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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 Bethel (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 Bethel. 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 hospitals and 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.

Bethel is located in Hopkins 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 Hopkins County: Delta, Franklin, Hunt, Lamar, Rains, Red River & Wood.

Below are the counties that are near Bethel. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Bethel:

  • Hopkins County     (The home county of Bethel)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
    • Pickton
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
    • Como
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
      • Como is located in Hopkins County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Como
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 723 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Como <1>
    • Greenwood
      (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
      • Greenwood is located in Hopkins County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenwood
    • Weaver
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
      • Weaver is located in Hopkins County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weaver
    • Black Oak
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
      • Black Oak is located in Hopkins County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Black Oak
    • Saltillo
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Dike
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
    • Sulphur Springs
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
    • Tazewell
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
      • Tazewell is located in Hopkins County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tazewell
    • Rockdale
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
      • Rockdale is located in Hopkins County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rockdale
    • Nelta
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
      • Nelta is located in Hopkins County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nelta
    • Birthright
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Birthright is located in Hopkins County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Birthright
  • Camp County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
    • Leesburg
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
    • Rocky Mound
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
      • Rocky Mound is located in Camp County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rocky Mound
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 78 people
    • Harvard
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
      • Harvard is located in Camp County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harvard
    • Pittsburg
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
    • Pine
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Pine is located in Camp County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine
  • Delta County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
    • Charleston
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
      • Charleston is located in Delta County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Charleston
    • Cooper
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Klondike
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Lake Creek
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Enloe
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Needmore
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Needmore is located in Delta County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Needmore
  • Franklin County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
    • Purley
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
      • Purley is located in Franklin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Purley
    • Winnsboro
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Mount Vernon
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Scroggins
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Hagansport
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Hagansport is located in Franklin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hagansport
  • Hunt County
    • Commerce
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
  • Lamar County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
    • Cunningham
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
    • Taylor Town
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
      • Taylor Town is located in Lamar County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Taylor Town
    • Gadston
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
      • Gadston is located in Lamar County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gadston
    • Clardy
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • Clardy is located in Lamar County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clardy
    • Frog Hop ‑ Historic
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • Frog Hop is located in Lamar County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frog Hop
  • Rains County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
    • Emory
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Point
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
  • Red River County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
    • Halesboro
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
      • Halesboro is located in Red River County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Halesboro
    • Bogata
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
      • Bogata is located in Red River County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bogata
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,063 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Bogata <1>
  • Titus County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
    • Miller's Cove
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
      • Miller's Cove is located in Titus County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Miller's Cove
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 175 people
    • Winfield
      (18 miles [29 km] to the east)
    • Mount Pleasant
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
    • Green Hill
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Green Hill is located in Titus County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Green Hill
    • Talco
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
  • Upshur County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
    • Piney Grove
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Piney Grove is located in Upshur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Piney Grove
    • Simpsonville
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Simpsonville is located in Upshur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Simpsonville
    • Thomas
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Thomas is located in Upshur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thomas
    • Grice
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Grice is located in Upshur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grice
    • Rhonesboro
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Rhonesboro is located in Upshur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rhonesboro
    • Rosewood
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Rosewood is located in Upshur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rosewood
  • Wood County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
    • Coke
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
      • Coke is located in Wood County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coke
    • Cartwright
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
      • Cartwright is located in Wood County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cartwright
    • Yantis
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Stout
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Stout is located in Wood County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stout
    • Forest Hill
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
      • Forest Hill is located in Wood County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest Hill
    • Quitman
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
    • Gunter
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Gunter is located in Wood County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gunter
    • Perryville
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Perryville is located in Wood County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Perryville
    • Alba
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
    • Pine Mills
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
      • Pine Mills is located in Wood County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Mills
    • Golden
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
    • Hainesville
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
      • Hainesville is located in Wood County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hainesville

For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Bethel, see our County-by-County Page for Bethel.

Cemeteries Near Bethel ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Bethel.

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 Bethel - one of the links might be able to help.

If not found below, our Cemetery List for Bethel covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.

The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.

  • Woodland Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the west)
  • New Pickton Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
  • Coffee Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Gamblin Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
  • Pleasant Hill Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
  • Richland Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Old Saltillo Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Stouts Creek Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Hay Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
  • Liberty Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
  • Rock Hill Cemetery
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
  • City Cemetery
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
  • Continue List   (164 more) ...
    • Snodgrass Cemetery
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
    • Bennett Cemetery
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
    • Melton Cemetery
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)

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 Bethel in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Bethel.

These communities are listed based on their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.

  • Pine Forest
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Pine Forest is located in Hopkins County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Forest
  • Como
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
    • Como is located in Hopkins County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Como
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 723 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Como <1>
  • Pickton
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
  • Weaver
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
    • Weaver is located in Hopkins County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weaver
  • Black Oak
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
    • Black Oak is located in Hopkins County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Black Oak
  • Purley
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
    • Purley is located in Franklin County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Purley
  • Saltillo
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
  • Reilly Springs
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Reilly Springs is located in Hopkins County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reilly Springs
  • Coke
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
    • Coke is located in Wood County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coke
  • Winnsboro
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
  • Dike
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
  • Sulphur Springs
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
  • Continue List   (13 more) ...
    • Tazewell
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
      • Tazewell is located in Hopkins County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tazewell
    • Mount Vernon
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Yantis
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)

We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Bethel. See our List of 1890's Communities around Bethel.

Newspapers Published in Bethel ...

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 52 newspapers that have been published in the area around Bethel.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Bethel, there are papers which were published within 26 miles [41.8 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Bethel.

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 Bethel:

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>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- Bethel) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.
<3>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.
<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 Bethel, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.