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 Cottonwood (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 Cottonwood. 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 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.
Cottonwood is located in Liberty 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 Liberty County: Chambers, Hardin, Harris, Montgomery, Polk & San Jacinto.
Below are the counties that are near Cottonwood. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Cottonwood:
- Liberty County (The home county of Cottonwood)
- The following are listed by their distance from Cottonwood, with the one closest to Cottonwood listed first.
- Devers
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Raywood
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Woodson
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Woodson is located in Liberty County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodson
- Moss Bluff
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Moss Bluff is located in Liberty County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moss Bluff
- Daisetta
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Ames
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Ames is located in Liberty County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ames
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,275 people
- Hull
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Liberty
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Hardin
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Kenefick
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Kenefick is located in Liberty County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kenefick
- Population from the 2020 Census: 722 people
- Dayton Lakes
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Dayton Lakes is located in Liberty County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dayton Lakes
- Population from the 2020 Census: 107 people
- Dayton
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Chambers County
- The following are listed by their distance from Cottonwood, with the one closest to Cottonwood listed first.
- Hankamer
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Winnie
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Monroe City
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Monroe City is located in Chambers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monroe City
- Stowell
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Turtle Bayou
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Turtle Bayou is located in Chambers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Turtle Bayou
- Anahuac
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Wallisville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Double Bayou
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Double Bayou is located in Chambers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Double Bayou
- Old River - Winfree
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Old River - Winfree is located in Chambers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Old River - Winfree
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,453 people
- Cove
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Cove is located in Chambers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cove
- Population from the 2020 Census: 586 people
- Mont Belvieu
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Beach City
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Beach City is located in Chambers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beach City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,825 people
- Galveston County
- The following are listed by their distance from Cottonwood, with the one closest to Cottonwood listed first.
- High Island
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Gilchrist
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Caplen
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Caplen is located in Galveston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caplen
- Bolivar Peninsula
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Bolivar Peninsula is located in Galveston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bolivar Peninsula
- Hardin County
- The following are listed by their distance from Cottonwood, with the one closest to Cottonwood listed first.
- Grayburg
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Grayburg is located in Hardin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grayburg
- Sour Lake
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Pinewood Estates
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Pinewood Estates is located in Hardin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pinewood Estates
- Batson
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Saratoga
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Loeb
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Loeb is located in Hardin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Loeb
- Rose Hill Acres
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Rose Hill Acres is located in Hardin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rose Hill Acres
- Population from the 2020 Census: 435 people
- Lumberton
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Harris County
- The following are listed by their distance from Cottonwood, with the one closest to Cottonwood listed first.
- Cedar Bayou
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Cedar Bayou is located in Harris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar Bayou
- Chaparral Village
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Chaparral Village is located in Harris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chaparral Village
- Jefferson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Cottonwood, with the one closest to Cottonwood listed first.
- Nome
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Hamshire
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- China
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Pine Island
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Pine Island is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Island
- La Belle
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- La Belle is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for La Belle
- Amelia
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Amelia is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Amelia
- Bevil Oaks
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Bevil Oaks is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bevil Oaks
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,209 people
- Taylor Landing
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Taylor Landing is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Taylor Landing
- Population from the 2020 Census: 237 people
- Beaumont
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Voth
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Higgins
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Higgins is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Higgins
- Port Acres
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Orange County
- Rose City
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Rose City is located in Orange County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rose City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 489 people
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Cottonwood, see our County-by-County Page for Cottonwood.
Cemeteries Near Cottonwood ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Cottonwood.
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 Cottonwood - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Cottonwood covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Cottonwood, with the one closest to Cottonwood listed first.
- Sahara Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Freeman Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Abshier Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Barrow Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Brown Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Broussard Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Tom Richardson Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Whites Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Berry Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Pivoto Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Bayshore Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Benjamin Barrow Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Continue List (70 more) ...
- Fairview Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Barnes Cemetery
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Baxter Cemetery
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
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.<2>
While we didn't find Cottonwood in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Cottonwood.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Cottonwood, with the one closest to Cottonwood listed first.
- Felicia
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Felicia is located in Liberty County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Felicia
- Turtle Bayou
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Turtle Bayou is located in Chambers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Turtle Bayou
- China
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Wallisville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Anahuac
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Moss Bluff
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Moss Bluff is located in Liberty County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moss Bluff
- Double Bayou
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Double Bayou is located in Chambers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Double Bayou
- Sour Lake
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Ames
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Ames is located in Liberty County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ames
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,275 people
- Pine Island
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Pine Island is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Island
- Liberty
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- La Belle
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- La Belle is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for La Belle
- Continue List (7 more) ...
- Amelia
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Amelia is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Amelia
- Mont Belvieu
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Dayton
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Cottonwood. See our List of 1890's Communities around Cottonwood.
Newspapers Published in Cottonwood ...
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 Cottonwood.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Cottonwood, there are papers which were published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Cottonwood.
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 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 Cottonwood:
- Websites specific to Texas
- Pages specific to Liberty County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Chambers County
- Galveston County
- Hardin County
- Harris County
- Jefferson County
- Orange 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> | 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 Cottonwood, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <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- Cottonwood) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |