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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 Davis Prairie (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 Davis Prairie. 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.

Name Variations for Davis Prairie ...

When searching records, keep in mind that names and their spelling can change over time. Our sources include documents like maps, railroad schedules, Travel, Express and Shipping Guides. Many of these documents date from the 1800's and it's common to find spelling differences.

For example, a typical abbreviation for Davis Prairie: Davis Pr.

If you have information about these names (such as the reason for the change, date of change, the origin of the name), please Contact Us.

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 hospitals and 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.

Davis Prairie 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 Davis Prairie. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Davis Prairie:

  • Limestone County     (The home county of Davis Prairie)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Davis Prairie, with the one closest to Davis Prairie listed first.
    • Thornton
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
    • Groesbeck
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
    • Lost Prairie
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Lost Prairie is located in Limestone County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lost Prairie
    • Kosse
      (10 miles [16.1 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>
    • Personville
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Personville is located in Limestone County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Personville
    • Fallon
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
      • Fallon is located in Limestone County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fallon
    • Ben Hur
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Ben Hur is located in Limestone County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ben Hur
    • Farrar
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
      • Farrar is located in Limestone County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Farrar
    • Kirk
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Kirk is located in Limestone County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kirk
    • Frosa
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Frosa is located in Limestone County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frosa
    • Mexia
      (18 miles [29 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>
    • Tehuacana
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
    • Prairie Hill
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
  • Falls County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Davis Prairie, with the one closest to Davis Prairie listed first.
    • Stranger
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Stranger is located in Falls County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stranger
    • Otto
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
    • McClanahan
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
      • McClanahan is located in Falls County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McClanahan
    • Reagan
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Perry
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
    • Marlin
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
    • Highbank
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Highbank is located in Falls County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Highbank
    • Wilderville
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Wilderville is located in Falls County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilderville
    • Satin
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
  • Freestone County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Davis Prairie, with the one closest to Davis Prairie listed first.
    • Donie
      (18 miles [29 km] to the east)
    • Freestone
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
      • Freestone is located in Freestone County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Freestone
    • Cotton Gin
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Teague
      (20 miles [32.2 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>
    • Wortham
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
    • Dew
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Dew is located in Freestone County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dew
    • Kirvin
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Fairfield
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Lanely
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Lanely is located in Freestone County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lanely
  • Leon County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Davis Prairie, with the one closest to Davis Prairie listed first.
    • Newby
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
      • Newby is located in Leon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newby
    • Marquez
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Jewett
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
    • Concord
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Buffalo
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
    • Flynn
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Hilltop Lakes
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
  • McLennan County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Davis Prairie, with the one closest to Davis Prairie listed first.
    • Mart
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
      • 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
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
      • Battle is located in McLennan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Battle
    • Riesel
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
    • Hallsburg
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Hallsburg is located in McLennan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hallsburg
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 454 people
    • Elk
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Elk is located in McLennan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elk
    • Harrison
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
      • Harrison is located in McLennan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harrison
    • Axtell
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Robertson County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Davis Prairie, with the one closest to Davis Prairie listed first.
    • Seale
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Seale is located in Robertson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seale
    • Bald Prairie
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
      • Bald Prairie is located in Robertson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bald Prairie
    • Bremond
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Ridge
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Ridge is located in Robertson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ridge
    • Owensville
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
      • Owensville is located in Robertson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Owensville
    • Hammond
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Hammond is located in Robertson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hammond
    • New Baden
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
    • Franklin
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)

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

Cemeteries Near Davis Prairie ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Davis Prairie.

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 Davis Prairie - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • Cobb Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
  • King Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
  • Vinson Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
  • Masters Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
  • Capps Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
  • Pleasant Grove Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
  • Carroll Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
  • Lenamon Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
  • Pippin Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
  • Phifer Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
  • Hughes & Hyden Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • Hogan Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • Continue List   (187 more) ...
    • Potter Shop Cemetery
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
    • Lone Star Cemetery
      (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
    • Tidwell Cemetery
      (5 miles [8 km] to the west)

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

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

  • Thornton
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
  • Oletha
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Oletha is located in Limestone County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oletha
  • Groesbeck
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
  • Kosse
    (10 miles [16.1 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>
  • Headsville
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
    • Headsville is located in Robertson County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Headsville
  • Seale
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Seale is located in Robertson County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seale
  • Personville
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Personville is located in Limestone County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Personville
  • Horn Hill
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Horn Hill is located in Limestone County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Horn Hill
  • Prairie Grove
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Prairie Grove is located in Limestone County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prairie Grove
  • Stranger
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Stranger is located in Falls County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stranger
  • Bald Prairie
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
    • Bald Prairie is located in Robertson County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bald Prairie
  • Farrar
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
    • Farrar is located in Limestone County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Farrar
  • Continue List   (16 more) ...
    • Petteway
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
      • Petteway is located in Robertson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Petteway
    • Kirk
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Kirk is located in Limestone County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kirk
    • 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 Davis Prairie. See our List of 1890's Communities around Davis Prairie.

Newspapers Published in Davis Prairie ...

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 42 newspapers that have been published in the area around Davis Prairie.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Davis Prairie, there are papers which were published within 27 miles [43.5 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Davis Prairie.

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 professional and volunteer 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 Davis Prairie:

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 Davis Prairie, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.
<3>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- Davis Prairie) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.