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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 Holden (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 Holden. 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.

Holden is located in Limestone 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 Limestone County: Falls, Freestone, Hill, Leon, McLennan, Navarro & Robertson.

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

  • Limestone County     (The home county of Holden)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Holden, with the one closest to Holden listed first.
    • Mexia
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Mexia is located in Limestone County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mexia
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 7,287 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Mexia <1>
    • Fallon
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
      • Fallon is located in Limestone County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fallon
    • Tehuacana
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Groesbeck
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Lost Prairie
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Lost Prairie is located in Limestone County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lost Prairie
    • Personville
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Personville is located in Limestone County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Personville
    • Coolidge
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Frosa
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
      • Frosa is located in Limestone County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frosa
    • Farrar
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Farrar is located in Limestone County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Farrar
    • Kirk
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
      • Kirk is located in Limestone County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kirk
    • Thornton
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
    • Ben Hur
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Ben Hur is located in Limestone County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ben Hur
  • Falls County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Holden, with the one closest to Holden listed first.
    • Otto
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Stranger
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Stranger is located in Falls County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stranger
    • McClanahan
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
      • McClanahan is located in Falls County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McClanahan
  • Freestone County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Holden, with the one closest to Holden listed first.
    • Cotton Gin
      (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
    • Teague
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
      • Teague is located in Freestone County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Teague
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,526 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Teague <1>
    • Wortham
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
    • Kirvin
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Freestone
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Freestone is located in Freestone County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Freestone
    • Fairfield
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
    • Streetman
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Donie
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Dew
      (18 miles [29 km] to the east)
      • Dew is located in Freestone County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dew
    • Stewards Mill ‑ Historic
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
      • Stewards Mill is located in Freestone County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stewards Mill
    • Lanely
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
      • Lanely is located in Freestone County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lanely
    • Turlington
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
      • Turlington is located in Freestone County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Turlington
  • Hill County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Holden, with the one closest to Holden listed first.
    • Hubbard
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
    • Mount Calm
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
  • Leon County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Holden, with the one closest to Holden listed first.
    • Newby
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Newby is located in Leon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newby
    • Buffalo
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Jewett
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Marquez
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
  • McLennan County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Holden, with the one closest to Holden listed first.
    • Mart
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
      • Mart is located in McLennan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mart
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,983 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Mart <1>
    • Battle
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
      • Battle is located in McLennan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Battle
    • Hallsburg
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • Hallsburg is located in McLennan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hallsburg
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 454 people
    • Elk
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
      • Elk is located in McLennan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elk
    • Riesel
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Axtell
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
  • Navarro County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Holden, with the one closest to Holden listed first.
    • Richland
      (18 miles [29 km] to the north)
      • Richland is located in Navarro County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Richland
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 273 people
    • Pursley
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
      • Pursley is located in Navarro County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pursley
    • Dawson
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Purdon
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Angus
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
      • Angus is located in Navarro County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Angus
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 427 people
    • Mustang
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
      • Mustang is located in Navarro County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mustang
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 23 people
    • Navarro
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
      • Navarro is located in Navarro County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Navarro
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 217 people
    • Silver City
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Silver City is located in Navarro County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Silver City
    • Spring Hill
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Spring Hill is located in Navarro County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spring Hill
    • Navarro Mills
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Navarro Mills is located in Navarro County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Navarro Mills
    • Eureka
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
      • Eureka is located in Navarro County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eureka
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 315 people
    • Oak Valley
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
      • Oak Valley is located in Navarro County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Valley
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 427 people
  • Robertson County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Holden, with the one closest to Holden listed first.
    • Seale
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
      • Seale is located in Robertson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seale
    • Bald Prairie
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
      • Bald Prairie is located in Robertson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bald Prairie

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

Cemeteries Near Holden ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Holden.

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

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

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

  • New Hope Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
  • Mexia City Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mexia City Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Mexia City Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the north of Mexia.
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #1979262 <2>
  • Grove Island Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
  • Oak Island Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
  • Spillers Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
  • Forest Glade Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
  • Plummers Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • Lindley Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • New Home Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
  • Springfield Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Doyle Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Valley Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
  • Continue List   (172 more) ...
    • Bethel Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
    • Dancer Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
    • Hopewell Cemetery
      (8 miles [12.9 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.<3>

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

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

  • Mexia
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Mexia is located in Limestone County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mexia
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 7,287 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Mexia <1>
  • Prairie Grove
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
    • Prairie Grove is located in Limestone County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prairie Grove
  • Cotton Gin
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • Tehuacana
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
  • Wortham
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
  • Groesbeck
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
  • Personville
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Personville is located in Limestone County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Personville
  • Horn Hill
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Horn Hill is located in Limestone County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Horn Hill
  • Frosa
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
    • Frosa is located in Limestone County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frosa
  • Luna
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Luna is located in Freestone County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Luna
  • Rodney
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Rodney is located in Navarro County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rodney
  • Farrar
    (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Farrar is located in Limestone County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Farrar
  • Continue List   (13 more) ...
    • Kirk
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
      • Kirk is located in Limestone County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kirk
    • Fairfield
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
    • Thornton
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)

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

Newspapers Published in Holden ...

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 58 newspapers that have been published in the area around Holden.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Holden, there are papers which were published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Holden.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we first turn to 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 Holden:

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