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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 Foster (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 Foster. 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 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.

Foster 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 Foster. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Foster:

  • Fort Bend County     (The home county of Foster)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Foster, with the one closest to Foster listed first.
    • Fulshear
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Cumings
      (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
      • Cumings is located in Fort Bend County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cumings
    • Pecan Grove
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
      • Pecan Grove is located in Fort Bend County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pecan Grove
    • Richmond
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Weston Lakes
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
      • Weston Lakes is located in Fort Bend County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weston Lakes
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 4,191 people
    • Cinco Ranch
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Cinco Ranch is located in Fort Bend County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cinco Ranch
    • Rosenberg
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
    • Harlem
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Harlem is located in Fort Bend County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harlem
    • Pin Oak Village
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
      • Pin Oak Village is located in Fort Bend County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pin Oak Village
    • West Oaks Village
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
      • West Oaks Village is located in Fort Bend County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Oaks Village
    • Orchard
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
    • Simonton
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
    • Clodine
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
  • Austin County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Foster, with the one closest to Foster listed first.
    • Wallis
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
    • Brazos Country
      (14 miles [22.5 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
    • Frydek
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Frydek is located in Austin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frydek
    • San Felipe
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
    • Sealy
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Rexville ‑ Historic
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
      • Rexville is located in Austin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rexville
    • Millheim
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Millheim is located in Austin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millheim
  • Brazoria County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Foster, with the one closest to Foster listed first.
    • Damon
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
    • Lochridge
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Lochridge is located in Brazoria County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lochridge
    • Sandy Point
      (27 miles [43.5 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
    • Iowa Colony
      (28 miles [45.1 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
    • Fairway Village
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
      • Fairway Village is located in Brazoria County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairway Village
    • Manvel
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
      • Manvel is located in Brazoria County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Manvel
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 13,867 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Manvel <1>
    • Rosharon
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Colorado County
    • Eagle Lake
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
  • Harris County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Foster, with the one closest to Foster listed first.
    • Westlake
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Westlake is located in Harris County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westlake
    • Barker
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Westlake Village
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Westlake Village is located in Harris County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westlake Village
    • Catalina Village
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
      • Catalina Village is located in Harris County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Catalina Village
    • Westpark Village
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
      • Westpark Village is located in Harris County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westpark Village
    • Alief
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
    • Addicks
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Addicks is located in Harris County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Addicks
    • Ashford Village
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Ashford Village is located in Harris County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ashford Village
    • Parkway Villages
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Parkway Villages is located in Harris County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parkway Villages
    • Deerfield Village
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Deerfield Village is located in Harris County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deerfield Village
    • Westfield Village
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Westfield Village is located in Harris County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westfield Village
    • Brays Village East
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
      • Brays Village East is located in Harris County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brays Village East
    • Pine Forest Village
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Pine Forest Village is located in Harris County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Forest Village
  • Waller County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Foster, with the one closest to Foster listed first.
    • Brookshire
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Pattison
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Clemons
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
      • Clemons is located in Waller County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clemons
    • Pine Island
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Pine Island is located in Waller County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Island
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,205 people
  • Wharton County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Foster, with the one closest to Foster listed first.
    • East Bernard
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Nottawa
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Nottawa is located in Wharton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nottawa
    • Hungerford
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Lissie
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
    • Boling
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
    • Newgulf
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
    • Wharton
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Egypt
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Bonus
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Bonus is located in Wharton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bonus
    • Glen Flora
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)

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

Cemeteries Near Foster ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Foster.

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

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

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

  • Briscoe Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the east)
  • Goss Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
  • Lightfoot Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • McNabb Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • Jones Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Mt. Carmel Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
  • Wow Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
  • Morton Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Byrd Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
  • San Grabiel Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Little Prayer Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
  • Pool Hill Mason Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
  • Continue List   (147 more) ...
    • Cottonwood Cemetery
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
    • West Gethsemane Cemetery
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
    • Simonton Cemetery
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Simonton Cemetery
      • The Simonton Cemetery has also been known as:
      • Simonton Community Cemetery

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>

The Rand McNally Atlas shows that in 1895, Foster had a post office and no railroad service.

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

  • Fulshear
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
  • Richmond
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Rosenberg
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
  • Harlem
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Harlem is located in Fort Bend County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harlem
  • Clodine
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
  • Crabb
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Crabb is located in Fort Bend County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crabb
  • Sugar Land
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
  • Addicks
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Addicks is located in Harris County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Addicks
  • Westfield
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Westfield is located in Harris County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westfield
  • Pattison
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
  • East Bernard
    (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Thompsons
    (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Continue List   (16 more) ...
    • Stafford
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
    • Kendleton
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Jeanetta
      (18 miles [29 km] to the east)
      • Jeanetta is located in Harris County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jeanetta

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

Newspapers Published in Foster ...

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 32 newspapers that have been published in the area around Foster.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Foster, there are papers which were published within 16 miles [25.7 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Foster.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we start with the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These professional and volunteer 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 Foster:

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 Foster, 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 drawn from Point A (ie- Foster) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.