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 Big Rock (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 Big Rock. 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 Big Rock ...
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.
Another variation: Bigrock.
You might be interested in other communities that are also named Big Rock. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Big Rock.
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 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.
Big Rock is located in Henderson 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 Henderson County: Anderson, Ellis, Kaufman, Navarro, Smith & Van Zandt.
Below are the counties that are near Big Rock. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Big Rock:
- Henderson County (The home county of Big Rock)
- The following are listed by their distance from Big Rock, with the one closest to Big Rock listed first.
- Eustace
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Log Cabin
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Log Cabin is located in Henderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Log Cabin
- Population from the 2020 Census: 785 people
- Athens
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Caney City
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Caney City is located in Henderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caney City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 223 people
- Enchanted Oaks
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Enchanted Oaks is located in Henderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Enchanted Oaks
- Population from the 2020 Census: 343 people
- Payne Springs
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Payne Springs is located in Henderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Payne Springs
- Population from the 2020 Census: 756 people
- Gun Barrel City
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Murchison
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Malakoff
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Star Harbor
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Star Harbor is located in Henderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Star Harbor
- Population from the 2020 Census: 487 people
- Tool
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Seven Points
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Anderson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Big Rock, with the one closest to Big Rock listed first.
- Springfield
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Springfield is located in Anderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Springfield
- Bradford
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Bradford is located in Anderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bradford
- Cayuga
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Blackfoot
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Blackfoot is located in Anderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blackfoot
- Bois d'Arc
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Bois d'Arc is located in Anderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bois d'Arc
- Bethel
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Bethel is located in Anderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bethel
- Fosterville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Fosterville is located in Anderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fosterville
- Kaufman County
- The following are listed by their distance from Big Rock, with the one closest to Big Rock listed first.
- Mabank
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Prairieville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Prairieville is located in Kaufman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prairieville
- Kemp
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Tolosa
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Tolosa is located in Kaufman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tolosa
- Becker
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Becker is located in Kaufman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Becker
- Ola
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Ola is located in Kaufman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ola
- Stubbs
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Stubbs is located in Kaufman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stubbs
- Styx
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Styx is located in Kaufman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Styx
- Abner
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Abner is located in Kaufman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Abner
- College Mound
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- College Mound is located in Kaufman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for College Mound
- Oak Grove
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Oak Grove is located in Kaufman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Grove
- Population from the 2020 Census: 704 people
- Grays Prairie
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Grays Prairie is located in Kaufman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grays Prairie
- Population from the 2020 Census: 388 people
- Navarro County
- The following are listed by their distance from Big Rock, with the one closest to Big Rock listed first.
- Bazette
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Bazette is located in Navarro County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bazette
- Kerens
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Goodlow
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Goodlow is located in Navarro County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goodlow
- Population from the 2020 Census: 197 people
- Goodlow has also been known as:
- Goodlow Park
- Elm Flat
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Elm Flat is located in Navarro County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elm Flat
- Powell
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Powell is located in Navarro County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Powell
- Population from the 2020 Census: 149 people
- Roane
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Roane is located in Navarro County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roane
- Chatfield
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Tupelo
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Tupelo is located in Navarro County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tupelo
- Smith County
- The following are listed by their distance from Big Rock, with the one closest to Big Rock listed first.
- Carroll
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Carroll is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carroll
- Garden Valley
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Garden Valley is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garden Valley
- Jamestown
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Jamestown is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jamestown
- Hideaway
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Hideaway is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hideaway
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,208 people
- Van Zandt County
- The following are listed by their distance from Big Rock, with the one closest to Big Rock listed first.
- Tundra
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Tundra is located in Van Zandt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tundra
- Canton
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Ben Wheeler
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Myrtle Springs
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Myrtle Springs is located in Van Zandt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Myrtle Springs
- Edom
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Van
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Van is located in Van Zandt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Van
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,778 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Van <1>
- Edgewood
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Fruitvale
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Wills Point
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Grand Saline
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Big Rock, see our County-by-County Page for Big Rock.
Cemeteries Near Big Rock ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Big Rock.
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 Big Rock - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Big Rock covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Big Rock, with the one closest to Big Rock listed first.
- Moorehead Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Chinquapin Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Morris Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Cottonwood Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Beard Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Goshen Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Sand Flat Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Payne Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Ray Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Wreary Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Liberty Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Mabank Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Continue List (151 more) ...
- Mason Ranch Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Clear Creek Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Shelby Chapel Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shelby Chapel Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Shelby Chapel Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located 3 miles [4.8 km]<3> to the northeast of Athens.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #169375 <2>
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 Big Rock in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Big Rock.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Big Rock, with the one closest to Big Rock listed first.
- Walton
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Walton is located in Van Zandt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walton
- Roddy
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Roddy is located in Van Zandt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roddy
- Jackson
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Jackson is located in Van Zandt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jackson
- Martins Mill
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Martins Mill is located in Van Zandt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Martins Mill
- Payne Springs
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Payne Springs is located in Henderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Payne Springs
- Population from the 2020 Census: 756 people
- Athens
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Wise
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Wise is located in Van Zandt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wise
- Murchison
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Prairieville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Prairieville is located in Kaufman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prairieville
- Malakoff
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Canton
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Ben Wheeler
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Continue List (13 more) ...
- Colfax
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Colfax is located in Van Zandt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colfax
- Trinidad
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Pine Grove
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Pine Grove is located in Henderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Grove
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Big Rock. See our List of 1890's Communities around Big Rock.
Newspapers Published in Big Rock ...
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 36 newspapers that have been published in the area around Big Rock.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Big Rock, there are papers which were published within 28 miles [45.1 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Big Rock.
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 Big Rock:
- Websites specific to Texas
- Pages specific to Henderson County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Anderson County
- Kaufman County
- Navarro County
- Smith County
- Van Zandt 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> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Big Rock) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |
| <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 Big Rock, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |