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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 Nelson (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 Nelson. 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 doctors 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.

Nelson is located in Ellis 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 Ellis County: Dallas, Henderson, Hill, Johnson, Kaufman, Navarro & Tarrant.

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

  • Ellis County     (The home county of Nelson)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Nelson, with the one closest to Nelson listed first.
    • Forreston
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
    • Nash
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Nash is located in Ellis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nash
    • Boz
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
      • Boz is located in Ellis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boz
    • Howard
      (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
      • Howard is located in Ellis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Howard
    • Waxahachie
      (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
    • Ike
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Ike is located in Ellis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ike
    • Sardis
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
      • Sardis is located in Ellis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sardis
    • Boyce
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
      • Boyce is located in Ellis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boyce
    • Avalon
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Bardwell
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
    • Italy
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
    • Maypearl
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
    • Sterrett
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
      • Sterrett is located in Ellis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sterrett
  • Dallas County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Nelson, with the one closest to Nelson listed first.
    • Ovilla
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
    • Glenn Heights
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
    • Ferris
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
    • Cedar Hill
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
    • DeSoto
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
    • Lancaster
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
    • Shamrock
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
      • Shamrock is located in Dallas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shamrock
    • Wilmer
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Duncanville
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
    • Hutchins
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
    • Lisbon ‑ Historic
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
      • Lisbon is located in Dallas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lisbon
    • Combine
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Combine is located in Dallas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Combine
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,537 people
    • Jimtown Junction ‑ Historic
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
      • Jimtown Junction is located in Dallas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jimtown Junction
      • Jimtown Junction has also been known as:
      • Jim Town Junction
  • Hill County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Nelson, with the one closest to Nelson listed first.
    • Mertens
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
    • Brandon
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
    • Carl's Corner
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Carl's Corner is located in Hill County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carl's Corner
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 199 people
    • Itasca
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Irene
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
    • Lovelace
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Lovelace is located in Hill County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lovelace
    • Bynum
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
    • Covington
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
    • Hillsboro
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Malone
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
    • Chatt
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Chatt is located in Hill County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chatt
  • Johnson County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Nelson, with the one closest to Nelson listed first.
    • Grandview
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
    • Alvarado
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
    • Lillian
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
    • Cuba
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
      • Cuba is located in Johnson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cuba
    • Coyote Flats
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
      • Coyote Flats is located in Johnson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coyote Flats
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 368 people
    • Parker
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
      • Parker is located in Johnson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parker
    • Egan
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • Egan is located in Johnson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Egan
    • Keene
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • Keene is located in Johnson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keene
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 6,588 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Keene <1>
    • Briaroaks
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Briaroaks is located in Johnson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Briaroaks
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 506 people
    • Cross Timber
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Cross Timber is located in Johnson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cross Timber
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 315 people
    • Rio Vista
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
  • Kaufman County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Nelson, with the one closest to Nelson listed first.
    • Rosser
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Cottonwood
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
      • Cottonwood is located in Kaufman County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cottonwood
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 209 people
  • Navarro County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Nelson, with the one closest to Nelson listed first.
    • Frost
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
    • Blooming Grove
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Cryer Creek ‑ Historic
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Cryer Creek is located in Navarro County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cryer Creek
    • Barry
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
    • Emhouse
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Emhouse is located in Navarro County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Emhouse
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 154 people
    • Rice
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
      • Rice is located in Navarro County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rice
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 983 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Rice <1>
    • Dresden
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Dresden is located in Navarro County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dresden
    • Tupelo
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
      • Tupelo is located in Navarro County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tupelo
    • Chatfield
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
    • Navarro Mills
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Navarro Mills is located in Navarro County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Navarro Mills
    • Silver City
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Silver City is located in Navarro County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Silver City
    • Corsicana
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Oak Valley
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Oak Valley is located in Navarro County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Valley
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 427 people
  • Tarrant County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Nelson, with the one closest to Nelson listed first.
    • Retta
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Retta is located in Tarrant County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Retta
    • Rendon
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Rendon is located in Tarrant County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rendon
    • Johnsons Station
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Johnsons Station is located in Tarrant County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Johnsons Station

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

Cemeteries Near Nelson ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Nelson.

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

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

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

  • Glenwood Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
  • Greathouse Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
  • Forreston Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • Hillcrest Park Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
  • Maloney Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Boren Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
  • Hughes Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
  • Bee Creek Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
  • Dean Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
  • Sardis Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
  • Templeton Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
  • Bardwell Cemetery
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
  • Continue List   (162 more) ...
    • Austonia Cemetery
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Sanderson Cemetery
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
    • Mt. Zion Cemetery
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)

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.<2>

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

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

  • Nash
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Nash is located in Ellis County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nash
  • Boz
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
    • Boz is located in Ellis County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boz
  • Waxahachie
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Sardis
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
    • Sardis is located in Ellis County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sardis
  • Avalon
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
  • Boyce
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Boyce is located in Ellis County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boyce
  • Italy
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
  • Sterrett
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
    • Sterrett is located in Ellis County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sterrett
  • Mountain Peak
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Mountain Peak is located in Ellis County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mountain Peak
  • Auburn
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
    • Auburn is located in Ellis County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Auburn
  • Ennis
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
  • Palmer
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
  • Continue List   (18 more) ...
    • Milford
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
    • Midlothian
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Red Oak
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)

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

Newspapers Published in Nelson ...

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 83 newspapers that have been published in the area around Nelson.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Nelson, 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 Nelson.

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 Nelson:

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>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 Nelson, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.
<3>Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Nelson) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.