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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 Center (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 Center. 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 northwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors and hospitals 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.

Center is located in Limestone 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 Limestone County: Falls, Freestone, Hill, Leon, McLennan, Navarro & Robertson.

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

  • Limestone County     (The home county of Center)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Center, with the one closest to Center listed first.
    • Lost Prairie
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
      • Lost Prairie is located in Limestone County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lost Prairie
    • Fallon
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
      • Fallon is located in Limestone County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fallon
    • Personville
      (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
      • Personville is located in Limestone County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Personville
    • Groesbeck
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
    • Farrar
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Farrar is located in Limestone County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Farrar
    • Thornton
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Mexia
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
      • Mexia is located in Limestone County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mexia
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 7,287 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Mexia <1>
    • Frosa
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Frosa is located in Limestone County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frosa
    • Tehuacana
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Ben Hur
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
      • Ben Hur is located in Limestone County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ben Hur
    • Kosse
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
      • Kosse is located in Limestone County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kosse
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 463 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Kosse <1>
    • Kirk
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
      • Kirk is located in Limestone County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kirk
  • Falls County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Center, with the one closest to Center listed first.
    • Stranger
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Stranger is located in Falls County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stranger
    • Otto
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
    • McClanahan
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
      • McClanahan is located in Falls County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McClanahan
    • Reagan
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Perry
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
  • Freestone County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Center, with the one closest to Center listed first.
    • Freestone
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
      • Freestone is located in Freestone County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Freestone
    • Teague
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Teague is located in Freestone County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Teague
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,526 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Teague <1>
    • Donie
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
    • Cotton Gin
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
    • Dew
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
      • Dew is located in Freestone County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dew
    • Kirvin
      (18 miles [29 km] to the north)
    • Wortham
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
    • Fairfield
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Lanely
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
      • Lanely is located in Freestone County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lanely
    • Stewards Mill ‑ Historic
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Stewards Mill is located in Freestone County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stewards Mill
    • Turlington
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Turlington is located in Freestone County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Turlington
    • Streetman
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
  • Leon County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Center, with the one closest to Center listed first.
    • Newby
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Newby is located in Leon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newby
    • Jewett
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
    • Buffalo
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
    • Marquez
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Concord
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
    • Flynn
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
  • McLennan County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Center, with the one closest to Center listed first.
    • Mart
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
      • Mart is located in McLennan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mart
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,983 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Mart <1>
    • Battle
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • Battle is located in McLennan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Battle
    • Hallsburg
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • Hallsburg is located in McLennan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hallsburg
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 454 people
    • Riesel
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
    • Elk
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
      • Elk is located in McLennan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elk
  • Navarro County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Center, with the one closest to Center listed first.
    • Pursley
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
      • Pursley is located in Navarro County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pursley
    • Richland
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
      • Richland is located in Navarro County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Richland
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 273 people
  • Robertson County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Center, with the one closest to Center listed first.
    • Seale
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
      • Seale is located in Robertson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seale
    • Bald Prairie
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
      • Bald Prairie is located in Robertson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bald Prairie
    • Ridge
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
      • Ridge is located in Robertson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ridge
    • Bremond
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Owensville
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
      • Owensville is located in Robertson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Owensville

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

Cemeteries Near Center ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Center.

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

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

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

  • Hogan Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Bethel Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
  • Hughes & Hyden Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Lenamon Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Plummers Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
  • Faulkenberry Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Faulkenberry Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Faulkenberry Cemetery is located less than 2 miles<2> to the southeast of Groesbeck.
  • Lone Star Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
  • Pippin Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Phifer Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Doyle Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Carroll Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Capps Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Continue List   (167 more) ...
    • Cox Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
    • Oakes Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakes Cemetery
      • The Oakes Cemetery has also been known as:
      • Oaks Cemetery
    • Ft. Parker Memorial Park
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ft. Parker Memorial Park
      • The Ft. Parker Memorial Park has also been known as:
      • Ft. Parker Memorial Cemetery
      • Glenwood Cemetery
      • Lewisville Cemetery
      • Union Burial Ground

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

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

  • Prairie Grove
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
    • Prairie Grove is located in Limestone County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prairie Grove
  • Personville
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
    • Personville is located in Limestone County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Personville
  • Groesbeck
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
  • Farrar
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Farrar is located in Limestone County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Farrar
  • Oletha
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
    • Oletha is located in Limestone County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oletha
  • Thornton
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Mexia
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
    • Mexia is located in Limestone County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mexia
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 7,287 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Mexia <1>
  • Luna
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
    • Luna is located in Freestone County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Luna
  • Cotton Gin
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
  • Horn Hill
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
    • Horn Hill is located in Limestone County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Horn Hill
  • Seale
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
    • Seale is located in Robertson County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seale
  • Headsville
    (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
    • Headsville is located in Robertson County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Headsville
  • Continue List   (15 more) ...
    • Tehuacana
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Dew
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
      • Dew is located in Freestone County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dew
    • Frosa
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Frosa is located in Limestone County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frosa

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

Newspapers Published in Center ...

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 32 newspapers that have been published in the area around Center.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Center, there are papers which were published within 29 miles [46.7 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Center.

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 Center:

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