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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 Gafford (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 Gafford. 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 southeast 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 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 east 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.

Gafford is located in Hopkins 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 Hopkins County: Delta, Franklin, Hunt, Lamar, Rains, Red River & Wood.

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

  • Hopkins County     (The home county of Gafford)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Gafford, with the one closest to Gafford listed first.
    • Brashear
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Rockdale
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Rockdale is located in Hopkins County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rockdale
    • Ridgeway
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
      • Ridgeway is located in Hopkins County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ridgeway
    • Sulphur Springs
      (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
    • Peerless
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
      • Peerless is located in Hopkins County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peerless
    • Posey
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
      • Posey is located in Hopkins County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Posey
    • Divide
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
      • Divide is located in Hopkins County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Divide
    • Tazewell
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Tazewell is located in Hopkins County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tazewell
    • Palestine
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Palestine is located in Hopkins County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Palestine
    • Cumby
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
    • Birthright
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Birthright is located in Hopkins County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Birthright
    • Miller Grove
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Bonanza
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
  • Delta County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Gafford, with the one closest to Gafford listed first.
    • Klondike
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
    • Needmore
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Needmore is located in Delta County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Needmore
    • Cooper
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
    • Charleston
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Charleston is located in Delta County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Charleston
    • Jot-Em-Down
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Jot-Em-Down is located in Delta County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jot-Em-Down
      • Jot-Em-Down has also been known as:
      • Mohegan
      • Muddig Prairie
    • Enloe
      (18 miles [29 km] to the north)
    • Lake Creek
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
    • Pecan Gap
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Ben Franklin
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
  • Fannin County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Gafford, with the one closest to Gafford listed first.
    • Ladonia
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
    • Dial
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Dial is located in Fannin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dial
    • Bug Tussle ‑ Historic
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Bug Tussle is located in Fannin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bug Tussle
    • Silver City
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Silver City is located in Fannin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Silver City
    • Gober
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Franklin County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Gafford, with the one closest to Gafford listed first.
    • Purley
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
      • Purley is located in Franklin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Purley
    • Mount Vernon
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
    • Winnsboro
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Hagansport
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Hagansport is located in Franklin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hagansport
  • Hunt County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Gafford, with the one closest to Gafford listed first.
    • Commerce
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Campbell
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
    • Yowell
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Yowell is located in Hunt County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yowell
    • Jardin
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Jardin is located in Hunt County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jardin
    • Neylandville
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
      • Neylandville is located in Hunt County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Neylandville
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 100 people
    • Fairlie
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
      • Fairlie is located in Hunt County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairlie
    • Lone Oak
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
    • South Sulphur
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
      • South Sulphur is located in Hunt County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Sulphur
    • Dixon
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
      • Dixon is located in Hunt County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dixon
    • Aberfoyle
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Aberfoyle is located in Hunt County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aberfoyle
    • Jacobia
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
      • Jacobia is located in Hunt County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jacobia
    • Weiland
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
      • Weiland is located in Hunt County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weiland
    • Greenville
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
  • Lamar County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Gafford, with the one closest to Gafford listed first.
    • Gadston
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
      • Gadston is located in Lamar County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gadston
    • Taylor Town
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Taylor Town is located in Lamar County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Taylor Town
    • Broadway
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
      • Broadway is located in Lamar County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Broadway
    • Frog Hop ‑ Historic
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
      • Frog Hop is located in Lamar County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frog Hop
    • Howland
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
      • Howland is located in Lamar County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Howland
    • Roxton
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
    • Cunningham
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Glory
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
      • Glory is located in Lamar County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glory
    • Atlas
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
      • Atlas is located in Lamar County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Atlas
    • Biardstown
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
      • Biardstown is located in Lamar County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Biardstown
    • Ambia
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
      • Ambia is located in Lamar County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ambia
    • Clardy
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Clardy is located in Lamar County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clardy
    • Petty
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
  • Rains County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Gafford, with the one closest to Gafford listed first.
    • Point
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Emory
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
    • East Tawakoni
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
      • East Tawakoni is located in Rains County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Tawakoni
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 991 people
    • Hooker Ridge
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
      • Hooker Ridge is located in Rains County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hooker Ridge
    • Flats
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Flats is located in Rains County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flats
  • Red River County
    • Halesboro
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Halesboro is located in Red River County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Halesboro
  • Wood County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Gafford, with the one closest to Gafford listed first.
    • Yantis
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Gunter
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
      • Gunter is located in Wood County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gunter
    • Coke
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Coke is located in Wood County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coke
    • Alba
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
    • Cartwright
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Cartwright is located in Wood County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cartwright
    • Forest Hill
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Forest Hill is located in Wood County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest Hill
    • Quitman
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Golden
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
    • Stout
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Stout is located in Wood County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stout

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

Cemeteries Near Gafford ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Gafford.

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

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

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

  • Pleasant Grove Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
  • Sulphur Springs City Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • Oakland Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
  • Stewart Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Lindley Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
  • Shooks Chapel Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
  • Long Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
  • Melton Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
  • Restlawn Memorial Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
  • Sunny Point Cemetery
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
  • Aiguier Cemetery
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
  • Jordan Cemetery
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Continue List   (199 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.<3>

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

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

  • Ridgeway
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
    • Ridgeway is located in Hopkins County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ridgeway
  • Sulphur Springs
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • Peerless
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
    • Peerless is located in Hopkins County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peerless
  • Divide
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
    • Divide is located in Hopkins County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Divide
  • Tazewell
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Tazewell is located in Hopkins County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tazewell
  • Birthright
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Birthright is located in Hopkins County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Birthright
  • Addran
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Addran is located in Hopkins County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Addran
  • Miller Grove
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Reilly Springs
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Reilly Springs is located in Hopkins County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reilly Springs
  • Gough
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Gough is located in Delta County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gough
  • Dike
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
  • Needmore
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Needmore is located in Delta County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Needmore
  • Continue List   (13 more) ...
    • Commerce
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Como
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Como is located in Hopkins County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Como
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 723 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Como <1>
    • Cooper
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)

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

Newspapers Published in Gafford ...

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 46 newspapers that have been published in the area around Gafford.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Gafford, there are papers which were published within 25 miles [40.2 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Gafford.

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 Gafford:

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 Gafford, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.
<4>Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'point-to-point' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Gafford) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.