamar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Midcity
- Midcity has also been known as:
- Trout Spur
- Trout
- Powderly
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Arthur City
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Hinckley
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Hinckley is located in Lamar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hinckley
- Delta County
- The following are listed by their distance from Belk, with the one closest to Belk listed first.
- Ben Franklin
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Enloe
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Lake Creek
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Pecan Gap
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Fannin County
- The following are listed by their distance from Belk, with the one closest to Belk listed first.
- Allen Point
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Allen Point is located in Fannin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Allen Point
- Telephone
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Allens Chapel
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Allens Chapel is located in Fannin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Allens Chapel
- Carson
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Carson is located in Fannin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carson
- Honey Grove
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Dial
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Dial is located in Fannin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dial
- Windom
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Ivanhoe
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Dodd City
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Bug Tussle ‑ Historic
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Bug Tussle is located in Fannin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bug Tussle
- Ridings
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Ridings is located in Fannin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ridings
- Sowells Bluff
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Sowells Bluff is located in Fannin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sowells Bluff
- Red River County
- The following are listed by their distance from Belk, with the one closest to Belk listed first.
- Kanawha
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Kanawha is located in Red River County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kanawha
- Addielou
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Addielou is located in Red River County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Addielou
- Detroit
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Atoka County (OK)
- The following are listed by their distance from Belk, with the one closest to Belk listed first.
- Lone Pine
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Lone Pine is located in Atoka County (OK)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lone Pine
- Farris
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Bryan County (OK)
- The following are listed by their distance from Belk, with the one closest to Belk listed first.
- Bennington
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Wade
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Wade is located in Bryan County (OK)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wade
- Albany
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Bokchito
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Matoy
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Matoy is located in Bryan County (OK)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Matoy
- Yuba
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Yuba is located in Bryan County (OK)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yuba
- Choctaw County (OK)
- The following are listed by their distance from Belk, with the one closest to Belk listed first.
- Soper
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Grant
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Boswell
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Hugo
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Hugo is located in Choctaw County (OK)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hugo
- Population from the 2020 Census: 5,070 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Hugo <1>
- Frogville
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Frogville is located in Choctaw County (OK)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frogville
- Sawyer
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Virgil
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Virgil is located in Choctaw County (OK)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Virgil
- Apple
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Apple is located in Choctaw County (OK)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Apple
- Fort Towson
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Spencerville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Pushmataha County (OK)
- The following are listed by their distance from Belk, with the one closest to Belk listed first.
- Antlers
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Belzoni
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Belzoni is located in Pushmataha County (OK)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belzoni
- Ethel
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Ethel is located in Pushmataha County (OK)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ethel
- Rattan
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Belk, see our County-by-County Page for Belk.
Cemeteries Near Belk ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Belk.
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 Belk - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Belk covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Belk, with the one closest to Belk listed first.
- Community Hall Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Post Oak Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Pyles Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Sumner Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- New Macedonia Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Reid Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Bluff Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Caviness Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Little Vine Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Prairie Ridge Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Forest Chapel Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest Chapel Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Forest Chapel Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the west of Chicota.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #1292756 <2>
- Crowder Springs Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Continue List (174 more) ...
- Casey Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Littlejohn Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- McEwin Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 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 Belk in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Belk.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Belk, with the one closest to Belk listed first.
- Emberson
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Emberson is located in Lamar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Emberson
- Direct
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Direct is located in Lamar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Direct
- Sumner
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Chicota
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Maxey
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Maxey is located in Lamar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maxey
- Powderly
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Monkstown
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Monkstown is located in Fannin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monkstown
- Hinckley
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Hinckley is located in Lamar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hinckley
- Arthur City
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Selfs
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Selfs is located in Fannin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Selfs
- Brookston
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Paris
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Givens
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Givens is located in Lamar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Givens
- High
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- High is located in Lamar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for High
- Telephone
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Belk. See our List of 1890's Communities around Belk.
Newspapers Published in Belk ...
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 93 newspapers that have been published in the area around Belk.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Belk, there are papers which were published within 28 miles [45.1 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Belk.
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 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 Belk:
- Websites specific to Texas
- Pages specific to Lamar County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Delta County
- Fannin County
- Red River County
- Atoka County
- Bryan County
- Choctaw County
- Pushmataha 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 Belk, 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- Belk) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |