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 First Colony (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 First Colony. 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.
First Colony is located in Fort Bend 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 Fort Bend County: Austin, Brazoria, Harris, Waller & Wharton.
Below are the counties that are near First Colony. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to First Colony:
- Fort Bend County (The home county of First Colony)
- The following are listed by their distance from First Colony, with the one closest to First Colony listed first.
- Sugar Land
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Dewalt
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Dewalt is located in Fort Bend County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dewalt
- Fifth Street
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Fifth Street is located in Fort Bend County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fifth Street
- Booth
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Missouri City
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Stafford
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Greatwood
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Greatwood is located in Fort Bend County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greatwood
- New Territory
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- New Territory is located in Fort Bend County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Territory
- Meadows Place
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Meadows Place is located in Fort Bend County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meadows Place
- Population from the 2020 Census: 4,813 people
- Meadows
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Meadows is located in Fort Bend County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meadows
- Missouri City Estates
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Missouri City Estates is located in Fort Bend County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Missouri City Estates
- Greatwood Village
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Greatwood Village is located in Fort Bend County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greatwood Village
- Austin County
- The following are listed by their distance from First Colony, with the one closest to First Colony listed first.
- Wallis
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Brazos Country
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Brazos Country is located in Austin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brazos Country
- Population from the 2020 Census: 472 people
- Brazoria County
- The following are listed by their distance from First Colony, with the one closest to First Colony listed first.
- Fairway Village
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Fairway Village is located in Brazoria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairway Village
- Iowa Colony
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Iowa Colony is located in Brazoria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Iowa Colony
- Population from the 2020 Census: 4,888 people
- Sandy Point
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Sandy Point is located in Brazoria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sandy Point
- Population from the 2020 Census: 238 people
- Lochridge
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Lochridge is located in Brazoria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lochridge
- Manvel
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Brookside Village
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- West Oaks Village
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- West Oaks Village is located in Brazoria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Oaks Village
- Rosharon
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Pearland
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Westwood Village
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Westwood Village is located in Brazoria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westwood Village
- Bonney
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Bonney is located in Brazoria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bonney
- Population from the 2020 Census: 380 people
- Damon
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Galveston County
- The following are listed by their distance from First Colony, with the one closest to First Colony listed first.
- Carmel Village
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Carmel Village is located in Galveston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carmel Village
- Quaker Village
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Quaker Village is located in Galveston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Quaker Village
- Friendswood
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Parkwood Village
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Parkwood Village is located in Galveston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parkwood Village
- Harris County
- The following are listed by their distance from First Colony, with the one closest to First Colony listed first.
- Catalina Village
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Catalina Village is located in Harris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Catalina Village
- Post Oak Village
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Post Oak Village is located in Harris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Post Oak Village
- Alief
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Brays Village East
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Brays Village East is located in Harris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brays Village East
- Cambridge Village
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Cambridge Village is located in Harris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cambridge Village
- Ashford Village
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Ashford Village is located in Harris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ashford Village
- Westpark Village
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Westpark Village is located in Harris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westpark Village
- Canterbury Village
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Canterbury Village is located in Harris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Canterbury Village
- Bellaire
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Buckner Haven
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Buckner Haven is located in Harris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buckner Haven
- Bunker Hill Village
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Bunker Hill Village is located in Harris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bunker Hill Village
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,901 people
- Parkway Villages
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Parkway Villages is located in Harris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parkway Villages
- Waller County
- The following are listed by their distance from First Colony, with the one closest to First Colony listed first.
- Brookshire
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Pattison
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Wharton County
- The following are listed by their distance from First Colony, with the one closest to First Colony listed first.
- East Bernard
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Newgulf
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Boling
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Hungerford
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to First Colony, see our County-by-County Page for First Colony.
Cemeteries Near First Colony ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of First Colony.
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 First Colony - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for First Colony covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from First Colony, with the one closest to First Colony listed first.
- Cementerio San Isidro Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- New Hope Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Sandberry Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Dewalt Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- New Home Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Riceville Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Jones Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Emanuel Memorial Park
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Alief Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- San Grabiel Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Arcola - Fresno Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Jones Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Continue List (134 more) ...
- Mt. Carmel Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Morton Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Forest Park - Westheimer Cemetery
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest Park - Westheimer Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Forest Park - Westheimer Cemetery is a very large cemetery that is located in Houston.
- The Forest Park - Westheimer Cemetery has also been known as:
- Forest Park West Cemetery
- Forest Park Cemetery
- Forest Park West Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #162130 <2>
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 First Colony in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of First Colony.
These communities are listed based on their distance from First Colony, with the one closest to First Colony listed first.
- Sugar Land
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Stafford
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Thompsons
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Crabb
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Crabb is located in Fort Bend County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crabb
- Harlem
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Harlem is located in Fort Bend County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harlem
- Duke
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Duke is located in Fort Bend County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Duke
- Arcola
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Richmond
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Arcola Junction
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Arcola Junction is located in Fort Bend County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arcola Junction
- Clodine
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Jeanetta
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Jeanetta is located in Harris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jeanetta
- Rosenberg
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Piney Point Village
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Piney Point Village is located in Harris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Piney Point Village
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,416 people
- Piney Point Village has also been known as:
- Piney Point
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Piney Point Village <1>
- Pierce Junction
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Pierce Junction is located in Harris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pierce Junction
- Foster
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Foster is located in Fort Bend County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Foster
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around First Colony. See our List of 1890's Communities around First Colony.
Newspapers Published in First Colony ...
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 29 newspapers that have been published in the area around First Colony.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of First Colony, there are papers which were published within 12 miles [19.3 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for First Colony.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we first visit 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 First Colony:
- Websites specific to Texas
- Pages specific to Fort Bend County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Austin County
- Brazoria County
- Galveston County
- Harris County
- Waller County
- Wharton 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> | 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 First Colony, 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' (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- First Colony) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |