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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 Joshua (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 Joshua. 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 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.

Joshua is located in Johnson 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 Johnson County: Bosque, Ellis, Hill, Hood, Parker, Somervell & Tarrant.

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

  • Johnson County     (The home county of Joshua)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Joshua, with the one closest to Joshua listed first.
    • Cross Timber
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Cross Timber is located in Johnson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cross Timber
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 315 people
    • Egan
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
      • Egan is located in Johnson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Egan
    • Briaroaks
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
      • Briaroaks is located in Johnson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Briaroaks
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 506 people
    • Keene
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
      • Keene is located in Johnson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keene
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 6,588 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Keene <1>
    • Burleson
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Cleburne
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
    • Crowley
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
    • Godley
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
    • Coyote Flats
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Coyote Flats is located in Johnson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coyote Flats
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 368 people
    • Alvarado
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
    • Lillian
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
    • Bono
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Bono is located in Johnson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bono
  • Bosque County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Joshua, with the one closest to Joshua listed first.
    • Kimball
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
      • Kimball is located in Bosque County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kimball
    • Eulogy
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Eulogy is located in Bosque County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eulogy
    • Kopperl
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
  • Dallas County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Joshua, with the one closest to Joshua listed first.
    • Cedar Hill
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
    • Ovilla
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
    • Grand Prairie
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Shamrock
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
      • Shamrock is located in Dallas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shamrock
    • Duncanville
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Ellis County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Joshua, with the one closest to Joshua listed first.
    • Mansfield
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Venus
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
    • Britton
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
      • Britton is located in Ellis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Britton
    • Auburn
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Auburn is located in Ellis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Auburn
    • Midlothian
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
    • Maypearl
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
    • Sardis
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
      • Sardis is located in Ellis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sardis
    • Boz
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
      • Boz is located in Ellis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boz
  • Hill County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Joshua, with the one closest to Joshua listed first.
    • Covington
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
    • Blum
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
    • Itasca
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
    • Huron ‑ Historic
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
      • Huron is located in Hill County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Huron
    • Lovelace
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Lovelace is located in Hill County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lovelace
  • Hood County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Joshua, with the one closest to Joshua listed first.
    • Cresson
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
    • Acton
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
    • Fort Spunky
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
      • Fort Spunky is located in Hood County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fort Spunky
    • DeCordova
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
      • DeCordova is located in Hood County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for DeCordova
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,108 people
    • Pecan Plantation
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
      • Pecan Plantation is located in Hood County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pecan Plantation
    • Brazos Bend
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
      • Brazos Bend is located in Hood County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brazos Bend
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 364 people
    • Granbury
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
    • Oak Trail Shores
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
      • Oak Trail Shores is located in Hood County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Trail Shores
    • Hill City
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • Hill City is located in Hood County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hill City
  • Parker County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Joshua, with the one closest to Joshua listed first.
    • Aledo
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Annetta South
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Annetta South is located in Parker County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Annetta South
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 579 people
    • Annetta
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
      • Annetta is located in Parker County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Annetta
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,319 people
    • Annetta North
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Annetta North is located in Parker County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Annetta North
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 583 people
    • Willow Park
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Hudson Oaks
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Dicey
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Dicey is located in Parker County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dicey
  • Somervell County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Joshua, with the one closest to Joshua listed first.
    • Nemo
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Rainbow
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
    • Glen Rose
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Tarrant County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Joshua, with the one closest to Joshua listed first.
    • Oak Grove
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Oak Grove is located in Tarrant County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Grove
    • Primrose
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
      • Primrose is located in Tarrant County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Primrose
    • Retta
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Retta is located in Tarrant County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Retta
    • Rendon
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Rendon is located in Tarrant County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rendon
    • Saint Francis Village
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Everman
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Edgecliff Village
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
      • Edgecliff Village is located in Tarrant County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edgecliff Village
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,012 people
    • Wedgewood East
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
      • Wedgewood East is located in Tarrant County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wedgewood East
    • Benbrook
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
    • Forest Hill
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Kennedale
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Westover Hills
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
      • Westover Hills is located in Tarrant County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westover Hills
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 679 people

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

Cemeteries Near Joshua ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Joshua.

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

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

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

  • Old Lane Prairie Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Old Lane Prairie Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Old Lane Prairie Cemetery is located 5 miles [8 km]<2> to the north of Cleburne.
  • Caddo Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
  • Moss Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
  • Greenacres Memorial Park
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
  • Hopewell Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
  • Marystown Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
  • Lightfoot Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • Prairie Springs Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • Buchanan Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Keene Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
  • Old Bethany Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Buel Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Continue List   (154 more) ...
    • Burleson Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Burleson Memorial Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Cleburne Memorial Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cleburne Memorial Cemetery
      • The Cleburne Memorial Cemetery has also been known as:
      • Cleburne City Cemetery
      • Cleburne Memorial Park
      • Confederate Memorial Cemetery
      • Confederate Memorial Park Cemetery
      • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2936 <3>

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>

The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Joshua had a population of 285 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Joshua had a population of 8,202 people.

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

  • Marystown
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
    • Marystown is located in Johnson County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marystown
  • Egan
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
    • Egan is located in Johnson County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Egan
  • Burleson
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Cleburne
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
  • Crowley
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
  • Godley
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
  • Oak Grove
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Oak Grove is located in Tarrant County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Grove
  • Primrose
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
    • Primrose is located in Tarrant County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Primrose
  • Alvarado
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
  • Pleasant Point
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
    • Pleasant Point is located in Johnson County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Point
  • Bono
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Bono is located in Johnson County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bono
  • Rendon
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Rendon is located in Tarrant County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rendon
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Cuba
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Cuba is located in Johnson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cuba
    • Benbrook
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
    • Rio Vista
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)

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

Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Joshua ...

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 199 newspapers that have been published in the area around Joshua.

We have organized these newspapers into two lists:

  • A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Joshua. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Joshua and those printed in the larger area surrounding Joshua.
  • An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 29 miles [46.7 km]<2> of Joshua.

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 helpful 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 Joshua:

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