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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 Folsom (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 Folsom. 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/Parishes ...

When searching for family records, we have frequently made the mistake of not checking the neighboring counties/parishes.

For example, we have great-grandparents who lived in the northeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors 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/parishes 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/parishes, we would have missed many valuable sources of information.

If you're in a similar situation, we hope that the following information helps.

Folsom is located in Shelby 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 Shelby County: De Soto (LA), Sabine (LA), Nacogdoches, Panola, Rusk, Sabine & San Augustine.

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

  • Shelby County     (The home county of Folsom)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Folsom, with the one closest to Folsom listed first.
    • Tenaha
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
    • Center
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Arcadia
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Arcadia is located in Shelby County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arcadia
    • Timpson
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Africa ‑ Historic
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Africa is located in Shelby County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Africa
    • Short
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Short is located in Shelby County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Short
    • Choice
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Choice is located in Shelby County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Choice
    • Shelbyville
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Campti
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
      • Campti is located in Shelby County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Campti
    • Joaquin
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Haslam
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Haslam is located in Shelby County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Haslam
    • Huxley
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
      • Huxley is located in Shelby County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Huxley
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 376 people
  • Nacogdoches County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Folsom, with the one closest to Folsom listed first.
    • Garrison
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
    • Fitze
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
      • Fitze is located in Nacogdoches County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fitze
    • Whispering Pines
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
      • Whispering Pines is located in Nacogdoches County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whispering Pines
    • Martinsville
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Swift
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Swift is located in Nacogdoches County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Swift
    • Attoyac
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
      • Attoyac is located in Nacogdoches County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Attoyac
    • Appleby
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Appleby is located in Nacogdoches County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Appleby
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 444 people
    • Chireno
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
    • Redfield
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Redfield is located in Nacogdoches County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Redfield
    • Nacogdoches
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Woden
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Trawick
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
      • Trawick is located in Nacogdoches County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trawick
  • Panola County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Folsom, with the one closest to Folsom listed first.
    • Woods
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
      • Woods is located in Panola County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woods
    • Gary City
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Buncome
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Buncome is located in Panola County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buncome
    • Murvaul
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Murvaul is located in Panola County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Murvaul
    • Dotson
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
      • Dotson is located in Panola County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dotson
    • Carthage
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
    • Clayton
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Delray
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
      • Delray is located in Panola County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Delray
    • Long Branch
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
    • Midyett
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
      • Midyett is located in Panola County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Midyett
    • Beckville
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Rusk County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Folsom, with the one closest to Folsom listed first.
    • Caledonia
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
      • Caledonia is located in Rusk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caledonia
    • Concord
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
      • Concord is located in Rusk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Concord
    • Mount Enterprise
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
    • Brachfield
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Brachfield is located in Rusk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brachfield
    • Pinehill
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Pinehill is located in Rusk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pinehill
    • Minden
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Sulphur Springs
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • Sulphur Springs is located in Rusk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sulphur Springs
    • Oak Flats
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
      • Oak Flats is located in Rusk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Flats
  • San Augustine County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Folsom, with the one closest to Folsom listed first.
    • Denning
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
      • Denning is located in San Augustine County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Denning
    • San Augustine
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
    • Maxey Town
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
      • Maxey Town is located in San Augustine County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maxey Town
  • De Soto Parish (LA)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Folsom, with the one closest to Folsom listed first.
    • Logansport
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Stanley
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
      • Stanley is located in De Soto Parish (LA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stanley
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 116 people
    • Longstreet
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
    • Keachi
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Keachi is located in De Soto Parish (LA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keachi
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 300 people
    • Screamerville ‑ Historic
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Screamerville is located in De Soto Parish (LA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Screamerville
    • Grand Cane
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)

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

Cemeteries Near Folsom ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Folsom.

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

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

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

  • Mt. Gillion Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
  • Newburn Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
  • Cedar Yard Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
  • Hayden Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
  • Smith Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
  • Pleasant Grove Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
  • Henrietta Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
  • Blunt Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
  • Union Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
  • Bobo Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
  • Restland Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Oaklawn Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
  • Continue List   (215 more) ...
    • North Jericho Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
    • Lone Oak Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Powdrill Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)

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.<2>

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

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

  • Huber
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Huber is located in Shelby County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Huber
  • Center
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Tenaha
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
  • Timpson
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
  • Short
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Short is located in Shelby County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Short
  • Woods
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
    • Woods is located in Panola County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woods
  • Shelbyville
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Garrison
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
  • Joaquin
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
  • Fitze
    (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
    • Fitze is located in Nacogdoches County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fitze
  • Ironosa
    (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
    • Ironosa is located in San Augustine County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ironosa
  • Caledonia
    (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
    • Caledonia is located in Rusk County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caledonia
  • Continue List   (13 more) ...
    • Martinsville
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Logansport
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Swift
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Swift is located in Nacogdoches County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Swift

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

Newspapers Published in Folsom ...

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 64 newspapers that have been published in the area around Folsom.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Folsom, there are papers which were published within 29 miles [46.7 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Folsom.

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 Folsom:

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>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 Folsom, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.
<3>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 drawn from Point A (ie- Folsom) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.