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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 Bland Lake (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 Bland Lake. 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 Bland Lake ...

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 Bland Lake: Bland Lk.

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 northwest 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 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 west 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.

Bland Lake is located in San Augustine 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 Augustine County: Angelina, Jasper, Nacogdoches, Sabine & Shelby.

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

  • San Augustine County     (The home county of Bland Lake)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bland Lake, with the one closest to Bland Lake listed first.
    • San Augustine
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
    • Denning
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Denning is located in San Augustine County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Denning
    • Maxey Town
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
      • Maxey Town is located in San Augustine County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maxey Town
    • Rebecca
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
      • Rebecca is located in San Augustine County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rebecca
    • Broaddus
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
    • White City
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
      • White City is located in San Augustine County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White City
    • Zana ‑ Historic
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
      • Zana is located in San Augustine County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zana
  • Angelina County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bland Lake, with the one closest to Bland Lake listed first.
    • Ewing
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Ewing is located in Angelina County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ewing
    • Ora
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Ora is located in Angelina County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ora
    • Thomas Crossing
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Thomas Crossing is located in Angelina County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thomas Crossing
    • Boynton
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Boynton is located in Angelina County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boynton
  • Nacogdoches County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bland Lake, with the one closest to Bland Lake listed first.
    • Attoyac
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
      • Attoyac is located in Nacogdoches County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Attoyac
    • Chireno
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Martinsville
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
    • Swift
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
      • Swift is located in Nacogdoches County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Swift
    • Etoile
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
    • Woden
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
    • Garrison
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Whispering Pines
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Whispering Pines is located in Nacogdoches County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whispering Pines
    • Fitze
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Fitze is located in Nacogdoches County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fitze
    • Appleby
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
      • Appleby is located in Nacogdoches County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Appleby
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 444 people
  • Panola County
    • Woods
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
      • Woods is located in Panola County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woods
  • Sabine County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bland Lake, with the one closest to Bland Lake listed first.
    • Geneva
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Rosevine
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Rosevine is located in Sabine County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rosevine
    • Bronson
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
    • Milam
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
    • Hemphill
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
    • Pineland
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
    • Brookeland
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
  • Shelby County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bland Lake, with the one closest to Bland Lake listed first.
    • Choice
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
      • Choice is located in Shelby County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Choice
    • Short
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Short is located in Shelby County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Short
    • Shelbyville
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
    • Africa ‑ Historic
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
      • Africa is located in Shelby County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Africa
    • Center
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
    • Campti
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
      • Campti is located in Shelby County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Campti
    • Huxley
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Huxley is located in Shelby County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Huxley
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 376 people
    • Arcadia
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Arcadia is located in Shelby County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arcadia
    • Tenaha
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
    • Haslam
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
      • Haslam is located in Shelby County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Haslam
    • Joaquin
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
    • Timpson
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
  • De Soto Parish (LA)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bland Lake, with the one closest to Bland Lake listed first.
    • Logansport
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
    • Stanley
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Stanley is located in De Soto Parish (LA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stanley
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 116 people
  • Sabine Parish (LA)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bland Lake, with the one closest to Bland Lake listed first.
    • Noble
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
      • Noble is located in Sabine Parish (LA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Noble
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 247 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Noble <1>
    • Zwolle
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
      • Zwolle is located in Sabine Parish (LA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zwolle
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,927 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Zwolle <1>
    • Converse
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)

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

Cemeteries Near Bland Lake ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Bland Lake.

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 Bland Lake - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • Whitton Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
  • Liberty Hill Church Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
  • Lewis Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Moses Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
  • Horton Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
  • Clay Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
  • Perkins Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Garrett Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Chumley Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Corinth Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Lane Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
  • Holt Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
  • Continue List   (257 more) ...
    • Smith Cemetery
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
    • Sublett Cemetery
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
    • East Liberty Cemetery
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)

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

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

  • San Augustine
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • Ironosa
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
    • Ironosa is located in San Augustine County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ironosa
  • Patroon
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
    • Patroon is located in Shelby County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Patroon
  • Denning
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Denning is located in San Augustine County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Denning
  • Short
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Short is located in Shelby County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Short
  • Sexton
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
    • Sexton is located in Sabine County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sexton
  • Shelbyville
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
  • Macune
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
    • Macune is located in San Augustine County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Macune
  • Geneva
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
  • Center
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
  • Chireno
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
  • East Hamilton
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
    • East Hamilton is located in Shelby County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Hamilton
  • Continue List   (15 more) ...
    • Martinsville
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
    • Milam
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
    • Huber
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Huber is located in Shelby County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Huber

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

Newspapers Published in Bland Lake ...

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 42 newspapers that have been published in the area around Bland Lake.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Bland Lake, there are papers which were published within 27 miles [43.5 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Bland Lake.

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 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 Bland Lake:

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- Bland Lake) 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 Bland Lake, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.