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 Bona (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 Bona. 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.
Bona is located in Grayson 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 Grayson County: Bryan (OK), Love (OK), Marshall (OK), Collin, Cooke, Denton & Fannin.
Below are the counties that are near Bona. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Bona:
- Grayson County (The home county of Bona)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bona, with the one closest to Bona listed first.
- Denison
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Twin City
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Twin City is located in Grayson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Twin City
- Frontier Village
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Frontier Village is located in Grayson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frontier Village
- Red River City
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Red River City is located in Grayson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red River City
- Bells
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Knollwood
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Knollwood is located in Grayson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Knollwood
- Population from the 2020 Census: 503 people
- Ida
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Ida is located in Grayson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ida
- Sherman
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Whiterock
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Whiterock is located in Grayson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whiterock
- Luella
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Luella is located in Grayson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Luella
- Tribune
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Tribune is located in Grayson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tribune
- Pottsboro
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Collin County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bona, with the one closest to Bona listed first.
- Van Alstyne
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Sedalia
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Sedalia is located in Collin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sedalia
- Mantua ‑ Historic
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Mantua is located in Collin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mantua
- Westminster
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Anna
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Weston
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Blue Ridge
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Frognot
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Frognot is located in Collin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frognot
- Valdasta
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Valdasta is located in Collin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Valdasta
- Melissa
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Cooke County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bona, with the one closest to Bona listed first.
- Dexter
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Dexter is located in Cooke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dexter
- Callisburg
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Callisburg is located in Cooke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Callisburg
- Population from the 2020 Census: 367 people
- Fannin County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bona, with the one closest to Bona listed first.
- Savoy
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Mulberry
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Mulberry is located in Fannin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mulberry
- Ravenna
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Whitewright
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Ector
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Ridings
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Ridings is located in Fannin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ridings
- Sowells Bluff
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Sowells Bluff is located in Fannin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sowells Bluff
- Boyd
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Boyd is located in Fannin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boyd
- Orangeville
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Orangeville is located in Fannin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orangeville
- Ivanhoe
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Bonham
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Edhube
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Edhube is located in Fannin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edhube
- Bryan County (OK)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bona, with the one closest to Bona listed first.
- Hendrix
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Kemp
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Achille
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Colbert
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Cartwright
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Platter
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Yarnaby
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Yarnaby is located in Bryan County (OK)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yarnaby
- Calera
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Yuba
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Yuba is located in Bryan County (OK)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yuba
- Durant
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Mead
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Albany
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Johnston County (OK)
- Bee
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Bee is located in Johnston County (OK)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bee
- Marshall County (OK)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bona, with the one closest to Bona listed first.
- McBride
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- McBride is located in Marshall County (OK)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McBride
- New Woodville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- New Woodville is located in Marshall County (OK)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Woodville
- Population from the 2010 Census: 132 people
- Shay
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Shay is located in Marshall County (OK)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shay
- Kingston
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Cumberland
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Cumberland is located in Marshall County (OK)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cumberland
- Little City
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Little City is located in Marshall County (OK)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Little City
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Bona, see our County-by-County Page for Bona.
Cemeteries Near Bona ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Bona.
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 Bona - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Bona covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Bona, with the one closest to Bona listed first.
- Hopkins Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Camp Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Jeremiah Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Bigbee Family Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Cherry Mound Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Odell Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Dripping Spring Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Isom Family Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Dugan Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dugan Cemetery
- The Dugan Cemetery has also been known as:
- Dugan Chapel Cemetery
- Dugan - Whiting Cemetery
- Dugans Chapel Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2291068 <2>
- Oakridge Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Lankford Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lankford Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Lankford Cemetery is located 3 miles [4.8 km]<3> to the east of Denison.
- The Lankford Cemetery has also been known as:
- Langford Cemetery
- Papaw Hill Cemetery
- Paw Paw Hill Cemetery
- Shiloh Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #4747 <2>
- Shannon Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Continue List (305 more) ...
- Taylor Family Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Cherry Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cherry Cemetery
- The Cherry Cemetery has also been known as:
- Smith Oaks Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2885 <2>
- Allred Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 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.<4>
While we didn't find Bona in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Bona.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Bona, with the one closest to Bona listed first.
- Denison
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Bells
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Ray
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Ray is located in Grayson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ray
- Sherman
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Ida
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Ida is located in Grayson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ida
- Savoy
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Luella
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Luella is located in Grayson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Luella
- Mulberry
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Mulberry is located in Fannin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mulberry
- White Mound
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- White Mound is located in Grayson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White Mound
- Tom Bean
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Kentucky Town
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Kentucky Town is located in Grayson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kentucky Town
- Ravenna
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Whitewright
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Ector
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Preston
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Preston is located in Grayson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Preston
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Bona. See our List of 1890's Communities around Bona.
Newspapers Published in Bona ...
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 72 newspapers that have been published in the area around Bona.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Bona, there are papers which were published within 25 miles [40.2 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Bona.
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 Bona:
- Websites specific to Texas
- Pages specific to Grayson County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Collin County
- Cooke County
- Fannin County
- Bryan County
- Johnston County
- Marshall 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 'point-to-point' distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Bona) 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 Bona, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |