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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 Mays Crossing (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 Mays Crossing. 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.

Name Variations for Mays Crossing ...

When searching records, keep in mind that names and their spelling can change over time. Our sources include documents like maps, railroad schedules, Travel, Express and Shipping Guides. Many of these documents date from the 1800's and it's common to find spelling differences.

Although we can't give a definitive list, hopefully the following will give you a feel for the variations that might occur.

  • A typical abbreviation for Mays Crossing: Mays Xing.
  • While the name of this community is Mays Crossing, be aware that it's the common practice of mapmakers to remove the apostrophe from possessive names<1>. So Mays Crossing may originally have been May's Crossing.

    Sometimes the trailing 's' might be dropped altogether, in which case Mays Crossing might be written as May Crossing.

If you have information about these names (such as the reason for the change, date of change, the origin of the name), please Contact Us.

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.

Mays Crossing is located in Karnes 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 Karnes County: Atascosa, Bee, DeWitt, Goliad, Gonzales & Wilson.

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

  • Karnes County     (The home county of Mays Crossing)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Mays Crossing, with the one closest to Mays Crossing listed first.
    • Falls City
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Hobson
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
    • Coy City
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
      • Coy City is located in Karnes County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coy City
    • Karnes City
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
    • Panna Maria
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
      • Panna Maria is located in Karnes County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Panna Maria
    • Pawelekville
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Pawelekville is located in Karnes County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pawelekville
    • Helena
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
      • Helena is located in Karnes County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Helena
    • Kenedy
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Flaccus ‑ Historic
      (18 miles [29 km] to the east)
      • Flaccus is located in Karnes County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flaccus
    • Ecleto
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
    • Runge
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
    • Gillett
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
  • Atascosa County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Mays Crossing, with the one closest to Mays Crossing listed first.
    • Fashing
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Fashing is located in Atascosa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fashing
    • Peggy
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Black Hill
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
      • Black Hill is located in Atascosa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Black Hill
    • McCoy
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
      • McCoy is located in Atascosa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McCoy
    • Campbellton
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Coughran
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
      • Coughran is located in Atascosa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coughran
    • Verdi
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
      • Verdi is located in Atascosa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Verdi
    • Pleasanton
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
    • Leming
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
    • Espey
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Espey is located in Atascosa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Espey
    • Christine
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Jourdanton
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
  • Bee County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Mays Crossing, with the one closest to Mays Crossing listed first.
    • Pawnee
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
    • Tulsita
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Tulsita is located in Bee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tulsita
    • Pettus
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Mineral
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
    • Tuleta
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Bexar County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Mays Crossing, with the one closest to Mays Crossing listed first.
    • Elmendorf
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Sandy Oaks
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Sandy Oaks is located in Bexar County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sandy Oaks
  • DeWitt County
    • Nordheim
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
  • Gonzales County
    • Nixon
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Nixon is located in Gonzales County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nixon
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,508 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Nixon <2>
  • Live Oak County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Mays Crossing, with the one closest to Mays Crossing listed first.
    • Whitsett
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Ray Point
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
      • Ray Point is located in Live Oak County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ray Point
  • Wilson County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Mays Crossing, with the one closest to Mays Crossing listed first.
    • Three Oaks ‑ Historic
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
      • Three Oaks is located in Wilson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Three Oaks
    • Poth
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
      • Poth is located in Wilson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Poth
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,332 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Poth <2>
    • Dewees
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Dewees is located in Wilson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dewees
    • Ridout ‑ Historic
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Ridout is located in Wilson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ridout
    • Kosciusko
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Kosciusko is located in Wilson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kosciusko
    • Darilek
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Darilek is located in Wilson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Darilek
    • Loma Vista ‑ Historic
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Loma Vista is located in Wilson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Loma Vista
    • Sunnyside
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
      • Sunnyside is located in Wilson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sunnyside
    • Plummer Crossing ‑ Historic
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
      • Plummer Crossing is located in Wilson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plummer Crossing
    • Floresville
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Denhawken
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
      • Denhawken is located in Wilson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Denhawken
    • Fairview
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Fairview is located in Wilson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairview

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

Cemeteries Near Mays Crossing ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Mays Crossing.

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 Mays Crossing - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • Mueller Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
  • Falls City Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
  • Dewees Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dewees Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Dewees Cemetery is located 6 miles [9.7 km]<3> to the southwest of Poth.
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #1968779 <4>
  • Lutheran Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
  • New Bremen Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
  • St. Mary Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
  • Fashing Cemetery
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
  • St. Anns Cemetery
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Brister Cemetery
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
  • Sacred Heart Cemetery
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
  • Lodi Cemetery
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
  • Butler Cemetery
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
  • Continue List   (71 more) ...
    • Helena Cemetery
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
    • Kenedy Cemetery
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kenedy Cemetery
      • To give a relative sense of its location, the Kenedy Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the southeast of Kenedy.
      • The Kenedy Cemetery has also been known as:
      • Kenedy City Cemetery
      • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #4608 <4>
    • Kennedy Cemetery
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)

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.<5>

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

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

  • Cestohowa
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Cestohowa is located in Karnes County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cestohowa
  • Karnes City
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
  • Panna Maria
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
    • Panna Maria is located in Karnes County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Panna Maria
  • Floresville
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
  • Helena
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
    • Helena is located in Karnes County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Helena
  • Fairview
    (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
    • Fairview is located in Wilson County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairview
  • Stockdale
    (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
  • Runge
    (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
  • Verdi
    (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
    • Verdi is located in Atascosa County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Verdi
  • Calaveras
    (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Calaveras is located in Wilson County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Calaveras
  • Sutherland Springs
    (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
  • Pleasanton
    (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
  • Continue List   (7 more) ...
    • Kicaster
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
      • Kicaster is located in Wilson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kicaster
    • Elmendorf
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Pettus
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)

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

Newspapers Published in Mays Crossing ...

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 34 newspapers that have been published in the area around Mays Crossing.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Mays Crossing, there are papers which were published within 29 miles [46.7 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Mays Crossing.

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 Mays Crossing:

Footnotes ...

<1>It's generally believed that possessive apostrophes are removed to prevent confusion on maps where the apostrophe may be confused with a cartographic symbol. While this is generally true, it's not uncommon to find possessive apostrophes in administrative names (such as towns or counties).
<2>While we're fans and frequent users of TripAdvisor, you should know that we're also members of the TripAdvisor affiliate program.
<3>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 drawn from Point A (ie- Mays Crossing) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.
<4>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.
<5>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 Mays Crossing, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.