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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 Ridge (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 Ridge. 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.

Name Variations for Oak Ridge ...

When searching records, keep in mind that names and their spelling can change over time. Our sources include documents like maps, railroad schedules, Travel, Express and Shipping Guides. Many of these documents date from the 1800's and it's common to find spelling differences.

For example, a typical abbreviation for Oak Ridge: Oak Rdg. (or less commonly used: Oak Rdge. or Oak Ridg.)

You might be interested in other communities that are also named Oak Ridge. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Oak Ridge.

If you have information about these names (such as the reason for the change, date of change, the origin of the name), please Contact Us.

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 southwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most hospitals were in the next county to the west. 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 west 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 Ridge is located in Cooke 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 Cooke County: Love (OK), Denton, Grayson, Montague & Wise.

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

  • Cooke County     (The home county of Oak Ridge)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Oak Ridge, with the one closest to Oak Ridge listed first.
    • Custer City ‑ Historic
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
      • Custer City is located in Cooke County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Custer City
    • Callisburg
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Callisburg is located in Cooke County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Callisburg
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 367 people
    • Lake Kiowa
      (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
    • Gainesville
      (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
    • Burns City
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
      • Burns City is located in Cooke County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burns City
    • Lindsay
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
    • Coesfield
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
      • Coesfield is located in Cooke County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coesfield
    • Dexter
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
      • Dexter is located in Cooke County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dexter
    • Bloomfield
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
      • Bloomfield is located in Cooke County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bloomfield
    • Valley View
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Hemming
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
      • Hemming is located in Cooke County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hemming
    • Myra
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
  • Collin County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Oak Ridge, with the one closest to Oak Ridge listed first.
    • Celina
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Weston
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Van Alstyne
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Comanche County
    • Cross Roads
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
      • Cross Roads is located in Comanche County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cross Roads
  • Denton County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Oak Ridge, with the one closest to Oak Ridge listed first.
    • Pilot Point
      (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
    • Sanger
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
    • Aubrey
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
    • Bolivar
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
      • Bolivar is located in Denton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bolivar
    • Krugerville
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
      • Krugerville is located in Denton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Krugerville
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,871 people
    • Cross Roads
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
    • Providence Village
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
      • Providence Village is located in Denton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Providence Village
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 7,564 people
    • Krum
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Krum is located in Denton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Krum
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 5,412 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Krum <1>
    • Lincoln Park
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
      • Lincoln Park is located in Denton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lincoln Park
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 567 people
    • Denton
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
    • Quakertown ‑ Historic
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
      • Quakertown is located in Denton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Quakertown
  • Grayson County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Oak Ridge, with the one closest to Oak Ridge listed first.
    • Whitesboro
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
    • Dixie
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Dixie is located in Grayson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dixie
    • Collinsville
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Sadler
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
    • Sandusky
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Sandusky is located in Grayson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sandusky
    • Basin Springs
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Basin Springs is located in Grayson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Basin Springs
    • Ethel
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Ethel is located in Grayson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ethel
    • Gordonville
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Tioga
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Tioga is located in Grayson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tioga
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,117 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Tioga <1>
    • Southmayd
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
    • Gage
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
      • Gage is located in Grayson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gage
    • Cedar Mills
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Cedar Mills is located in Grayson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar Mills
  • Montague County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Oak Ridge, with the one closest to Oak Ridge listed first.
    • Hardy
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
      • Hardy is located in Montague County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hardy
    • Saint Jo
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
    • Illinois Bend
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Illinois Bend is located in Montague County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Illinois Bend
    • Forestburg
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
  • Wise County
  • Bryan County (OK)
  • Love County (OK)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Oak Ridge, with the one closest to Oak Ridge listed first.
    • Thackerville
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Marietta
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
    • Burneyville
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
    • Jimtown
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Jimtown is located in Love County (OK)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jimtown
    • Leon
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Leon is located in Love County (OK)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leon
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 99 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Leon <1>
    • Overbrook
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
  • Marshall County (OK)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Oak Ridge, with the one closest to Oak Ridge listed first.
    • Lebanon
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
    • Shay
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Shay is located in Marshall County (OK)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shay
    • Kingston
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Kingston is located in Marshall County (OK)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kingston
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,689 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Kingston <1>
    • McBride
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
      • McBride is located in Marshall County (OK)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McBride

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

Cemeteries Near Oak Ridge ...

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

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

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

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

  • Nelson Grove Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
  • Dervin Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
  • Oak Grove Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
  • Union Hill Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
  • Center Hill Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
  • Callisburg Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
  • Akers Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • Fairview Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairview Cemetery
    • The Fairview Cemetery has also been known as:
    • East Hill Cemetery
    • Gainesville Fairview Cemetery
    • Howeth Family Cemetery
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #3524 <2>
  • Redmond Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Herod - Morris Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
  • Morris Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
  • Clark County Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
  • Continue List   (206 more) ...
    • Este Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
    • Dye Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dye Cemetery
      • To give a relative sense of its location, the Dye Cemetery is located 3 miles [4.8 km]<3> to the south of Whitesboro.
      • The Dye Cemetery has also been known as:
      • Ben Dye Cemetery
      • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #1973820 <2>
    • Oakwood Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 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 Oak Ridge in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Oak Ridge.

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

  • Custer City ‑ Historic
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
    • Custer City is located in Cooke County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Custer City
  • Woodbine
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Woodbine is located in Cooke County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodbine
  • Callisburg
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Callisburg is located in Cooke County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Callisburg
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 367 people
  • Gainesville
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
  • Whitesboro
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
  • Balm
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Balm is located in Cooke County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Balm
  • Collinsville
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
  • Lindsay
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
  • Mountain Springs
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
    • Mountain Springs is located in Cooke County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mountain Springs
  • Sadler
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
  • Sandusky
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Sandusky is located in Grayson County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sandusky
  • Coesfield
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
    • Coesfield is located in Cooke County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coesfield
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Bloomfield
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
      • Bloomfield is located in Cooke County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bloomfield
    • Basin Springs
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Basin Springs is located in Grayson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Basin Springs
    • Dexter
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
      • Dexter is located in Cooke County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dexter

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

Newspapers Published in Oak Ridge ...

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 92 newspapers that have been published in the area around Oak Ridge.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Oak Ridge, there are papers which were published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Oak Ridge.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we first turn to the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These professional and volunteer 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 Oak Ridge:

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 obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Oak Ridge) 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 Oak Ridge, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.