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 Fords Prairie (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 Fords Prairie. 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.
Name Variations for Fords Prairie ...
When searching records, keep in mind that names and their spelling can change over time. Our sources include documents like maps, railroad schedules, Travel, Express and Shipping Guides. Many of these documents date from the 1800's and it's common to find spelling differences.
Although we can't give a definitive list, hopefully the following will give you a feel for the variations that might occur.
- A typical abbreviation for Fords Prairie: Fords Pr.
- While the name of this community is Fords Prairie, be aware that it's the common practice of mapmakers to remove the apostrophe from possessive names<1>. So Fords Prairie may originally have been Ford's Prairie.
Sometimes the trailing 's' might be dropped altogether, in which case Fords Prairie might be written as Ford Prairie.
You might be interested in other communities that are also named Fords Prairie. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Fords Prairie.
If you have information about these names (such as the reason for the change, date of change, the origin of the name), please Contact Us.
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 doctors and 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.
Fords Prairie is located in Fayette 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 Fayette County: Austin, Bastrop, Caldwell, Colorado, Gonzales, Lavaca, Lee & Washington.
Below are the counties that are near Fords Prairie. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Fords Prairie:
- Fayette County (The home county of Fords Prairie)
- The following are listed by their distance from Fords Prairie, with the one closest to Fords Prairie listed first.
- Stellar
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Stellar is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stellar
- Kirtley
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Kirtley is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kirtley
- Cistern
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Cistern is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cistern
- Former names for Cistern:
- Cockrell's Hill
- Milton
- Whiteside's Prairie
- Muldoon
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- West Point
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Colony
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Colony is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colony
- Plum
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Hostyn
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Hostyn is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hostyn
- Flatonia
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Freyburg
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Freyburg is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Freyburg
- Praha
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Praha is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Praha
- Praha has also been known as:
- Hottentot
- La Grange
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Engle
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Engle is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Engle
- Bastrop County
- The following are listed by their distance from Fords Prairie, with the one closest to Fords Prairie listed first.
- Kovar
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Kovar is located in Bastrop County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kovar
- Togo
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Togo is located in Bastrop County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Togo
- Smithville
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Rosanky
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Upton
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Upton is located in Bastrop County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Upton
- Jeddo
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Jeddo is located in Bastrop County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jeddo
- Alum Creek
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Alum Creek is located in Bastrop County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alum Creek
- Hills Prairie
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Hills Prairie is located in Bastrop County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hills Prairie
- Bastrop
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Red Rock
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Bateman
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Bateman is located in Bastrop County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bateman
- Phelan
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Phelan is located in Bastrop County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Phelan
- Camp Swift
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Camp Swift is located in Bastrop County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Camp Swift
- Caldwell County
- The following are listed by their distance from Fords Prairie, with the one closest to Fords Prairie listed first.
- Delhi
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Delhi is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Delhi
- Pettytown
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Pettytown is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pettytown
- Elm Grove
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Elm Grove is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elm Grove
- Taylorsville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Taylorsville is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Taylorsville
- McMahan
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- McMahan is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McMahan
- Dale
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Saint Johns Colony
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Saint Johns Colony is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Johns Colony
- Tilmon
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Tilmon is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tilmon
- Brownsboro
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Brownsboro is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brownsboro
- Seawillow
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Seawillow is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seawillow
- McNeil
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- McNeil is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McNeil
- Soda Springs
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Soda Springs is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Soda Springs
- Lytton Springs
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Lytton Springs is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lytton Springs
- Colorado County
- The following are listed by their distance from Fords Prairie, with the one closest to Fords Prairie listed first.
- Weimar
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Oakland
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- New Bielau ‑ Historic
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- New Bielau is located in Colorado County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Bielau
- Borden
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Borden is located in Colorado County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Borden
- Gonzales County
- The following are listed by their distance from Fords Prairie, with the one closest to Fords Prairie listed first.
- Waelder
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Sandy Fork
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Sandy Fork is located in Gonzales County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sandy Fork
- Harwood
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Lavaca County
- The following are listed by their distance from Fords Prairie, with the one closest to Fords Prairie listed first.
- Moulton
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Komensky
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Komensky is located in Lavaca County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Komensky
- Moravia
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Moravia is located in Lavaca County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moravia
- Gleckler
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Gleckler is located in Lavaca County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gleckler
- Breslau
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Breslau is located in Lavaca County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Breslau
- Hackberry ‑ Historic
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Hackberry is located in Lavaca County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hackberry
- Lee County
- The following are listed by their distance from Fords Prairie, with the one closest to Fords Prairie listed first.
- Serbin ‑ Historic
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Serbin is located in Lee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Serbin
- Giddings
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Fedor
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Fedor is located in Lee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fedor
- Lincoln
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Fords Prairie, see our County-by-County Page for Fords Prairie.
Cemeteries Near Fords Prairie ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Fords Prairie.
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 Fords Prairie - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Fords Prairie covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Fords Prairie, with the one closest to Fords Prairie listed first.
- Grays Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Old Bartons Creek Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Robbins Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Psencik Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Colorado Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Cistern Public Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cistern Public Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Cistern Public Cemetery is located in Cistern.
- The Cistern Public Cemetery has also been known as:
- Cistern Cemetery
- Nassau Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #1356394 <3>
- St.s Cyril and Methodius Catholic Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Henson Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Pitman Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pitman Cemetery
- The Pitman Cemetery has also been known as:
- Muldoon Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #6031 <3>
- Oak Hill Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Woods Prairie Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Thompson Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Continue List (154 more) ...
- Mt. Olive Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Plum Grove Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Young Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
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.<5>
While we didn't find Fords Prairie in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Fords Prairie.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Fords Prairie, with the one closest to Fords Prairie listed first.
- Stellar
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Stellar is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stellar
- Cistern
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Cistern is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cistern
- Former names for Cistern:
- Cockrell's Hill
- Milton
- Whiteside's Prairie
- Muldoon
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Smithville
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Colony
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Colony is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colony
- West Point
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Upton
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Upton is located in Bastrop County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Upton
- Jeddo
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Jeddo is located in Bastrop County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jeddo
- Plum
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Winchester
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Winchester is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winchester
- String Prairie
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- String Prairie is located in Bastrop County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for String Prairie
- Alum Creek
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Alum Creek is located in Bastrop County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alum Creek
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- O'Quinn
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- O'Quinn is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for O'Quinn
- Hills Prairie
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Hills Prairie is located in Bastrop County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hills Prairie
- Delhi
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Delhi is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Delhi
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Fords Prairie. See our List of 1890's Communities around Fords Prairie.
Newspapers Published in Fords Prairie ...
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 75 newspapers that have been published in the area around Fords Prairie.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Fords Prairie, 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 Fords Prairie.
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 Fords Prairie:
- Websites specific to Texas
- Pages specific to Fayette County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Bastrop County
- Caldwell County
- Colorado County
- Gonzales County
- Lavaca County
- Lee County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Texas
Footnotes ...
| <1> | It's generally believed that possessive apostrophes are removed to prevent confusion on maps where the apostrophe may be confused with a cartographic symbol. While this is generally true, it's not uncommon to find possessive apostrophes in administrative names (such as towns or counties). |
| <2> | While we're fans and frequent users of TripAdvisor, you should know that we're also members of the TripAdvisor affiliate program. |
| <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> | 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- Fords Prairie) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |
| <5> | 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 Fords Prairie, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |