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 Goodrich (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 Goodrich. 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 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.
Goodrich is located in Polk 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 Polk County: Angelina, Hardin, Liberty, San Jacinto, Trinity & Tyler.
Below are the counties that are near Goodrich. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Goodrich:
- Polk County (The home county of Goodrich)
- The following are listed by their distance from Goodrich, with the one closest to Goodrich listed first.
- Lamont
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Lamont is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lamont
- Swartout ‑ Historic
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Swartout is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Swartout
- Schwab City
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Schwab City is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Schwab City
- West Livingston
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- West Livingston is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Livingston
- Livingston
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Ace
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- New Willard
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- New Willard is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Willard
- Indian Springs
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Indian Springs is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Indian Springs
- Bold Springs
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Bold Springs is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bold Springs
- Leggett
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Onalaska
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Seven Oaks
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Seven Oaks is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seven Oaks
- Population from the 2020 Census: 131 people
- Dallardsville
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Hardin County
- The following are listed by their distance from Goodrich, with the one closest to Goodrich listed first.
- Votaw
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Thicket
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Bragg ‑ Historic
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Bragg is located in Hardin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bragg
- Liberty County
- The following are listed by their distance from Goodrich, with the one closest to Goodrich listed first.
- Africa ‑ Historic
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Africa is located in Liberty County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Africa
- Romayor
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Rayburn
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Rayburn is located in Liberty County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rayburn
- Big Thicket Creekmore Village
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Rye
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Fuqua ‑ Historic
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Fuqua is located in Liberty County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fuqua
- North Cleveland
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- North Cleveland is located in Liberty County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Cleveland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 313 people
- Cleveland
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Nimrod ‑ Historic
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Nimrod is located in Liberty County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nimrod
- Coushatta Village
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Coushatta Village is located in Liberty County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coushatta Village
- Plum Grove
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Plum Grove is located in Liberty County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plum Grove
- Population from the 2020 Census: 756 people
- Mariam
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Mariam is located in Liberty County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mariam
- Montgomery County
- The following are listed by their distance from Goodrich, with the one closest to Goodrich listed first.
- Splendora
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Cut and Shoot
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- San Jacinto County
- The following are listed by their distance from Goodrich, with the one closest to Goodrich listed first.
- Shepherd
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Coldspring
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Laurel Hill
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Laurel Hill is located in San Jacinto County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Laurel Hill
- Magnolia
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Magnolia is located in San Jacinto County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Magnolia
- Evergreen
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Evergreen is located in San Jacinto County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Evergreen
- Point Blank
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Oakhurst
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Trinity County
- The following are listed by their distance from Goodrich, with the one closest to Goodrich listed first.
- Carlisle
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Carlisle is located in Trinity County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carlisle
- Chita
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Chita is located in Trinity County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chita
- Woodlake
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Woodlake is located in Trinity County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodlake
- Sumpter ‑ Historic
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Sumpter is located in Trinity County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sumpter
- Tyler County
- The following are listed by their distance from Goodrich, with the one closest to Goodrich listed first.
- Chester
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Peach Tree Village
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Peach Tree Village is located in Tyler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peach Tree Village
- Walker County
- Dodge
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Goodrich, see our County-by-County Page for Goodrich.
Cemeteries Near Goodrich ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Goodrich.
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 Goodrich - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Goodrich covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Goodrich, with the one closest to Goodrich listed first.
- Restland Memorial Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Peebles Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Restland Memorial Park
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Lake Station Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Forest Hill Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Ellis Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Milby Hill Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Mitchell Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Old City Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Coley Creek Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Greenfield Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Rose Hill Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Continue List (105 more) ...
- Cochran Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Big Creek Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Farley Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 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.<3>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that in 1895, Goodrich had a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Goodrich had a population of 338 people.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Goodrich, with the one closest to Goodrich listed first.
- Livingston
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Shepherd
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Coldspring
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Leggett
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Keno
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Keno is located in Liberty County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keno
- Evergreen
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Evergreen is located in San Jacinto County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Evergreen
- Seven Oaks
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Seven Oaks is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seven Oaks
- Population from the 2020 Census: 131 people
- Dallardsville
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Point Blank
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Colita
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Colita is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colita
- Cleveland
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Hortense
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Hortense is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hortense
- Continue List (8 more) ...
- Moscow
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Maynard
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Maynard is located in San Jacinto County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maynard
- Carmona
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Carmona is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carmona
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Goodrich. See our List of 1890's Communities around Goodrich.
Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Goodrich ...
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 19 newspapers that have been published in the area around Goodrich.
We have organized these newspapers into two lists:
- A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Goodrich. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Goodrich and those printed in the larger area surrounding Goodrich.
- An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 28 miles [45.1 km]<4> of Goodrich.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we like to 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 Goodrich:
- Websites specific to Texas
- Pages specific to Polk County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Hardin County
- Liberty County
- Montgomery County
- San Jacinto County
- Trinity County
- Tyler County
- Walker 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 Goodrich, 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' distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Goodrich) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |