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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 Durenville (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 Durenville. 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 and hospitals 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.

Durenville is located in Mills 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 Mills County: Brown, Comanche, Hamilton, Lampasas & San Saba.

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

  • Mills County     (The home county of Durenville)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Durenville, with the one closest to Durenville listed first.
    • Bozar
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Bozar is located in Mills County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bozar
    • Goldthwaite
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
    • Williams Ranch ‑ Historic
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
      • Williams Ranch is located in Mills County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Williams Ranch
    • Mullin
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Center City
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
      • Center City is located in Mills County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Center City
    • Ridge
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
      • Ridge is located in Mills County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ridge
    • Priddy
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
    • Star
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
    • Regency ‑ Historic
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
      • Regency is located in Mills County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Regency
    • Buffalo
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
      • Buffalo is located in Mills County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buffalo
    • Ebony ‑ Historic
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
      • Ebony is located in Mills County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ebony
  • Brown County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Durenville, with the one closest to Durenville listed first.
    • Zephyr
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
    • Ricker ‑ Historic
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Ricker is located in Brown County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ricker
    • Indian Creek
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
      • Indian Creek is located in Brown County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Indian Creek
    • Blanket
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Keys Crossing
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
      • Keys Crossing is located in Brown County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keys Crossing
    • Brownwood
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Early
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
  • Comanche County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Durenville, with the one closest to Durenville listed first.
    • Newburg
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
      • Newburg is located in Comanche County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newburg
    • Energy
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Gustine
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
    • Comanche
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
  • Coryell County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Durenville, with the one closest to Durenville listed first.
    • Evant
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
    • Bee House
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
      • Bee House is located in Coryell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bee House
  • Hamilton County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Durenville, with the one closest to Durenville listed first.
    • McGirk ‑ Historic
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
      • McGirk is located in Hamilton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McGirk
    • Pottsville
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
    • Ohio ‑ Historic
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
      • Ohio is located in Hamilton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ohio
    • Slab Crossing ‑ Historic
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
      • Slab Crossing is located in Hamilton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Slab Crossing
    • Hamilton
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Lampasas County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Durenville, with the one closest to Durenville listed first.
    • Senterfitt ‑ Historic
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
      • Senterfitt is located in Lampasas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Senterfitt
    • Lometa
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Adamsville
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Adamsville is located in Lampasas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adamsville
    • Nix
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Nix is located in Lampasas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nix
  • San Saba County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Durenville, with the one closest to Durenville listed first.
    • Locker ‑ Historic
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Locker is located in San Saba County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Locker
    • San Saba
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
    • Richland Springs
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Bend
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
    • Holt ‑ Historic
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • Holt is located in San Saba County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holt

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

Cemeteries Near Durenville ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Durenville.

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

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

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

  • Goldthwaite Memorial Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
  • Trigger Mtn. Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
  • North Browns Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
  • Williams Ranch Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
  • Rock Spring Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Traylor Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Mohler Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
  • Oakview Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Big Valley Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
  • Duren Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
  • Center City Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
  • Fisher Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
  • Continue List   (101 more) ...
    • Catclaw Cemetery
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Estep Cemetery
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Priddy Cemetery
      (10 miles [16.1 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.<3>

While we didn't find Durenville in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Durenville.

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

  • Goldthwaite
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
  • Williams Ranch ‑ Historic
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
    • Williams Ranch is located in Mills County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Williams Ranch
  • Mullin
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Big Valley
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Big Valley is located in Mills County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Big Valley
  • Priddy
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
  • McGirk ‑ Historic
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
    • McGirk is located in Hamilton County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McGirk
  • Indian Gap
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Indian Gap is located in Hamilton County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Indian Gap
  • Regency ‑ Historic
    (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
    • Regency is located in Mills County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Regency
  • Zephyr
    (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
  • Pottsville
    (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
  • Newburg
    (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
    • Newburg is located in Comanche County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newburg
  • Lometa
    (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
  • Continue List   (13 more) ...
    • Shive
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Shive is located in Hamilton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shive
    • San Saba
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
    • Fleming
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
      • Fleming is located in Comanche County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fleming

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

Newspapers Published in Durenville ...

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 36 newspapers that have been published in the area around Durenville.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Durenville, there are papers which were published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Durenville.

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 Durenville:

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 Durenville, 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 things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Durenville) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.