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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 Kirby (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 Kirby. 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 hospitals and 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.

Kirby is located in Bexar 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 Bexar County: Atascosa, Bandera, Comal, Guadalupe, Kendall, Medina & Wilson.

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

  • Bexar County     (The home county of Kirby)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Kirby, with the one closest to Kirby listed first.
    • Fort Sam Houston
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Fort Sam Houston is located in Bexar County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fort Sam Houston
    • Fratt ‑ Historic
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
      • Fratt is located in Bexar County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fratt
    • Windcrest
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
      • Windcrest is located in Bexar County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Windcrest
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 5,854 people
    • Terrell Hills
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
      • Terrell Hills is located in Bexar County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Terrell Hills
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 5,451 people
    • Martinez
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Martinez is located in Bexar County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Martinez
    • China Grove
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
      • China Grove is located in Bexar County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for China Grove
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,314 people
    • Alamo Heights
      (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
    • Converse
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Boldtville
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
      • Boldtville is located in Bexar County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boldtville
    • Olmos Park
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
      • Olmos Park is located in Bexar County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Olmos Park
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,461 people
    • Airport City
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Airport City is located in Bexar County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Airport City
    • Live Oak
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Atascosa County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Kirby, with the one closest to Kirby listed first.
    • Espey
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
      • Espey is located in Atascosa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Espey
    • Leming
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
    • Verdi
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
      • Verdi is located in Atascosa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Verdi
    • Lytle
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Lytle is located in Atascosa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lytle
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,061 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Lytle <1>
  • Comal County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Kirby, with the one closest to Kirby listed first.
    • Bracken
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
      • Bracken is located in Comal County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bracken
    • Garden Ridge
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
      • Garden Ridge is located in Comal County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garden Ridge
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 4,266 people
    • Ogden
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
      • Ogden is located in Comal County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ogden
    • Corbyn
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Corbyn is located in Comal County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Corbyn
    • Comal
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Comal is located in Comal County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Comal
    • Dittlinger
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Dittlinger is located in Comal County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dittlinger
    • Solms
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Solms is located in Comal County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Solms
    • Bulverde East ‑ Historic
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
      • Bulverde East is located in Comal County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bulverde East
    • Bulverde South ‑ Historic
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
      • Bulverde South is located in Comal County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bulverde South
    • Jentsch Acres
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Jentsch Acres is located in Comal County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jentsch Acres
    • New Braunfels
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Anhalt
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
      • Anhalt is located in Comal County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Anhalt
  • Guadalupe County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Kirby, with the one closest to Kirby listed first.
    • Haeckerville
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Haeckerville is located in Guadalupe County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Haeckerville
    • Zuehl
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
      • Zuehl is located in Guadalupe County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zuehl
    • Northcliff
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Northcliff is located in Guadalupe County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Northcliff
    • Santa Clara
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Santa Clara is located in Guadalupe County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Santa Clara
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 745 people
    • Marion
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Marion is located in Guadalupe County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marion
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,281 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Marion <1>
    • New Berlin
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
      • New Berlin is located in Guadalupe County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Berlin
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 626 people
    • Sweet Home
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
      • Sweet Home is located in Guadalupe County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sweet Home
    • Hilda Siding
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Hilda Siding is located in Guadalupe County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hilda Siding
    • Muehlsville
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
      • Muehlsville is located in Guadalupe County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Muehlsville
    • Olmos ‑ Historic
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
      • Olmos is located in Guadalupe County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Olmos
    • Nolte
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
      • Nolte is located in Guadalupe County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nolte
    • Schumannsville
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Schumannsville is located in Guadalupe County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Schumannsville
  • Kendall County
  • Medina County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Kirby, with the one closest to Kirby listed first.
    • LaCoste
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • LaCoste is located in Medina County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for LaCoste
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,263 people
      • LaCoste has also been known as:
      • La Coste
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for LaCoste <1>
    • Rio Medina
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
    • Castroville
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
  • Wilson County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Kirby, with the one closest to Kirby listed first.
    • Carpenter
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Carpenter is located in Wilson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carpenter
    • Kicaster
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Kicaster is located in Wilson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kicaster
    • Saspamco
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
      • Saspamco is located in Wilson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saspamco
    • Graytown
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
      • Graytown is located in Wilson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Graytown
    • La Vernia
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Calaveras
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
      • Calaveras is located in Wilson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Calaveras
    • Canada Verde
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
      • Canada Verde is located in Wilson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Canada Verde
    • Grass Pond Colony ‑ Historic
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Grass Pond Colony is located in Wilson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grass Pond Colony
    • Sutherland Springs
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
    • Fairview
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
      • Fairview is located in Wilson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairview
    • Loire
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
      • Loire is located in Wilson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Loire
    • Floresville
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)

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

Cemeteries Near Kirby ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Kirby.

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

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

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

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>

The Rand McNally Atlas shows that in 1895, Kirby had railroad service and no post office. In 2020, Kirby had a population of 8,719 people.

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

  • Converse
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
  • San Antonio
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
  • Wetmore
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
  • Sayers
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Sayers is located in Bexar County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sayers
  • Bergs Mill
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Bergs Mill is located in Bexar County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bergs Mill
  • Selma
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
  • Robards
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Robards is located in Bexar County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Robards
  • Saint Hedwig
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
  • Cibolo
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Bracken
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
    • Bracken is located in Comal County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bracken
  • Withers
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Withers is located in Bexar County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Withers
  • Elmendorf
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
  • Continue List   (15 more) ...
    • Kicaster
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Kicaster is located in Wilson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kicaster
    • Earle
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Earle is located in Bexar County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Earle
    • Corbyn
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Corbyn is located in Comal County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Corbyn

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

Newspapers Published in Kirby ...

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 245 newspapers that have been published in the area around Kirby.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Kirby, there are papers which were published within 27 miles [43.5 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Kirby.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we start with the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These websites either 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 Kirby:

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 Kirby, 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 drawn from Point A (ie- Kirby) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.