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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 Hastings (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 Hastings. 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 and 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.

Hastings is located in Brazoria 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 Brazoria County: Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, Matagorda & Wharton.

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

  • Brazoria County     (The home county of Hastings)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Hastings, with the one closest to Hastings listed first.
    • Woodcreek
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
      • Woodcreek is located in Brazoria County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodcreek
    • Westwood Village
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Westwood Village is located in Brazoria County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westwood Village
    • Pearland
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
    • West Oaks Village
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
      • West Oaks Village is located in Brazoria County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Oaks Village
    • Brookside Village
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Alvin
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
      • Alvin is located in Brazoria County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alvin
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 27,140 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Alvin <1>
    • Fairway Village
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
      • Fairway Village is located in Brazoria County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairway Village
    • Manvel
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
      • 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>
    • Hillcrest
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
      • Hillcrest is located in Brazoria County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hillcrest
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 706 people
    • Iowa Colony
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
      • Iowa Colony is located in Brazoria County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Iowa Colony
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 4,888 people
    • Liverpool
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
    • Rosharon
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Sandy Point
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Sandy Point is located in Brazoria County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sandy Point
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 238 people
  • Chambers County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Hastings, with the one closest to Hastings listed first.
    • Seabrook
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
    • Shoreacres
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Shoreacres is located in Chambers County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shoreacres
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,578 people
    • Baytown
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Smith Point
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
      • Smith Point is located in Chambers County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smith Point
    • Beach City
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Beach City is located in Chambers County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beach City
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,825 people
  • Fort Bend County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Hastings, with the one closest to Hastings listed first.
    • Fresno
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
    • Arcola
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
      • Arcola is located in Fort Bend County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arcola
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,775 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Arcola <1>
    • Hawdon
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
      • Hawdon is located in Fort Bend County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hawdon
      • Hawdon has also been known as:
      • Hawdon Junction
    • Juliff
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
      • Juliff is located in Fort Bend County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Juliff
    • Sienna Plantation
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
      • Sienna Plantation is located in Fort Bend County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sienna Plantation
    • Missouri City
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
    • Trammels
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
      • Trammels is located in Fort Bend County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trammels
    • Dewalt
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
      • Dewalt is located in Fort Bend County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dewalt
    • Missouri City Estates
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Missouri City Estates is located in Fort Bend County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Missouri City Estates
    • Fifth Street
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
      • Fifth Street is located in Fort Bend County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fifth Street
    • Stafford
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
    • First Colony
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
      • First Colony is located in Fort Bend County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for First Colony
    • Meadows Place
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Meadows Place is located in Fort Bend County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meadows Place
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 4,813 people
  • Galveston County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Hastings, with the one closest to Hastings listed first.
    • Carmel Village
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Carmel Village is located in Galveston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carmel Village
    • Friendswood
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
    • Quaker Village
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Quaker Village is located in Galveston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Quaker Village
    • Parkwood Village
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
      • Parkwood Village is located in Galveston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parkwood Village
    • League City
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
    • Arcadia
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Arcadia is located in Galveston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arcadia
    • Dickinson
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
    • South Shore Village
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
      • South Shore Village is located in Galveston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Shore Village
    • Santa Fe
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Clear Lake Shores
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
    • Kemah
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
      • Kemah is located in Galveston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kemah
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,048 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Kemah <1>
    • Bacliff
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
    • Hitchcock
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Harris County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Hastings, with the one closest to Hastings listed first.
    • Baybrook Village
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
      • Baybrook Village is located in Harris County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Baybrook Village
    • Clear Lake City
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
    • Webster
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
    • Genoa
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
      • Genoa is located in Harris County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Genoa
    • Parkland Village
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Parkland Village is located in Harris County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parkland Village
    • Nassau Bay
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
    • South Houston
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
    • Glenbrook Valley
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
      • Glenbrook Valley is located in Harris County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glenbrook Valley
    • Canterbury Village
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Canterbury Village is located in Harris County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Canterbury Village
    • Taylor Lake Village
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
    • Meadow Creek Village
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
      • Meadow Creek Village is located in Harris County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meadow Creek Village
    • Park Place
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
      • Park Place is located in Harris County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Park Place
    • Pasadena
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)

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

Cemeteries Near Hastings ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Hastings.

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

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

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

  • Thompson Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
  • Manvel Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Confederate Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Confederate Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Confederate Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the northeast of Alvin.
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #1320359 <2>
  • Garden of Angels Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Resurrection Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Resurrection Cemetery
    • The Resurrection Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Resurrection Garden
  • Old Settlers Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
  • Oak Park Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
  • South Park Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Magnolia Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
  • Forest Park East Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
  • Dagg Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Paradise South Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Continue List   (108 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 Hastings in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Hastings.

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

  • Alvin
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
    • Alvin is located in Brazoria County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alvin
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 27,140 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Alvin <1>
  • Genoa
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
    • Genoa is located in Harris County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Genoa
  • Arcadia
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Arcadia is located in Galveston County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arcadia
  • Dickinson
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
  • Arcola Junction
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
    • Arcola Junction is located in Fort Bend County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arcola Junction
  • Arcola
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
    • Arcola is located in Fort Bend County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arcola
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,775 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Arcola <1>
  • Liverpool
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
  • Red Bluff
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
    • Red Bluff is located in Harris County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Bluff
  • Pierce Junction
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Pierce Junction is located in Harris County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pierce Junction
  • Harrisburg
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
    • Harrisburg is located in Harris County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harrisburg
  • Duke
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
    • Duke is located in Fort Bend County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Duke
  • Magnolia Park
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
    • Magnolia Park is located in Harris County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Magnolia Park
  • Continue List   (13 more) ...
    • Sandy Point
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Sandy Point is located in Brazoria County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sandy Point
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 238 people
    • Bonney
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Bonney is located in Brazoria County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bonney
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 380 people
    • Houston
      (18 miles [29 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 Hastings. See our List of 1890's Communities around Hastings.

Newspapers Published in Hastings ...

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 15 newspapers that have been published in the area around Hastings.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Hastings, there are papers which were published within 9 miles [14.5 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Hastings.

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 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 Hastings:

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 Hastings, 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 obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Hastings) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.