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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 Oak Leaf (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 Oak Leaf. 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 and 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.

Oak Leaf 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 Oak Leaf. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Oak Leaf:

  • Ellis County     (The home county of Oak Leaf)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Oak Leaf, with the one closest to Oak Leaf listed first.
    • Red Oak
      (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
    • Sterrett
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
      • Sterrett is located in Ellis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sterrett
    • Pecan Hill
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Pecan Hill is located in Ellis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pecan Hill
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 714 people
    • Sardis
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Sardis is located in Ellis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sardis
    • Waxahachie
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
    • Ike
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Ike is located in Ellis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ike
    • Midlothian
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
    • Boyce
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Boyce is located in Ellis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boyce
    • Palmer
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Britton
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
      • Britton is located in Ellis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Britton
    • Boz
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
      • Boz is located in Ellis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boz
    • Garrett
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Garrett is located in Ellis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garrett
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 891 people
    • Bristol
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
      • Bristol is located in Ellis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bristol
  • Dallas County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Oak Leaf, with the one closest to Oak Leaf listed first.
    • Glenn Heights
      (Less than 2 miles to the north)
    • Ovilla
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
    • DeSoto
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
    • Shamrock
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
      • Shamrock is located in Dallas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shamrock
    • Lancaster
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Cedar Hill
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Duncanville
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
    • Ferris
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
    • Wilmer
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Hutchins
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Lisbon ‑ Historic
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
      • Lisbon is located in Dallas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lisbon
    • Cockrell Hill
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
    • Jim Town ‑ Historic
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
      • Jim Town is located in Dallas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jim Town
      • Jim Town has also been known as:
      • Jimtown
  • Hill County
    • Itasca
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Johnson County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Oak Leaf, with the one closest to Oak Leaf listed first.
    • Lillian
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
    • Alvarado
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
    • Grandview
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Briaroaks
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
      • Briaroaks is located in Johnson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Briaroaks
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 506 people
    • Egan
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
      • Egan is located in Johnson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Egan
    • Coyote Flats
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Coyote Flats is located in Johnson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coyote Flats
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 368 people
    • Cuba
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Cuba is located in Johnson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cuba
    • Burleson
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
    • Cross Timber
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
      • Cross Timber is located in Johnson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cross Timber
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 315 people
    • Keene
      (29 miles [46.7 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>
    • Crowley
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
  • Kaufman County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Oak Leaf, with the one closest to Oak Leaf listed first.
    • Rosser
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
    • Crandall
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
    • Cottonwood
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
      • Cottonwood is located in Kaufman County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cottonwood
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 209 people
    • Forney
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Scurry
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
    • Talty
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Talty is located in Kaufman County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Talty
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,883 people
    • Grays Prairie
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
      • Grays Prairie is located in Kaufman County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grays Prairie
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 388 people
    • Lone Star
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
      • Lone Star is located in Kaufman County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lone Star
    • Oak Grove
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
      • Oak Grove is located in Kaufman County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Grove
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 704 people
  • Navarro County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Oak Leaf, with the one closest to Oak Leaf listed first.
    • Rice
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
      • 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>
    • Cryer Creek ‑ Historic
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Cryer Creek is located in Navarro County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cryer Creek
    • Emhouse
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Emhouse is located in Navarro County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Emhouse
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 154 people
    • Blooming Grove
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
    • Frost
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
  • Tarrant County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Oak Leaf, with the one closest to Oak Leaf listed first.
    • Johnsons Station
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Johnsons Station is located in Tarrant County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Johnsons Station
    • Arlington
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Dalworthington Gardens
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
    • University Park Village
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Pantego
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Retta
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
      • Retta is located in Tarrant County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Retta
    • Kennedale
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
    • Rendon
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
      • Rendon is located in Tarrant County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rendon
    • Euless
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Everman
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
    • Forest Hill
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
    • Oak Grove
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
      • Oak Grove is located in Tarrant County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Grove
    • Bedford
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)

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

Cemeteries Near Oak Leaf ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Oak Leaf.

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 Oak Leaf - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • Red Oak Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
  • Shiloh Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
  • Vincent Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
  • Bells Chapel Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Bell Chapel Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Graves Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
  • Rawlins Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
  • Rhodes Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Mt. Zion Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Sardis Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Hillcrest Park Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
  • Prude Hyde Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Continue List   (183 more) ...
    • Douglas Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
    • Bluff Springs Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
    • Edgewood Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)

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

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

  • Red Oak
    (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
  • Ovilla
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
  • Sterrett
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
    • Sterrett is located in Ellis County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sterrett
  • DeSoto
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
  • Lancaster
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Sardis
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Sardis is located in Ellis County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sardis
  • Cedar Hill
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Waxahachie
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
  • Midlothian
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
  • Duncanville
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
  • Ferris
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
  • Wilmer
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
  • Continue List   (15 more) ...
    • Boyce
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Boyce is located in Ellis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boyce
    • Hutchins
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Mountain Peak
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Mountain Peak is located in Ellis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mountain Peak

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

Newspapers Published in Oak Leaf ...

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 281 newspapers that have been published in the area around Oak Leaf.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Oak Leaf, there are papers which were published within 26 miles [41.8 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Oak Leaf.

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 either 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 Oak Leaf:

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 Oak Leaf, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.
<3>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- Oak Leaf) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.