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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 Kelly (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 Kelly. 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 northwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors were in the next county to the west. 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 west 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.

Kelly is located in Collin 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 Collin County: Dallas, Denton, Fannin, Grayson, Hunt & Rockwall.

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

  • Collin County     (The home county of Kelly)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Kelly, with the one closest to Kelly listed first.
    • Anna
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
      • Anna is located in Collin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Anna
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 16,945 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Anna <1>
    • Mantua ‑ Historic
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Mantua is located in Collin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mantua
    • Weston
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
    • Van Alstyne
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Roland
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
      • Roland is located in Collin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roland
    • Melissa
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Parris
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
      • Parris is located in Collin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parris
    • Sedalia
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
      • Sedalia is located in Collin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sedalia
    • Westminster
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
    • Valdasta
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Valdasta is located in Collin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Valdasta
    • Rhea Mills
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Rhea Mills is located in Collin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rhea Mills
    • Celina
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
    • Altoga
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Altoga is located in Collin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Altoga
  • Comanche County
    • Cross Roads
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
      • Cross Roads is located in Comanche County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cross Roads
  • Cooke County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Kelly, with the one closest to Kelly listed first.
    • Bloomfield
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
      • Bloomfield is located in Cooke County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bloomfield
    • Burns City
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Burns City is located in Cooke County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burns City
    • Lake Kiowa
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Hemming
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • Hemming is located in Cooke County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hemming
  • Dallas County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Kelly, with the one closest to Kelly listed first.
    • Richardson
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
    • Buckingham
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
      • Buckingham is located in Dallas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buckingham
    • Addison
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Lewisville
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Denton County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Kelly, with the one closest to Kelly listed first.
    • Pilot Point
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
    • Little Elm
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Providence Village
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Providence Village is located in Denton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Providence Village
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 7,564 people
    • Aubrey
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
    • Hackberry
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Hackberry is located in Denton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hackberry
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,094 people
    • Lincoln Park
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Lincoln Park is located in Denton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lincoln Park
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 567 people
    • Krugerville
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
      • Krugerville is located in Denton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Krugerville
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,871 people
    • Cross Roads
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
    • The Colony
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Oak Point
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Lakewood Village
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Lakewood Village is located in Denton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakewood Village
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,002 people
    • Shady Shores
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Shady Shores is located in Denton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shady Shores
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,958 people
    • Lake Dallas
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
  • Fannin County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Kelly, with the one closest to Kelly listed first.
    • Trenton
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
    • Whitewright
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Orangeville
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Orangeville is located in Fannin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orangeville
    • Leonard
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
    • Savoy
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Randolph
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
    • Ector
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
    • Edhube
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Edhube is located in Fannin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edhube
    • Bailey
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
    • Bonham
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Ravenna
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Grayson County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Kelly, with the one closest to Kelly listed first.
    • Cannon
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Cannon is located in Grayson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cannon
    • Gunter
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Howe
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
      • Howe is located in Grayson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Howe
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,390 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Howe <1>
    • Pilot Grove
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Pilot Grove is located in Grayson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pilot Grove
    • Dorchester
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
      • Dorchester is located in Grayson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dorchester
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 96 people
    • Tom Bean
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Luella
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
      • Luella is located in Grayson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Luella
    • Kentucky Town
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Kentucky Town is located in Grayson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kentucky Town
    • Tribune
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
      • Tribune is located in Grayson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tribune
    • Ida
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Ida is located in Grayson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ida
    • Whiterock
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Whiterock is located in Grayson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whiterock
    • Sherman
      (18 miles [29 km] to the north)
    • Ethel
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
      • Ethel is located in Grayson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ethel
  • Hunt County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Kelly, with the one closest to Kelly listed first.
    • Merit
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Celeste
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
    • Kingston
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
      • Kingston is located in Hunt County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kingston
    • Clinton
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Clinton is located in Hunt County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clinton
    • White Rock
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
      • White Rock is located in Hunt County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White Rock
  • Bryan County (OK)
    • Hendrix
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)

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

Cemeteries Near Kelly ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Kelly.

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

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

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

  • Alexander Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
  • Baker Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the north)
  • Coffman Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
  • Warden Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
  • Mugg Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
  • Simpson Family Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
  • Lair Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
  • Mantua Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mantua Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Mantua Cemetery is located 2 miles [3.2 km]<3> to the south of Van Alstyne.
    • The Mantua Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Newt Family Cemetery
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2305714 <2>
  • Culwell Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Highland Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Van Alstyne Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Van Alstyne Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Van Alstyne Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside of Van Alstyne
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #184539 <2>
  • Smallwood Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
  • Continue List   (299 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.<4>

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

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

  • Weston
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
  • Anna
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
    • Anna is located in Collin County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Anna
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 16,945 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Anna <1>
  • Elmont
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
    • Elmont is located in Grayson County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elmont
  • Van Alstyne
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • Roland
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
    • Roland is located in Collin County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roland
  • Melissa
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Farmington
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
    • Farmington is located in Grayson County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Farmington
  • Sedalia
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
    • Sedalia is located in Collin County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sedalia
  • Celina
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
  • Rhea Mills
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Rhea Mills is located in Collin County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rhea Mills
  • Cannon
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Cannon is located in Grayson County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cannon
  • Altoga
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Altoga is located in Collin County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Altoga
  • Continue List   (13 more) ...
    • Howe
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
      • Howe is located in Grayson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Howe
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,390 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Howe <1>
    • McKinney
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
    • Elm View
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Elm View is located in Grayson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elm View

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

Newspapers Published in Kelly ...

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 67 newspapers that have been published in the area around Kelly.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Kelly, there are papers which were published within 24 miles [38.6 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Kelly.

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 Kelly:

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' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Kelly) 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 Kelly, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.