RoadsideThoughts
A Gazetteer for the United States and Canada
Home >> State of Texas >> Lavaca County >> Midway >> Genealogy HelperIndex...

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 Midway (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 Midway. 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 southeast 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 south.

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 south 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.

Midway is located in Lavaca 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 Lavaca County: Colorado, DeWitt, Fayette, Gonzales, Jackson, Victoria & Wharton.

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

  • Lavaca County     (The home county of Midway)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Midway, with the one closest to Midway listed first.
    • Shiner
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
    • Sweet Home
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
    • Wied
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
      • Wied is located in Lavaca County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wied
    • Moulton
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
    • Hope
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Hope is located in Lavaca County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hope
    • Breslau
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Breslau is located in Lavaca County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Breslau
    • Hallettsville
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Komensky
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Komensky is located in Lavaca County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Komensky
    • Ezzell
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
      • Ezzell is located in Lavaca County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ezzell
    • Moravia
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Moravia is located in Lavaca County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moravia
    • Gleckler
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Gleckler is located in Lavaca County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gleckler
    • Sublime
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
    • Hackberry ‑ Historic
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
      • Hackberry is located in Lavaca County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hackberry
  • Colorado County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Midway, with the one closest to Midway listed first.
    • Oakland
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
    • New Bielau ‑ Historic
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
      • New Bielau is located in Colorado County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Bielau
  • DeWitt County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Midway, with the one closest to Midway listed first.
    • Yoakum
      (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
    • Pearl City
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
      • Pearl City is located in DeWitt County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pearl City
    • Hochheim
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Edgar
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
      • Edgar is located in DeWitt County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edgar
    • Terryville
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Terryville is located in DeWitt County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Terryville
    • Cuero
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
    • Westhoff
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Thomaston
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
  • Fayette County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Midway, with the one closest to Midway listed first.
    • Praha
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
      • Praha is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Praha
      • Praha has also been known as:
      • Hottentot
    • Flatonia
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
    • Engle
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
      • Engle is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Engle
    • Colony
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
      • Colony is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colony
    • Schulenburg
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Freyburg
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Freyburg is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Freyburg
  • Gonzales County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Midway, with the one closest to Midway listed first.
    • Kokernot
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Kokernot is located in Gonzales County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kokernot
    • Glaze City
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
      • Glaze City is located in Gonzales County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glaze City
    • Hamon
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
      • Hamon is located in Gonzales County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hamon
    • Cheapside
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Cheapside is located in Gonzales County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cheapside
    • Gonzales
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
    • Summerville
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
      • Summerville is located in Gonzales County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Summerville
    • Cost
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
      • Cost is located in Gonzales County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cost
    • Waelder
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
    • Wrightsboro
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
    • Sandy Fork
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Sandy Fork is located in Gonzales County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sandy Fork
    • Oak Forest
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
      • Oak Forest is located in Gonzales County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Forest
    • Monthalia ‑ Historic
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • Monthalia is located in Gonzales County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monthalia
    • Bebe
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
  • Jackson County
    • Morales
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Morales is located in Jackson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morales
  • Victoria County

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

Cemeteries Near Midway ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Midway.

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

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

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

  • Pleasant Grove Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
  • San Pedro Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
  • Restland Memorial Park
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Restland Memorial Park
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Restland Memorial Park is located outside and to the north of Yoakum.
  • Sons of Hermann Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sons of Hermann Cemetery
    • The Sons of Hermann Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Hochheim Prairie Cemetery
    • Sons of Herman Cemetery
    • Sons of Hermann / Hochheim Prairie Cemetery
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #7008 <2>
  • St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the east of Yoakum.
    • The St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery has also been known as:
    • St. Joseph Cemetery
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #6596 <2>
  • Oak Grove Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Grove Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Oak Grove Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the east of Yoakum.
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #5645 <2>
  • Oak Grove Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
  • Sweet Home City Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • Bunjus Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Shiner Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Guadalupe Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
  • Queen of Peace Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
  • Continue List   (147 more) ...
    • Teppim Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
    • Tippin Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
    • Sweet Home Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)

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 Midway in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Midway.

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

  • Shiner
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
  • Yoakum
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • Sweet Home
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
  • Hochheim
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Kokernot
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Kokernot is located in Gonzales County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kokernot
  • Wied
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Wied is located in Lavaca County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wied
  • Hamon
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
    • Hamon is located in Gonzales County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hamon
  • Concrete
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Concrete is located in DeWitt County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Concrete
  • Edgar
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
    • Edgar is located in DeWitt County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edgar
  • Williamsburg
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
    • Williamsburg is located in Lavaca County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Williamsburg
  • Witting
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Witting is located in Lavaca County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Witting
  • Nickel ‑ Historic
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
    • Nickel is located in Gonzales County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nickel
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Terryville
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Terryville is located in DeWitt County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Terryville
    • Stratton
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
      • Stratton is located in DeWitt County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stratton
    • Hope
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Hope is located in Lavaca County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hope

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

Newspapers Published in Midway ...

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 54 newspapers that have been published in the area around Midway.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Midway, there are papers which were published within 28 miles [45.1 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Midway.

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 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 Midway:

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 '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- Midway) 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 Midway, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.