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 Durham (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 Durham. 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 southwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most hospitals were in the next county to the west. Almost all of the nearby churches and cemeteries were in the county to the south.
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 south 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.
Durham is located in Hunt 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 Hunt County: Collin, Delta, Fannin, Hopkins, Kaufman, Rains & Rockwall.
Below are the counties that are near Durham. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Durham:
- Hunt County (The home county of Durham)
- The following are listed by their distance from Durham, with the one closest to Durham listed first.
- Fairlie
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Fairlie is located in Hunt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairlie
- Jardin
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Jardin is located in Hunt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jardin
- Aberfoyle
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Aberfoyle is located in Hunt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aberfoyle
- Wolfe City
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Yowell
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Yowell is located in Hunt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yowell
- South Sulphur
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- South Sulphur is located in Hunt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Sulphur
- Commerce
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- White Rock
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- White Rock is located in Hunt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White Rock
- Neylandville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Neylandville is located in Hunt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Neylandville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 100 people
- Jacobia
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Jacobia is located in Hunt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jacobia
- Campbell
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Celeste
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Collin County
- The following are listed by their distance from Durham, with the one closest to Durham listed first.
- Frognot
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Frognot is located in Collin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frognot
- Blue Ridge
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Farmersville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Josephine
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Westminster
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Sedalia
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Sedalia is located in Collin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sedalia
- Valdasta
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Valdasta is located in Collin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Valdasta
- Altoga
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Altoga is located in Collin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Altoga
- Delta County
- The following are listed by their distance from Durham, with the one closest to Durham listed first.
- Jot-Em-Down
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Jot-Em-Down is located in Delta County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jot-Em-Down
- Jot-Em-Down has also been known as:
- Mohegan
- Muddig Prairie
- Needmore
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Needmore is located in Delta County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Needmore
- Pecan Gap
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Klondike
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Ben Franklin
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Cooper
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Enloe
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Lake Creek
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Charleston
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Charleston is located in Delta County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Charleston
- Fannin County
- The following are listed by their distance from Durham, with the one closest to Durham listed first.
- Ladonia
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Bug Tussle ‑ Historic
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Bug Tussle is located in Fannin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bug Tussle
- Silver City
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Silver City is located in Fannin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Silver City
- Gober
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Dial
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Dial is located in Fannin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dial
- Hail
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Hail is located in Fannin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hail
- Bailey
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Windom
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Leonard
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Dodd City
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Honey Grove
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Edhube
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Edhube is located in Fannin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edhube
- Grayson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Durham, with the one closest to Durham listed first.
- Pilot Grove
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Pilot Grove is located in Grayson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pilot Grove
- Kentucky Town
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Kentucky Town is located in Grayson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kentucky Town
- Cannon
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Cannon is located in Grayson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cannon
- Bells
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Hopkins County
- The following are listed by their distance from Durham, with the one closest to Durham listed first.
- Cumby
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Ridgeway
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Ridgeway is located in Hopkins County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ridgeway
- Peerless
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Peerless is located in Hopkins County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peerless
- Posey
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Posey is located in Hopkins County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Posey
- Palestine
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Palestine is located in Hopkins County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Palestine
- Brashear
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Birthright
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Birthright is located in Hopkins County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Birthright
- Miller Grove
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Tira
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Tira is located in Hopkins County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tira
- Population from the 2020 Census: 311 people
- Divide
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Divide is located in Hopkins County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Divide
- Rockdale
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Rockdale is located in Hopkins County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rockdale
- Sulphur Springs
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Lamar County
- The following are listed by their distance from Durham, with the one closest to Durham listed first.
- Petty
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Roxton
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- High
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- High is located in Lamar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for High
- Howland
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Howland is located in Lamar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Howland
- Gadston
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Gadston is located in Lamar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gadston
- Ambia
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Ambia is located in Lamar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ambia
- Brookston
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Atlas
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Atlas is located in Lamar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Atlas
- Broadway
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Broadway is located in Lamar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Broadway
- Frog Hop ‑ Historic
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Frog Hop is located in Lamar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frog Hop
- Glory
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Glory is located in Lamar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glory
- Toco
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Toco is located in Lamar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Toco
- Population from the 2020 Census: 76 people
- Rains County
- The following are listed by their distance from Durham, with the one closest to Durham listed first.
- Hooker Ridge
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Hooker Ridge is located in Rains County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hooker Ridge
- Point
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- East Tawakoni
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- East Tawakoni is located in Rains County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Tawakoni
- Population from the 2020 Census: 991 people
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Durham, see our County-by-County Page for Durham.
Cemeteries Near Durham ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Durham.
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 Durham - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Durham covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Durham, with the one closest to Durham listed first.
- Hope Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Kelly Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Sonora Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Brecheen Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Center Point Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Rehobeth Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rehobeth Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Rehobeth Cemetery is located 3 miles [4.8 km]<3> to the northeast of Wolfe City.
- The Rehobeth Cemetery has also been known as:
- Rehobeth / Terry Cemetery
- Old Rehobeth Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Mt. Carmel Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Onstot Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Wesley Chapel Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Wesley Church Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Odd Fellows Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Continue List (271 more) ...
- Willow Grove Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- South Sulphur Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Sulphur Cemetery
- The South Sulphur Cemetery has also been known as:
- Ray's Creek Cemetery
- Rhea's Creek Cemetery
- Westbrook Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 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.<4>
While we didn't find Durham in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Durham.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Durham, with the one closest to Durham listed first.
- Jardin
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Jardin is located in Hunt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jardin
- Aberfoyle
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Aberfoyle is located in Hunt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aberfoyle
- Ladonia
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Wolfe City
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- South Sulphur
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- South Sulphur is located in Hunt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Sulphur
- Commerce
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Needmore
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Needmore is located in Delta County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Needmore
- White Rock
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- White Rock is located in Hunt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White Rock
- Pecan Gap
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Jacobia
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Jacobia is located in Hunt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jacobia
- Neylandville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Neylandville is located in Hunt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Neylandville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 100 people
- Gough
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Gough is located in Delta County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gough
- Continue List (16 more) ...
- Gober
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Hickory Creek
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Hickory Creek is located in Hunt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hickory Creek
- Dial
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Dial is located in Fannin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dial
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Durham. See our List of 1890's Communities around Durham.
Newspapers Published in Durham ...
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 65 newspapers that have been published in the area around Durham.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Durham, there are papers which were published within 25 miles [40.2 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Durham.
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 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 Durham:
- Websites specific to Texas
- Pages specific to Hunt County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Collin County
- Delta County
- Fannin County
- Grayson County
- Hopkins County
- Lamar County
- Rains 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> | 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> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' (or 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- Durham) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |
| <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 Durham, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |