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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 Elmo (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 Elmo. 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 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.

Elmo is located in Kaufman 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 Kaufman County: Dallas, Ellis, Henderson, Hunt, Rockwall & Van Zandt.

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

  • Kaufman County     (The home county of Elmo)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Elmo, with the one closest to Elmo listed first.
    • College Mound
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
      • College Mound is located in Kaufman County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for College Mound
    • Ables Springs
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
      • Ables Springs is located in Kaufman County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ables Springs
    • Abner
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
      • Abner is located in Kaufman County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Abner
    • Terrell
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
    • Poetry
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Poetry is located in Kaufman County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Poetry
    • Oak Ridge
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Oak Ridge is located in Kaufman County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Ridge
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 806 people
    • Ola
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
      • Ola is located in Kaufman County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ola
    • Post Oak Bend City
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Post Oak Bend City is located in Kaufman County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Post Oak Bend City
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 626 people
    • Lawrence
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
      • Lawrence is located in Kaufman County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lawrence
    • Kaufman
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Lone Star
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Lone Star is located in Kaufman County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lone Star
    • Talty
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
      • Talty is located in Kaufman County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Talty
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,883 people
    • Oak Grove
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Oak Grove is located in Kaufman County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Grove
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 704 people
  • Collin County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Elmo, with the one closest to Elmo listed first.
    • Royse City
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
    • Josephine
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
    • Nevada
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Lavon
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Copeville
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Sachse
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Wylie
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Wylie is located in Collin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wylie
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 54,467 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Wylie <1>
  • Dallas County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Elmo, with the one closest to Elmo listed first.
    • Combine
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Combine is located in Dallas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Combine
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,537 people
    • Seagoville
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
    • Lawson
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
      • Lawson is located in Dallas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lawson
    • Sunnyvale
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
    • Mesquite
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
    • New Hope
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
      • New Hope is located in Dallas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Hope
    • Rowlett
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Balch Springs
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
    • Kleberg
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
      • Kleberg is located in Dallas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kleberg
    • Centerville
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
      • Centerville is located in Dallas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Centerville
    • Garland
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Ellis County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Elmo, with the one closest to Elmo listed first.
    • Walnut Springs
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Walnut Springs is located in Ellis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walnut Springs
    • Bristol
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Bristol is located in Ellis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bristol
  • Henderson County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Elmo, with the one closest to Elmo listed first.
    • Gun Barrel City
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
    • Seven Points
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
    • Eustace
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
    • Payne Springs
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
      • Payne Springs is located in Henderson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Payne Springs
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 756 people
    • Tool
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
      • Tool is located in Henderson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tool
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,335 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Tool <1>
  • Hopkins County
  • Hunt County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Elmo, with the one closest to Elmo listed first.
    • Hawk Cove
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Hawk Cove is located in Hunt County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hawk Cove
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 562 people
    • Quinlan
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
    • Boles Home
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
      • Boles Home is located in Hunt County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boles Home
    • Union Valley
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
      • Union Valley is located in Hunt County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union Valley
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 461 people
    • West Tawakoni
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
      • West Tawakoni is located in Hunt County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Tawakoni
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,994 people
    • Hendrix
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
      • Hendrix is located in Hunt County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hendrix
    • Weiland
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
      • Weiland is located in Hunt County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weiland
    • Caddo Mills
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
    • Lone Oak
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Dixon
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
      • Dixon is located in Hunt County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dixon
    • Clinton
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
      • Clinton is located in Hunt County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clinton
    • Greenville
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
  • Rains County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Elmo, with the one closest to Elmo listed first.
    • Hooker Ridge
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Hooker Ridge is located in Rains County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hooker Ridge
    • East Tawakoni
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
      • East Tawakoni is located in Rains County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Tawakoni
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 991 people
    • Flats
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
      • Flats is located in Rains County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flats
    • Point
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Emory
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
  • Rockwall County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Elmo, with the one closest to Elmo listed first.
    • McLendon - Chisholm
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
      • McLendon - Chisholm is located in Rockwall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McLendon - Chisholm
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,815 people
    • Blackland
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Blackland is located in Rockwall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blackland
    • Mobile City
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Mobile City is located in Rockwall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mobile City
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 208 people
    • Fate
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Fate is located in Rockwall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fate
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 17,434 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Fate <1>
    • Rockwall
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
  • Van Zandt County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Elmo, with the one closest to Elmo listed first.
    • Wills Point
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
    • Myrtle Springs
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Myrtle Springs is located in Van Zandt County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Myrtle Springs
    • Edgewood
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
    • Fruitvale
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
    • Canton
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Canton is located in Van Zandt County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Canton
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,941 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Canton <1>
    • Tundra
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Tundra is located in Van Zandt County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tundra
    • Grand Saline
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)

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

Cemeteries Near Elmo ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Elmo.

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

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

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

  • Elmo Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the north)
  • College Mound Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
  • New Salem Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Blackjack Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • Cedar Grove Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
  • Weaver Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Forest Lawn Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
  • State Hospital Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
  • S E Terrell Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
  • Henderson Mosley Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Locust Grove Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Ables Springs Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
  • Continue List   (204 more) ...

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>

The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Elmo had a population of 518 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service.

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

  • Abner
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
    • Abner is located in Kaufman County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Abner
  • Terrell
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
  • McCoy
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
    • McCoy is located in Kaufman County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McCoy
  • Poetry
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Poetry is located in Kaufman County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Poetry
  • Wills Point
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
  • Lawrence
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
    • Lawrence is located in Kaufman County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lawrence
  • Kaufman
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Chisholm
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Chisholm is located in Rockwall County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chisholm
  • Myrtle Springs
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Myrtle Springs is located in Van Zandt County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Myrtle Springs
  • Wise
    (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Wise is located in Van Zandt County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wise
  • Edgewood
    (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
  • Blackland
    (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Blackland is located in Rockwall County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blackland
  • Continue List   (19 more) ...
    • Crandall
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
    • Prairieville
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
      • Prairieville is located in Kaufman County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prairieville
    • Forney
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)

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

Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Elmo ...

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 69 newspapers that have been published in the area around Elmo.

We have organized these newspapers into two lists:

  • A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Elmo. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Elmo and those printed in the larger area surrounding Elmo.
  • An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 26 miles [41.8 km]<2> of Elmo.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we begin with the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These 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 Elmo:

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' (or point-to-point) distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Elmo) 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 Elmo, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.