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 Grays 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 Grays 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 Grays 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 Grays Prairie: Grays Pr.
- While the name of this village is Grays Prairie, be aware that it's the common practice of mapmakers to remove the apostrophe from possessive names<1>. So Grays Prairie may originally have been Gray's Prairie.
Sometimes the trailing 's' might be dropped altogether, in which case Grays Prairie might be written as Gray 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 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.
Grays Prairie is located in Kaufman 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 Kaufman County: Dallas, Ellis, Henderson, Hunt, Rockwall & Van Zandt.
Below are the counties that are near Grays Prairie. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Grays Prairie:
- Kaufman County (The home county of Grays Prairie)
- The following are listed by their distance from Grays Prairie, with the one closest to Grays Prairie listed first.
- Cottonwood
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Cottonwood is located in Kaufman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cottonwood
- Population from the 2020 Census: 209 people
- Scurry
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Oak Grove
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Oak Grove is located in Kaufman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Grove
- Population from the 2020 Census: 704 people
- Stubbs
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Stubbs is located in Kaufman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stubbs
- Rosser
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Kemp
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Styx
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Styx is located in Kaufman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Styx
- Becker
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Becker is located in Kaufman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Becker
- Kaufman
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Tolosa
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Tolosa is located in Kaufman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tolosa
- Lone Star
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Lone Star is located in Kaufman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lone Star
- Oak Ridge
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Oak Ridge is located in Kaufman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Ridge
- Population from the 2020 Census: 806 people
- Crandall
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Dallas County
- The following are listed by their distance from Grays Prairie, with the one closest to Grays Prairie listed first.
- Combine
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Combine is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Combine
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,537 people
- Seagoville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Ferris
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Kleberg
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Kleberg is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kleberg
- Lawson
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Lawson is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lawson
- Wilmer
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Balch Springs
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Hutchins
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Mesquite
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Sunnyvale
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Lancaster
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- New Hope
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- New Hope is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Hope
- Glenn Heights
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Ellis County
- The following are listed by their distance from Grays Prairie, with the one closest to Grays Prairie listed first.
- Telico
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Telico is located in Ellis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Telico
- Bristol
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Bristol is located in Ellis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bristol
- Walnut Springs
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Walnut Springs is located in Ellis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walnut Springs
- Crisp
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Crisp is located in Ellis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crisp
- Alma
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Alma is located in Ellis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alma
- Population from the 2020 Census: 400 people
- Ennis
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Garrett
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Garrett is located in Ellis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garrett
- Population from the 2020 Census: 891 people
- Palmer
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Boyce
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Boyce is located in Ellis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boyce
- Bardwell
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Ike
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Ike is located in Ellis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ike
- Pecan Hill
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Pecan Hill is located in Ellis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pecan Hill
- Population from the 2020 Census: 714 people
- Howard
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Howard is located in Ellis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Howard
- Henderson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Grays Prairie, with the one closest to Grays Prairie listed first.
- Seven Points
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Gun Barrel City
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Tool
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Payne Springs
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Payne Springs is located in Henderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Payne Springs
- Population from the 2020 Census: 756 people
- Enchanted Oaks
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Enchanted Oaks is located in Henderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Enchanted Oaks
- Population from the 2020 Census: 343 people
- Eustace
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Caney City
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Caney City is located in Henderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caney City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 223 people
- Log Cabin
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Log Cabin is located in Henderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Log Cabin
- Population from the 2020 Census: 785 people
- Star Harbor
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Star Harbor is located in Henderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Star Harbor
- Population from the 2020 Census: 487 people
- Trinidad
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Malakoff
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Navarro County
- The following are listed by their distance from Grays Prairie, with the one closest to Grays Prairie listed first.
- Chatfield
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Rice
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Tupelo
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Tupelo is located in Navarro County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tupelo
- Bazette
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Bazette is located in Navarro County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bazette
- Roane
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Roane is located in Navarro County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roane
- Kerens
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Powell
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Powell is located in Navarro County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Powell
- Population from the 2020 Census: 149 people
- Emhouse
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Emhouse is located in Navarro County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Emhouse
- Population from the 2020 Census: 154 people
- Corsicana
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Goodlow
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Goodlow is located in Navarro County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goodlow
- Population from the 2020 Census: 197 people
- Goodlow has also been known as:
- Goodlow Park
- Elm Flat
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Elm Flat is located in Navarro County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elm Flat
- Mildred
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Mildred is located in Navarro County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mildred
- Population from the 2020 Census: 400 people
- Cryer Creek ‑ Historic
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Cryer Creek is located in Navarro County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cryer Creek
- Rockwall County
- The following are listed by their distance from Grays Prairie, with the one closest to Grays Prairie listed first.
- McLendon - Chisholm
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- McLendon - Chisholm is located in Rockwall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McLendon - Chisholm
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,815 people
- Blackland
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Blackland is located in Rockwall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blackland
- Van Zandt County
- The following are listed by their distance from Grays Prairie, with the one closest to Grays Prairie listed first.
- Wills Point
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Myrtle Springs
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Myrtle Springs is located in Van Zandt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Myrtle Springs
- Tundra
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Tundra is located in Van Zandt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tundra
- Canton
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Grays Prairie, see our County-by-County Page for Grays Prairie.
Cemeteries Near Grays Prairie ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Grays 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 Grays Prairie - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Grays Prairie covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Grays Prairie, with the one closest to Grays Prairie listed first.
- Grays Prairie Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Cottonwood Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Mt. Olive Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Green Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Rosser Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Rosser Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Shiloh Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Kaufman Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kaufman Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Kaufman Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located in Kaufman.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #188945 <3>
- Ware Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Lone Oak Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Berry Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Guthrie Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Continue List (165 more) ...
- King Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Baker Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Fox Cemetery
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
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.<4>
While we didn't find Grays Prairie in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Grays Prairie.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Grays Prairie, with the one closest to Grays Prairie listed first.
- Scurry
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Stubbs
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Stubbs is located in Kaufman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stubbs
- Kemp
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Kaufman
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Tolosa
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Tolosa is located in Kaufman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tolosa
- Crandall
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Bristol
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Bristol is located in Ellis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bristol
- Prairieville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Prairieville is located in Kaufman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prairieville
- Abner
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Abner is located in Kaufman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Abner
- Seagoville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Chatfield
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Alma
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Alma is located in Ellis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alma
- Population from the 2020 Census: 400 people
- Continue List (13 more) ...
- Rice
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Ennis
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Payne Springs
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Payne Springs is located in Henderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Payne Springs
- Population from the 2020 Census: 756 people
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Grays Prairie. See our List of 1890's Communities around Grays Prairie.
Newspapers Published in Grays 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 96 newspapers that have been published in the area around Grays Prairie.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Grays Prairie, there are papers which were published within 29 miles [46.7 km]<5>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Grays Prairie.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we first visit 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 Grays Prairie:
- Websites specific to Texas
- Pages specific to Kaufman County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Dallas County
- Ellis County
- Henderson County
- Navarro County
- Rockwall County
- Van Zandt 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> | 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 Grays Prairie, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <5> | 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- Grays Prairie) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |