RoadsideThoughts
A Gazetteer for the United States and Canada
Home >> State of Texas >> Leon 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 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.

Midway is located in Leon 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 Leon County: Anderson, Freestone, Houston, Limestone, Madison & Robertson.

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:

  • Leon County     (The home county of Midway)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Midway, with the one closest to Midway listed first.
    • Russell
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
      • Russell is located in Leon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Russell
    • Centerville
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
    • Buffalo
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Centerview
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Centerview is located in Leon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Centerview
    • Jewett
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
    • Concord
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Newby
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
      • Newby is located in Leon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newby
    • Leona
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
    • Middleton
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Middleton is located in Leon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Middleton
    • Flynn
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Marquez
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Hilltop Lakes
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Normangee
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
  • Anderson County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Midway, with the one closest to Midway listed first.
    • Long Lake
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Long Lake is located in Anderson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Long Lake
    • Tucker
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Tucker is located in Anderson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tucker
    • Lakeview Assembly
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Lakeview Assembly is located in Anderson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakeview Assembly
    • Harmony
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
      • Harmony is located in Anderson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harmony
    • Elkhart
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Cronin
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Cronin is located in Anderson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cronin
    • Salmon
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Salmon is located in Anderson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Salmon
  • Freestone County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Midway, with the one closest to Midway listed first.
    • Oakwood
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
    • Lanely
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
      • Lanely is located in Freestone County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lanely
    • Donie
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Dew
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Dew is located in Freestone County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dew
    • Butler
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
      • Butler is located in Freestone County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Butler
    • Red Lake
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
      • Red Lake is located in Freestone County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Lake
    • Freestone
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Freestone is located in Freestone County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Freestone
    • Turlington
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
      • Turlington is located in Freestone County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Turlington
    • Teague
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Teague is located in Freestone County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Teague
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,526 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Teague <1>
    • Fairfield
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
  • Houston County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Midway, with the one closest to Midway listed first.
    • Halls Bluff Town ‑ Historic
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
      • Halls Bluff Town is located in Houston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Halls Bluff Town
    • Porter Springs
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
      • Porter Springs is located in Houston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Porter Springs
    • Austonio
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Austonio is located in Houston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Austonio
    • Cooper
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
      • Cooper is located in Houston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cooper
    • Latexo
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
    • Crockett
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
    • Grapeland
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
  • Limestone County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Midway, with the one closest to Midway listed first.
    • Farrar
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
      • Farrar is located in Limestone County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Farrar
    • Personville
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Personville is located in Limestone County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Personville
    • Lost Prairie
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
      • Lost Prairie is located in Limestone County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lost Prairie
    • Fallon
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Fallon is located in Limestone County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fallon
  • Madison County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Midway, with the one closest to Midway listed first.
    • Midway
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
    • George
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
      • George is located in Madison County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for George
    • Madisonville
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
  • Robertson County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Midway, with the one closest to Midway listed first.
    • Seale
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
      • Seale is located in Robertson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seale
    • Ridge
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Ridge is located in Robertson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ridge
    • Bald Prairie
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • Bald Prairie is located in Robertson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bald Prairie

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.

  • Brushy Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
  • Liberty Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Parker Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
  • Lummus Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
  • Stevens Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
  • Taylor Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
  • Wheelock Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
  • Nettles Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
  • Beaver Dam Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Graham Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Old Union Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
  • North Creek Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
  • Continue List   (170 more) ...
    • Sand Hill Cemetery
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Curtiss Cemetery
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Seale Cemetery
      (9 miles [14.5 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.<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.

  • Russell
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
    • Russell is located in Leon County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Russell
  • Centerville
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
  • Buffalo
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
  • Keechi
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
    • Keechi is located in Leon County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keechi
  • Jewett
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
  • Guys Store
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Guys Store is located in Leon County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Guys Store
  • Concord
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
  • Leona
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
  • Middleton
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Middleton is located in Leon County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Middleton
  • Oakwood
    (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
  • Marquez
    (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
  • Ash
    (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
    • Ash is located in Houston County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ash
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Dew
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Dew is located in Freestone County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dew
    • Butler
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
      • Butler is located in Freestone County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Butler
    • Luna
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Luna is located in Freestone County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Luna

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 36 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 29 miles [46.7 km]<2>. 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 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 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>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- Midway) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.
<3>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.
<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.