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 Harris (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 Harris. 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 southwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most 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.
Harris is located in Hunt 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 Hunt County: Collin, Delta, Fannin, Hopkins, Kaufman, Rains & Rockwall.
Below are the counties that are near Harris. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Harris:
- Hunt County (The home county of Harris)
- The following are listed by their distance from Harris, with the one closest to Harris listed first.
- Quinlan
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Hawk Cove
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Hawk Cove is located in Hunt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hawk Cove
- Population from the 2020 Census: 562 people
- Boles Home
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Boles Home is located in Hunt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boles Home
- Union Valley
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Union Valley is located in Hunt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union Valley
- Population from the 2020 Census: 461 people
- West Tawakoni
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- West Tawakoni is located in Hunt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Tawakoni
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,994 people
- Weiland
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Weiland is located in Hunt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weiland
- Hendrix
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Hendrix is located in Hunt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hendrix
- Caddo Mills
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Lone Oak
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Dixon
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Dixon is located in Hunt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dixon
- Clinton
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Clinton is located in Hunt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clinton
- Greenville
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Collin County
- The following are listed by their distance from Harris, with the one closest to Harris listed first.
- Royse City
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Josephine
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Nevada
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Lavon
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Copeville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Farmersville
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Clear Lake
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Clear Lake is located in Collin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clear Lake
- Wylie
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Sachse
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Saint Paul
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Saint Paul is located in Collin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Paul
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,039 people
- Murphy
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Lucas
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Lucas is located in Collin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lucas
- Population from the 2020 Census: 8,819 people
- Dallas County
- The following are listed by their distance from Harris, with the one closest to Harris listed first.
- Rowlett
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Sunnyvale
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Lawson
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Lawson is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lawson
- Mesquite
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- New Hope
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- New Hope is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Hope
- Seagoville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Centerville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Centerville is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Centerville
- Combine
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Combine is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Combine
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,537 people
- Garland
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Balch Springs
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Kleberg
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Kleberg is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kleberg
- Hopkins County
- The following are listed by their distance from Harris, with the one closest to Harris listed first.
- Miller Grove
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Palestine
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Palestine is located in Hopkins County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Palestine
- Cumby
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Bonanza
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Divide
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Divide is located in Hopkins County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Divide
- Brashear
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Ridgeway
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Ridgeway is located in Hopkins County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ridgeway
- Kaufman County
- The following are listed by their distance from Harris, with the one closest to Harris listed first.
- Ables Springs
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Ables Springs is located in Kaufman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ables Springs
- Poetry
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Poetry is located in Kaufman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Poetry
- Elmo
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Terrell
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- College Mound
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- College Mound is located in Kaufman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for College Mound
- Lawrence
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Lawrence is located in Kaufman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lawrence
- Abner
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Abner is located in Kaufman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Abner
- Oak Ridge
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Oak Ridge is located in Kaufman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Ridge
- Population from the 2020 Census: 806 people
- Post Oak Bend City
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Post Oak Bend City is located in Kaufman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Post Oak Bend City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 626 people
- Talty
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Talty is located in Kaufman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Talty
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,883 people
- Heath
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Forney
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Rains County
- The following are listed by their distance from Harris, with the one closest to Harris listed first.
- Hooker Ridge
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Hooker Ridge is located in Rains County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hooker Ridge
- East Tawakoni
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- East Tawakoni is located in Rains County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Tawakoni
- Population from the 2020 Census: 991 people
- Flats
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Flats is located in Rains County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flats
- Point
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Emory
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Rockwall County
- The following are listed by their distance from Harris, with the one closest to Harris listed first.
- Blackland
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Blackland is located in Rockwall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blackland
- McLendon - Chisholm
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- McLendon - Chisholm is located in Rockwall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McLendon - Chisholm
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,815 people
- Fate
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Mobile City
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Mobile City is located in Rockwall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mobile City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 208 people
- Rockwall
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Van Zandt County
- The following are listed by their distance from Harris, with the one closest to Harris listed first.
- Wills Point
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Edgewood
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Myrtle Springs
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Myrtle Springs is located in Van Zandt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Myrtle Springs
- Fruitvale
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Canton
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Grand Saline
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Wood County
- The following are listed by their distance from Harris, with the one closest to Harris listed first.
- Alba
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Gunter
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Gunter is located in Wood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gunter
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Harris, see our County-by-County Page for Harris.
Cemeteries Near Harris ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Harris.
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 Harris - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Harris covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Harris, with the one closest to Harris listed first.
- Hodges Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- McBride Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Hail Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Odd Fellows Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Odd Fellows Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Campground Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Ables Springs Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Whites Prairie Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Paynetown Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Henderson Mosley Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Weaver Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Dry Creek Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Continue List (224 more) ...
- Highland Memorial Gardens
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Kuykendall Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Carter Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
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.<2>
While we didn't find Harris in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Harris.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Harris, with the one closest to Harris listed first.
- McCoy
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- McCoy is located in Kaufman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McCoy
- Poetry
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Poetry is located in Kaufman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Poetry
- Elmo
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Terrell
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Wieland
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Wieland is located in Hunt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wieland
- Blackland
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Blackland is located in Rockwall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blackland
- Caddo Mills
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Royse City
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Chisholm
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Chisholm is located in Rockwall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chisholm
- Wills Point
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Lawrence
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Lawrence is located in Kaufman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lawrence
- Lone Oak
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Fate
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Dixon
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Dixon is located in Hunt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dixon
- Abner
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Abner is located in Kaufman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Abner
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Harris. See our List of 1890's Communities around Harris.
Newspapers Published in Harris ...
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 79 newspapers that have been published in the area around Harris.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Harris, there are papers which were published within 27 miles [43.5 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Harris.
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 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 Harris:
- Websites specific to Texas
- Pages specific to Hunt County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Collin County
- Dallas County
- Hopkins County
- Kaufman County
- Rains County
- Rockwall County
- Van Zandt County
- Wood 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> | 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 Harris, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <3> | 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 drawn from Point A (ie- Harris) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |