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 Colton (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 Colton. 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 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.
Colton is located in Travis 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 Travis County: Bastrop, Blanco, Burnet, Caldwell, Hays & Williamson.
Below are the counties that are near Colton. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Colton:
- Travis County (The home county of Colton)
- The following are listed by their distance from Colton, with the one closest to Colton listed first.
- Pilot Knob
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Pilot Knob is located in Travis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pilot Knob
- Del Valle
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Elroy
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Elroy is located in Travis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elroy
- Carl
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Carl is located in Travis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carl
- Creedmoor
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Onion Creek
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Onion Creek is located in Travis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Onion Creek
- San Leanna
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- San Leanna is located in Travis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for San Leanna
- Population from the 2020 Census: 507 people
- Garfield
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Garfield is located in Travis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garfield
- Austin
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Sunset Valley
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Manchaca
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Tanglewood Forest
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Tanglewood Forest is located in Travis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tanglewood Forest
- Shady Hollow
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Shady Hollow is located in Travis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shady Hollow
- Bastrop County
- The following are listed by their distance from Colton, with the one closest to Colton listed first.
- Mustang Ridge
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Mustang Ridge is located in Bastrop County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mustang Ridge
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,001 people
- Cedar Creek
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Wyldwood
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Wyldwood is located in Bastrop County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wyldwood
- Bateman
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Bateman is located in Bastrop County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bateman
- Red Rock
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Phelan
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Phelan is located in Bastrop County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Phelan
- Bastrop
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Elgin
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Camp Swift
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Camp Swift is located in Bastrop County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Camp Swift
- Hills Prairie
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Hills Prairie is located in Bastrop County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hills Prairie
- Upton
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Upton is located in Bastrop County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Upton
- McDade
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Rosanky
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Caldwell County
- The following are listed by their distance from Colton, with the one closest to Colton listed first.
- Mendoza
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Mendoza is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mendoza
- Niederwald
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Niederwald is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Niederwald
- Population from the 2020 Census: 576 people
- Lytton Springs
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Lytton Springs is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lytton Springs
- Uhland
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Uhland is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Uhland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,355 people
- Saint Johns Colony
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Saint Johns Colony is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Johns Colony
- Dale
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Lockhart
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Maxwell
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Reedville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Reedville is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reedville
- Elm Grove
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Elm Grove is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elm Grove
- Pettytown
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Pettytown is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pettytown
- Taylorsville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Taylorsville is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Taylorsville
- Martindale
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Comal County
- Hunter
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Hunter is located in Comal County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hunter
- Guadalupe County
- The following are listed by their distance from Colton, with the one closest to Colton listed first.
- Staples
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Redwood
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Redwood is located in Guadalupe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Redwood
- Hays County
- The following are listed by their distance from Colton, with the one closest to Colton listed first.
- Buda
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Goforth
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Goforth is located in Hays County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goforth
- Hays
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Hays is located in Hays County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hays
- Population from the 2020 Census: 283 people
- Flatrock Ford
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Flatrock Ford is located in Hays County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flatrock Ford
- Mountain City
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Mountain City is located in Hays County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mountain City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 858 people
- Kyle
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Bear Creek
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Bear Creek is located in Hays County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bear Creek
- Estimated population in 2017: 445 people
- Driftwood
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Fitzhugh
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Fitzhugh is located in Hays County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fitzhugh
- San Marcos
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Dripping Springs
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Wimberley
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Mount Gainor
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Mount Gainor is located in Hays County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Gainor
- Williamson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Colton, with the one closest to Colton listed first.
- Jollyville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Jollyville is located in Williamson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jollyville
- Anderson Mill
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Anderson Mill is located in Williamson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Anderson Mill
- Brushy Creek
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Brushy Creek is located in Williamson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brushy Creek
- Cedar Park
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Old Round Rock ‑ Historic
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Old Round Rock is located in Williamson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Old Round Rock
- Round Rock
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Hutto
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Coupland
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Leander
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Colton, see our County-by-County Page for Colton.
Cemeteries Near Colton ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Colton.
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 Colton - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Colton covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Colton, with the one closest to Colton listed first.
- Carl Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Nelson Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Greenwood Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Creedmoor Community Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Assumption Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Burdett Prairie Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Williamson Creek Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Live Oak Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Vasquez Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Garfield Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Chapel Hill Memorial Park
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Brown Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Continue List (189 more) ...
- Evergreen Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Oakwood Cemetery Annex
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Oakwood Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakwood Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Oakwood Cemetery is a very large cemetery that is located in Austin.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #5704 <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.<3>
While we didn't find Colton in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Colton.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Colton, with the one closest to Colton listed first.
- Carl
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Carl is located in Travis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carl
- Creedmoor
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Del Valle
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Bluff Springs
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Bluff Springs is located in Travis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bluff Springs
- Austin
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Garfield
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Garfield is located in Travis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garfield
- Manchaca
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Buda
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Goforth
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Goforth is located in Hays County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goforth
- Dunlap
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Dunlap is located in Travis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunlap
- Lytton Springs
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Lytton Springs is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lytton Springs
- Oak Hill
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Oak Hill is located in Travis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Hill
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- Cedar Creek
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Webberville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Daffan
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Daffan is located in Travis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Daffan
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Colton. See our List of 1890's Communities around Colton.
Newspapers Published in Colton ...
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 50 newspapers that have been published in the area around Colton.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Colton, there are papers which were published within 26 miles [41.8 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Colton.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we first turn to 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 Colton:
- Websites specific to Texas
- Pages specific to Travis County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Bastrop County
- Caldwell County
- Comal County
- Guadalupe County
- Hays County
- Williamson 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 Colton, 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' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Colton) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |