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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 McNeil (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 McNeil. 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 and 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.

McNeil is located in Travis 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 Travis County: Bastrop, Blanco, Burnet, Caldwell, Hays & Williamson.

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

  • Travis County     (The home county of McNeil)
    • The following are listed by their distance from McNeil, with the one closest to McNeil listed first.
    • Wells Branch
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
      • Wells Branch is located in Travis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wells Branch
    • Kings Village
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Kings Village is located in Travis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kings Village
    • Three Points
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
      • Three Points is located in Travis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Three Points
    • Windemere
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
      • Windemere is located in Travis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Windemere
    • Pflugerville
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
    • Villa Siesta Retirement Village
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Daffan
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Daffan is located in Travis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Daffan
    • Cele
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
      • Cele is located in Travis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cele
    • Volente
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
    • Austin
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
    • Hudson Bend
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
      • Hudson Bend is located in Travis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hudson Bend
    • Jonestown
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
  • Bastrop County
    • The following are listed by their distance from McNeil, with the one closest to McNeil listed first.
    • Elgin
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
      • Elgin is located in Bastrop County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elgin
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 10,756 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Elgin <1>
    • Wyldwood
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Wyldwood is located in Bastrop County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wyldwood
    • Mustang Ridge
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
      • Mustang Ridge is located in Bastrop County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mustang Ridge
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,001 people
    • Cedar Creek
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
  • Bell County
    • Bartlett
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Burnet County
    • The following are listed by their distance from McNeil, with the one closest to McNeil listed first.
    • Spicewood
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
    • Oatmeal
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Bertram
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
  • Caldwell County
    • The following are listed by their distance from McNeil, with the one closest to McNeil listed first.
    • Mendoza
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
      • Mendoza is located in Caldwell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mendoza
    • Niederwald
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
      • Niederwald is located in Caldwell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Niederwald
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 576 people
  • Hays County
    • The following are listed by their distance from McNeil, with the one closest to McNeil listed first.
    • Bear Creek
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Bear Creek is located in Hays County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bear Creek
      • Estimated population in 2017: 445 people
    • Fitzhugh
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
      • Fitzhugh is located in Hays County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fitzhugh
    • Hays
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
      • Hays is located in Hays County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hays
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 283 people
    • Buda
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
      • Buda is located in Hays County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buda
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 17,544 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Buda <1>
    • Flatrock Ford
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
      • Flatrock Ford is located in Hays County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flatrock Ford
    • Dripping Springs
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Driftwood
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Goforth
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
      • Goforth is located in Hays County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goforth
    • Mountain City
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
      • Mountain City is located in Hays County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mountain City
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 858 people
  • Williamson County
    • The following are listed by their distance from McNeil, with the one closest to McNeil listed first.
    • Jollyville
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
      • Jollyville is located in Williamson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jollyville
    • Brushy Creek
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
      • Brushy Creek is located in Williamson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brushy Creek
    • Old Round Rock ‑ Historic
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Old Round Rock is located in Williamson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Old Round Rock
    • Round Rock
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
    • Anderson Mill
      (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
      • Anderson Mill is located in Williamson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Anderson Mill
    • Cedar Park
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Hutto
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Hutto is located in Williamson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hutto
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 29,987 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Hutto <1>
    • Leander
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Leander is located in Williamson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leander
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 70,519 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Leander <1>
    • Georgetown
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
    • Serenada
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
      • Serenada is located in Williamson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Serenada
    • Weir
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Weir is located in Williamson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weir
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 549 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Weir <1>
    • Liberty Hill
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)

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

Cemeteries Near McNeil ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of McNeil.

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

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

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

  • McNeil Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the north)
  • Bratton Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
  • Jollyville Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
  • Cook - Walden Memorial Hill Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cook - Walden Memorial Hill Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Cook - Walden Memorial Hill Cemetery is located in Austin.
    • The Cook - Walden Memorial Hill Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Memorial Hill Cemetery
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #5191 <2>
  • Memorial Hill Park
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
  • Capital Memorial Park
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
  • Rhodes Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
  • Pond Springs Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
  • Preece Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Fiskville Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
  • Austin Memorial Park
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
  • Gregg Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
  • Continue List   (172 more) ...
    • Bonnet Cemetery
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Hill Cemetery
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
    • McNeil Cemetery
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)

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, McNeil had a post office and railroad service.

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

  • Old Round Rock ‑ Historic
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Old Round Rock is located in Williamson County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Old Round Rock
  • Round Rock
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
  • Cedar Park
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Daffan
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Daffan is located in Travis County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Daffan
  • Hutto
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Hutto is located in Williamson County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hutto
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 29,987 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Hutto <1>
  • Leander
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Leander is located in Williamson County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leander
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 70,519 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Leander <1>
  • Volente
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
  • Austin
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
  • Manor
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Manor is located in Travis County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Manor
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 15,767 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Manor <1>
  • New Sweden
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
    • New Sweden is located in Travis County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Sweden
  • Georgetown
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
  • Rices Crossing
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
    • Rices Crossing is located in Williamson County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rices Crossing
  • Continue List   (16 more) ...
    • Jonah
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Jonah is located in Williamson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jonah
    • Oak Hill
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Oak Hill is located in Travis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Hill
    • Del Valle
      (17 miles [27.4 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 McNeil. See our List of 1890's Communities around McNeil.

Newspapers Published in McNeil ...

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 316 newspapers that have been published in the area around McNeil.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of McNeil, there are papers which were published within 28 miles [45.1 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for McNeil.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

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

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 McNeil, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.
<4>Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'point-to-point' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- McNeil) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.