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 Douglas (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 Douglas. 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.
Douglas is located in Smith 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 Smith County: Cherokee, Gregg, Henderson, Upshur, Van Zandt & Wood.
Below are the counties that are near Douglas. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Douglas:
- Smith County (The home county of Douglas)
- The following are listed by their distance from Douglas, with the one closest to Douglas listed first.
- Jamestown ‑ Historic
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Jamestown is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jamestown
- Jamestown has also been known as:
- Jimtown
- Browning
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Browning is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Browning
- New Chapel Hill
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- New Chapel Hill is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Chapel Hill
- Population from the 2020 Census: 667 people
- Starrville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Starrville is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Starrville
- Arp
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Omen
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Omen is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Omen
- Sinclair City
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Sinclair City is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sinclair City
- Winona
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Wright City
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Wright City is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wright City
- Whitehouse
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Tyler
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Red Springs
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Red Springs is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Springs
- Cherokee County
- The following are listed by their distance from Douglas, with the one closest to Douglas listed first.
- Troup
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Henrys Chapel
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Henrys Chapel is located in Cherokee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Henrys Chapel
- Mixon
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Mixon is located in Cherokee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mixon
- Blackjack
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Blackjack is located in Cherokee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blackjack
- Gould
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Gould is located in Cherokee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gould
- Bullard
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Griffin
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Griffin is located in Cherokee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Griffin
- Mount Selman
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Mount Selman is located in Cherokee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Selman
- New Summerfield
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Larissa ‑ Historic
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Larissa is located in Cherokee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Larissa
- Cherokee Landing
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Cherokee Landing is located in Cherokee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cherokee Landing
- Cuney
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Gregg County
- The following are listed by their distance from Douglas, with the one closest to Douglas listed first.
- Liberty City
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Liberty City is located in Gregg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Liberty City
- Kilgore
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Danville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Danville is located in Gregg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Danville
- Gladewater
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Rolling Meadows
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Rolling Meadows is located in Gregg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rolling Meadows
- Fredonia
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Fredonia is located in Gregg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fredonia
- Clarksville City
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Clarksville City is located in Gregg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clarksville City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 945 people
- Warren City
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Warren City is located in Gregg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Warren City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 305 people
- White Oak
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Greggton
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Greggton is located in Gregg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greggton
- Teneryville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Teneryville is located in Gregg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Teneryville
- East Mountain
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- East Mountain is located in Gregg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Mountain
- Population from the 2020 Census: 878 people
- Harrison County
- The following are listed by their distance from Douglas, with the one closest to Douglas listed first.
- Lansing
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Lansing is located in Harrison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lansing
- Hallsville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Henderson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Douglas, with the one closest to Douglas listed first.
- Chandler
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Coffee City
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Coffee City is located in Henderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coffee City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 299 people
- Berryville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Berryville is located in Henderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Berryville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,066 people
- Rusk County
- The following are listed by their distance from Douglas, with the one closest to Douglas listed first.
- Overton
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Laird Hill
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- New London
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Sexton City
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Sexton City is located in Rusk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sexton City
- Pirtle
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Pirtle is located in Rusk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pirtle
- Friars
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Friars is located in Rusk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Friars
- Selman City
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Jacobs
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Jacobs is located in Rusk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jacobs
- Turnertown
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Turnertown is located in Rusk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Turnertown
- Joinerville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Price
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Monroe
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Monroe is located in Rusk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monroe
- Upshur County
- The following are listed by their distance from Douglas, with the one closest to Douglas listed first.
- Wilkins
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Wilkins is located in Upshur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilkins
- Big Sandy
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Union Grove
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Union Grove is located in Upshur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union Grove
- Population from the 2020 Census: 372 people
- Center Point
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Center Point is located in Upshur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Center Point
- Pritchett
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Pritchett is located in Upshur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pritchett
- Glenwood
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Glenwood is located in Upshur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glenwood
- Kelsey
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Kelsey is located in Upshur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kelsey
- Gilmer
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Rosewood
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Rosewood is located in Upshur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rosewood
- Indian Rock
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Indian Rock is located in Upshur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Indian Rock
- Rhonesboro
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Rhonesboro is located in Upshur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rhonesboro
- Graceton
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Graceton is located in Upshur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Graceton
- Wood County
- The following are listed by their distance from Douglas, with the one closest to Douglas listed first.
- Hawkins
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Pine Mills
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Pine Mills is located in Wood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Mills
- Hainesville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Hainesville is located in Wood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hainesville
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Douglas, see our County-by-County Page for Douglas.
Cemeteries Near Douglas ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Douglas.
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 Douglas - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Douglas covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Douglas, with the one closest to Douglas listed first.
- Mauldin Memorial Garden (African-American)
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Prospect Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prospect Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Prospect Cemetery is located 15 miles [24.1 km]<2> to the east of Tyler.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #6191 <3>
- Threlkeld Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Johnson Memorial Cemetery (African-American)
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Jimtown Cemetery
- The Jimtown Cemetery is located on private property - be sure to secure permission before visiting.
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jimtown Cemetery
- The Jimtown Cemetery has also been known as:
- Kennedy Graveyard
- Old James Town Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2479401 <3>
- Gabriel Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gabriel Cemetery
- The Gabriel Cemetery has also been known as:
- Warren Chapel Cemetery
- Holt Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holt Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Holt Cemetery is located 9 miles [14.5 km]<2> to the north of Arp.
- The Holt Cemetery has also been known as:
- Old Chapel Hill Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #4321 <3>
- Bacon Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Hopewell Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hopewell Cemetery
- The Hopewell Cemetery has also been known as:
- Hopewell Perpetual Care Cemetery (African-American)
- Old Hopewell Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Lawrence Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lawrence Cemetery
- The Lawrence Cemetery has also been known as:
- Lorance Cemetery
- Wilson Curtis Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Continue List (254 more) ...
- Henry Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Gray Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Kilgore Memorial Gardens
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
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.<4>
While we didn't find Douglas in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Douglas.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Douglas, with the one closest to Douglas listed first.
- Browning
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Browning is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Browning
- Overton
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Starrville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Starrville is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Starrville
- Omen
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Omen is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Omen
- Kilgore
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Winona
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Pirtle
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Pirtle is located in Rusk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pirtle
- Tyler
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Troup
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Gladewater
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Wilkins
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Wilkins is located in Upshur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilkins
- Big Sandy
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Continue List (13 more) ...
- Hawkins
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Swan
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Swan is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Swan
- Flint
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Douglas. See our List of 1890's Communities around Douglas.
Newspapers Published in Douglas ...
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 86 newspapers that have been published in the area around Douglas.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Douglas, there are papers which were published within 27 miles [43.5 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Douglas.
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 Douglas:
- Websites specific to Texas
- Pages specific to Smith County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Cherokee County
- Gregg County
- Harrison County
- Henderson County
- Rusk County
- Upshur County
- Wood 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> | 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- Douglas) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |
| <3> | 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. |
| <4> | 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 Douglas, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |