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 Brook Smith (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 Brook Smith. 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 northeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors and hospitals 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.
Brook Smith is located in Harris 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 Harris County: Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, Liberty, Montgomery & Waller.
Below are the counties that are near Brook Smith. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Brook Smith:
- Harris County (The home county of Brook Smith)
- The following are listed by their distance from Brook Smith, with the one closest to Brook Smith listed first.
- Houston
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Pinewood Village
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Pinewood Village is located in Harris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pinewood Village
- Greenwood Village
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Greenwood Village is located in Harris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenwood Village
- Candlelight Oaks Village
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Lincoln City
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Lincoln City is located in Harris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lincoln City
- Magnolia Park
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Magnolia Park is located in Harris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Magnolia Park
- West University Place
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Hilshire Village
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Hilshire Village is located in Harris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hilshire Village
- Population from the 2020 Census: 806 people
- Aldine
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Garden City Park
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Garden City Park is located in Harris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garden City Park
- Harrisburg
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Harrisburg is located in Harris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harrisburg
- Southside Place
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Southside Place is located in Harris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Southside Place
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,885 people
- Southside Place has also been known as:
- South Side Place
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Southside Place <1>
- Hunters Creek Village
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Hunters Creek Village is located in Harris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hunters Creek Village
- Population from the 2020 Census: 4,824 people
- Brazoria County
- The following are listed by their distance from Brook Smith, with the one closest to Brook Smith listed first.
- Brookside Village
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Pearland
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Fairway Village
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Fairway Village is located in Brazoria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairway Village
- West Oaks Village
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- West Oaks Village is located in Brazoria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Oaks Village
- Westwood Village
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Westwood Village is located in Brazoria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westwood Village
- Woodcreek
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Woodcreek is located in Brazoria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodcreek
- Manvel
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Iowa Colony
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Iowa Colony is located in Brazoria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Iowa Colony
- Population from the 2020 Census: 4,888 people
- Alvin
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Sandy Point
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Sandy Point is located in Brazoria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sandy Point
- Population from the 2020 Census: 238 people
- Hillcrest
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Hillcrest is located in Brazoria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hillcrest
- Population from the 2020 Census: 706 people
- Chambers County
- The following are listed by their distance from Brook Smith, with the one closest to Brook Smith listed first.
- Baytown
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Shoreacres
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Shoreacres is located in Chambers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shoreacres
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,578 people
- Seabrook
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Mont Belvieu
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Fort Bend County
- The following are listed by their distance from Brook Smith, with the one closest to Brook Smith listed first.
- Missouri City Estates
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Missouri City Estates is located in Fort Bend County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Missouri City Estates
- Meadows Place
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Meadows Place is located in Fort Bend County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meadows Place
- Population from the 2020 Census: 4,813 people
- Meadows
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Meadows is located in Fort Bend County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meadows
- Stafford
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Fifth Street
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Fifth Street is located in Fort Bend County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fifth Street
- Town West
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Town West is located in Fort Bend County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Town West
- Mission Bend
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Mission Bend is located in Fort Bend County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mission Bend
- Fresno
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Missouri City
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Dewalt
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Dewalt is located in Fort Bend County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dewalt
- Clodine
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Arcola
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- First Colony
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- First Colony is located in Fort Bend County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for First Colony
- Galveston County
- The following are listed by their distance from Brook Smith, with the one closest to Brook Smith listed first.
- Quaker Village
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Quaker Village is located in Galveston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Quaker Village
- Friendswood
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Parkwood Village
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Parkwood Village is located in Galveston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parkwood Village
- Carmel Village
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Carmel Village is located in Galveston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carmel Village
- Clear Lake Shores
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- League City
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- South Shore Village
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- South Shore Village is located in Galveston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Shore Village
- Kemah
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Bacliff
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Dickinson
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Liberty County
- Gum Grove
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Gum Grove is located in Liberty County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gum Grove
- Montgomery County
- The following are listed by their distance from Brook Smith, with the one closest to Brook Smith listed first.
- Porter
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Chateau Woods
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Chateau Woods is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chateau Woods
- Oak Ridge North
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Porter Heights
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Porter Heights is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Porter Heights
- New Caney
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Sleepy Hollow
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Sleepy Hollow is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sleepy Hollow
- The Woodlands
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Shenandoah
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Woodloch
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Woodloch is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodloch
- Population from the 2020 Census: 207 people
- Roman Forest
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Roman Forest is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roman Forest
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,035 people
- Woodbranch
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Woodbranch is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodbranch
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,498 people
- Patton Village
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Patton Village is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Patton Village
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,207 people
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Brook Smith, see our County-by-County Page for Brook Smith.
Cemeteries Near Brook Smith ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Brook Smith.
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 Brook Smith - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Brook Smith covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Brook Smith, with the one closest to Brook Smith listed first.
- Holy Cross Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Hollywood Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Adath Emeth Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Olivewood Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Olivewood Cemetery
- The Olivewood Cemetery has also been known as:
- Hollow Wood Cemetery
- Hollywood Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2136702 <2>
- Adath Yeshurun Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Magnolia Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Washington Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Washington Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Washington Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located in Houston.
- The Washington Cemetery has also been known as:
- Deutsche Gesellschaft Friedof
- German Society Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #7491 <2>
- Glenwood Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glenwood Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Glenwood Cemetery is a very large cemetery that is located in Houston.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #3828 <2>
- Adath Israel Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- College Memorial Park
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- St. Vincent Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Westcott Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Continue List (137 more) ...
- Golden Gate Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Golden Gate Cemetery
- The Golden Gate Cemetery has also been known as:
- Oak Park Cemetery
- Paradise Golden Gate Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #261357 <2>
- Beth El Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Evergreen Cemetery
(5 miles [8 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 Brook Smith in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Brook Smith.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Brook Smith, with the one closest to Brook Smith listed first.
- Houston
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Magnolia Park
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Magnolia Park is located in Harris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Magnolia Park
- Aldine
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Harrisburg
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Harrisburg is located in Harris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harrisburg
- Piney Point Village
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Piney Point Village is located in Harris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Piney Point Village
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,416 people
- Piney Point Village has also been known as:
- Piney Point
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Piney Point Village <1>
- Pierce Junction
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Pierce Junction is located in Harris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pierce Junction
- Jeanetta
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Jeanetta is located in Harris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jeanetta
- Red Bluff
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Red Bluff is located in Harris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Bluff
- Genoa
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Genoa is located in Harris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Genoa
- Sheldon
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Sheldon is located in Harris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sheldon
- Humble
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Stafford
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Continue List (13 more) ...
- Addicks
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Addicks is located in Harris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Addicks
- Clodine
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Lynchburg
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Lynchburg is located in Harris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lynchburg
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Brook Smith. See our List of 1890's Communities around Brook Smith.
Newspapers Published in Brook Smith ...
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 248 newspapers that have been published in the area around Brook Smith.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Brook Smith, there are papers which were published within 3 miles [4.8 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Brook Smith.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we 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 Brook Smith:
- Websites specific to Texas
- Pages specific to Harris County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Brazoria County
- Chambers County
- Fort Bend County
- Galveston County
- Liberty County
- Montgomery 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 Brook Smith, 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' (or point-to-point) distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Brook Smith) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |