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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 Israel (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 Israel. 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 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.

Israel 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 Israel. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Israel:

  • Polk County     (The home county of Israel)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Israel, with the one closest to Israel listed first.
    • New Willard
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
      • New Willard is located in Polk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Willard
    • Livingston
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Leggett
      (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
    • Lamont
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Lamont is located in Polk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lamont
    • Seven Oaks
      (7 miles [11.3 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
    • West Livingston
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
      • West Livingston is located in Polk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Livingston
    • Bold Springs
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Bold Springs is located in Polk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bold Springs
    • Indian Springs
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
      • Indian Springs is located in Polk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Indian Springs
    • Goodrich
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
    • Swartout ‑ Historic
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Swartout is located in Polk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Swartout
    • Schwab City
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
      • Schwab City is located in Polk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Schwab City
    • Moscow
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
  • Hardin County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Israel, with the one closest to Israel listed first.
    • Votaw
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
    • Thicket
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Bragg ‑ Historic
      (29 miles [46.7 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 Israel, with the one closest to Israel listed first.
    • Africa ‑ Historic
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
      • Africa is located in Liberty County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Africa
    • Big Thicket Creekmore Village
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
    • Romayor
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
    • Rye
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
    • Rayburn
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
      • Rayburn is located in Liberty County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rayburn
    • Fuqua ‑ Historic
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Fuqua is located in Liberty County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fuqua
    • Cleveland
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
    • North Cleveland
      (29 miles [46.7 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
  • San Jacinto County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Israel, with the one closest to Israel listed first.
    • Coldspring
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Shepherd
      (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
    • Point Blank
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
    • Laurel Hill
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Laurel Hill is located in San Jacinto County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Laurel Hill
    • Evergreen
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Evergreen is located in San Jacinto County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Evergreen
    • Magnolia
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Magnolia is located in San Jacinto County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Magnolia
    • Oakhurst
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
  • Trinity County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Israel, with the one closest to Israel listed first.
    • Carlisle
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Carlisle is located in Trinity County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carlisle
    • Woodlake
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Woodlake is located in Trinity County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodlake
    • Sumpter ‑ Historic
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Sumpter is located in Trinity County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sumpter
    • Chita
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
      • Chita is located in Trinity County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chita
    • Groveton
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Lacy
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Lacy is located in Trinity County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lacy
      • Lacy has also been known as:
      • Lacey
    • Helmic
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • Helmic is located in Trinity County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Helmic
    • Glendale
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Glendale is located in Trinity County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glendale
  • Tyler County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Israel, with the one closest to Israel listed first.
    • Chester
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Peach Tree Village
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Peach Tree Village is located in Tyler County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peach Tree Village
    • Doucette
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
    • Woodville
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
    • Ivanhoe North
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
      • Ivanhoe North is located in Tyler County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ivanhoe North
      • Population from the 2010 Census: 538 people
    • Ivanhoe
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
      • Ivanhoe is located in Tyler County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ivanhoe
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,438 people
    • Hillister
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
    • Warren
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
    • Colmesneil
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Walker County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Israel, with the one closest to Israel listed first.
    • Dodge
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
    • Riverside
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)

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

Cemeteries Near Israel ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Israel.

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

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

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

  • Kibble Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the north)
  • Greenfield Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
  • Old City Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Alexander Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
  • Forest Hill Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Bluff Creek Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
  • Rice Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Restland Memorial Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Restland Memorial Park
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Peebles Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
  • Oaks Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Carrington Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
  • Continue List   (112 more) ...
    • Camp Ruby Cemetery
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
    • Pine Ridge Cemetery
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Parrish 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 Israel in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Israel.

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

  • Livingston
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Leggett
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Seven Oaks
    (7 miles [11.3 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
  • Goodrich
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
  • Moscow
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
  • Colita
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Colita is located in Polk County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colita
  • Hortense
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Hortense is located in Polk County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hortense
  • Coldspring
    (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Carmona
    (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
    • Carmona is located in Polk County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carmona
  • Dallardsville
    (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Corrigan
    (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
  • Asia
    (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
    • Asia is located in Polk County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Asia
  • Continue List   (11 more) ...
    • Shepherd
      (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
    • Barnum
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Barnum is located in Polk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barnum
    • Point Blank
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)

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

Newspapers Published in Israel ...

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 38 newspapers that have been published in the area around Israel.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Israel, there are papers which were published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Israel.

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 Israel:

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>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 drawn from Point A (ie- Israel) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.
<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 Israel, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.