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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 Dinsmore (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 Dinsmore. 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.

Dinsmore is located in Wharton 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 Wharton County: Austin, Brazoria, Colorado, Fort Bend, Jackson, Lavaca & Matagorda.

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

  • Wharton County     (The home county of Dinsmore)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Dinsmore, with the one closest to Dinsmore listed first.
    • Wharton
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
    • Hungerford
      (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
    • Mackay
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Mackay is located in Wharton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mackay
    • Lane City
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
    • Boling
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Glen Flora
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
    • Newgulf
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Pierce
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Egypt
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
    • East Bernard
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
    • El Campo
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Bonus
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Bonus is located in Wharton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bonus
  • Austin County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Dinsmore, with the one closest to Dinsmore listed first.
    • Wallis
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
    • Rexville ‑ Historic
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
      • Rexville is located in Austin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rexville
    • Brazos Country
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • Brazos Country is located in Austin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brazos Country
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 472 people
    • Frydek
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • Frydek is located in Austin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frydek
  • Brazoria County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Dinsmore, with the one closest to Dinsmore listed first.
    • Danciger
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Damon
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
    • Old Ocean
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
    • West Columbia
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
    • East Columbia
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
      • East Columbia is located in Brazoria County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Columbia
    • Sweeny
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Wild Peach Village
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Wild Peach Village is located in Brazoria County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wild Peach Village
  • Colorado County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Dinsmore, with the one closest to Dinsmore listed first.
    • Matthews
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Matthews is located in Colorado County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Matthews
    • Boedecker Junction
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Boedecker Junction is located in Colorado County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boedecker Junction
    • Eldridge
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Eldridge is located in Colorado County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eldridge
    • Nada
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
    • Garwood
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Eagle Lake
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Altair
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Fort Bend County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Dinsmore, with the one closest to Dinsmore listed first.
    • Kendleton
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
    • Four Corners
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
      • Four Corners is located in Fort Bend County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Four Corners
    • Powell Point
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
      • Powell Point is located in Fort Bend County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Powell Point
    • Needville
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Beasley
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Guy
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
    • Fairchilds
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Fairchilds is located in Fort Bend County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairchilds
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,359 people
    • Pleak
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
      • Pleak is located in Fort Bend County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleak
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,762 people
    • Orchard
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
    • Rosenberg
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Cumings
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
      • Cumings is located in Fort Bend County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cumings
    • Richmond
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
  • Matagorda County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Dinsmore, with the one closest to Dinsmore listed first.
    • Pledger
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
    • McCroskey
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
      • McCroskey is located in Matagorda County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McCroskey
    • Chalmers
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
      • Chalmers is located in Matagorda County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chalmers
    • Van Vleck
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Bay City
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
    • Elliott ‑ Historic
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
      • Elliott is located in Matagorda County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elliott
      • Elliott has also been known as:
      • Elliott's
    • Markham
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
    • Midfield
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
    • Caney
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Caney is located in Matagorda County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caney
    • Elmaton
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)

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

Cemeteries Near Dinsmore ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Dinsmore.

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

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

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

  • Little Zion Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
  • Mackay Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Shiloh Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Routt Point Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
  • Snake Creek Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
  • Kendleton Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
  • Old Kendleton Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
  • Old Jerusalem Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
  • Camp Zion Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
  • Old Bethlehem Cemetery
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Powell Point Cemetery
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
  • Union Cemetery
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
  • Continue List   (83 more) ...
    • Modena Cemetery
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Sandbridge Cemetery
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)

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

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

  • Wharton
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
  • Hungerford
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Mackay
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Mackay is located in Wharton County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mackay
  • Kendleton
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
  • Pledger
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
  • East Bernard
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
  • Nottawa
    (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
    • Nottawa is located in Wharton County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nottawa
  • Rosenberg
    (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
  • Elliott ‑ Historic
    (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
    • Elliott is located in Matagorda County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elliott
    • Elliott has also been known as:
    • Elliott's
  • Louise
    (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
  • Crabb
    (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Crabb is located in Fort Bend County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crabb
  • Richmond
    (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
  • Continue List   (7 more) ...
    • Eagle Lake
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Foster
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Foster is located in Fort Bend County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Foster
    • Caney
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Caney is located in Matagorda County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caney

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

Newspapers Published in Dinsmore ...

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 Dinsmore.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Dinsmore, 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 Dinsmore.

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 Dinsmore:

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 Dinsmore, 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' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Dinsmore) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.