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 Oakland (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 Oakland. 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 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.
Oakland is located in Van Zandt 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 Van Zandt County: Henderson, Hunt, Kaufman, Rains, Smith & Wood.
Below are the counties that are near Oakland. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Oakland:
- Van Zandt County (The home county of Oakland)
- The following are listed by their distance from Oakland, with the one closest to Oakland listed first.
- Canton
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Grand Saline
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Van
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Van is located in Van Zandt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Van
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,778 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Van <1>
- Fruitvale
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Ben Wheeler
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Tundra
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Tundra is located in Van Zandt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tundra
- Myrtle Springs
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Myrtle Springs is located in Van Zandt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Myrtle Springs
- Edgewood
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Edom
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Wills Point
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Henderson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Oakland, with the one closest to Oakland listed first.
- Murchison
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Brownsboro
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Eustace
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Leagueville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Leagueville is located in Henderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leagueville
- Chandler
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Athens
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Gun Barrel City
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Moore Station
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Moore Station is located in Henderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moore Station
- Population from the 2020 Census: 223 people
- Log Cabin
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Log Cabin is located in Henderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Log Cabin
- Population from the 2020 Census: 785 people
- Payne Springs
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Payne Springs is located in Henderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Payne Springs
- Population from the 2020 Census: 756 people
- Caney City
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Caney City is located in Henderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caney City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 223 people
- Enchanted Oaks
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Enchanted Oaks is located in Henderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Enchanted Oaks
- Population from the 2020 Census: 343 people
- Hopkins County
- Bonanza
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Hunt County
- The following are listed by their distance from Oakland, with the one closest to Oakland listed first.
- West Tawakoni
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- West Tawakoni is located in Hunt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Tawakoni
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,994 people
- Hawk Cove
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Hawk Cove is located in Hunt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hawk Cove
- Population from the 2020 Census: 562 people
- Kaufman County
- The following are listed by their distance from Oakland, with the one closest to Oakland listed first.
- Prairieville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Prairieville is located in Kaufman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prairieville
- Ola
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Ola is located in Kaufman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ola
- Elmo
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Mabank
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Abner
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Abner is located in Kaufman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Abner
- Becker
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Becker is located in Kaufman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Becker
- College Mound
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- College Mound is located in Kaufman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for College Mound
- Ables Springs
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Ables Springs is located in Kaufman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ables Springs
- Kemp
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Oak Ridge
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Oak Ridge is located in Kaufman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Ridge
- Population from the 2020 Census: 806 people
- Rains County
- The following are listed by their distance from Oakland, with the one closest to Oakland listed first.
- Flats
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Flats is located in Rains County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flats
- Emory
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Point
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- East Tawakoni
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- East Tawakoni is located in Rains County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Tawakoni
- Population from the 2020 Census: 991 people
- Hooker Ridge
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Hooker Ridge is located in Rains County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hooker Ridge
- Smith County
- The following are listed by their distance from Oakland, with the one closest to Oakland listed first.
- Jamestown
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Jamestown is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jamestown
- Garden Valley
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Garden Valley is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garden Valley
- Carroll
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Carroll is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carroll
- Hideaway
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Hideaway is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hideaway
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,208 people
- Lindale
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Swan
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Swan is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Swan
- Red Springs
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Red Springs is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Springs
- Noonday
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Noonday is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Noonday
- Population from the 2020 Census: 722 people
- Tyler
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Wood County
- The following are listed by their distance from Oakland, with the one closest to Oakland listed first.
- Golden
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Alba
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Mineola
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Gunter
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Gunter is located in Wood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gunter
- Quitman
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Hainesville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Hainesville is located in Wood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hainesville
- Yantis
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Forest Hill
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Forest Hill is located in Wood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest Hill
- Pine Mills
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Pine Mills is located in Wood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Mills
- Cartwright
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Cartwright is located in Wood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cartwright
- Coke
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Coke is located in Wood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coke
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Oakland, see our County-by-County Page for Oakland.
Cemeteries Near Oakland ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Oakland.
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 Oakland - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Oakland covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Oakland, with the one closest to Oakland listed first.
- Oakland Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Starr Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Starr Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Starr Cemetery is located 4 miles [6.4 km]<2> to the northeast of Canton.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2276579 <3>
- Morris Chapel Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Bratcher Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Oakes Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Pace Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Hillcrest Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Carter Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Prairie Springs Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prairie Springs Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Prairie Springs Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located 10 miles [16.1 km]<2> to the southeast of Canton.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #6161 <3>
- Marvin Chapel Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marvin Chapel Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Marvin Chapel Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located less than 2 miles<2> to the southwest of Van.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #5057 <3>
- Haven of Memories Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Cox Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Continue List (193 more) ...
- Padgett Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Woodside Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Dickerson Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 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.<4>
While we didn't find Oakland in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Oakland.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Oakland, with the one closest to Oakland listed first.
- Colfax
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Colfax is located in Van Zandt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colfax
- Canton
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Pruitt
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Pruitt is located in Van Zandt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pruitt
- Grand Saline
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Ben Wheeler
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Martins Mill
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Martins Mill is located in Van Zandt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Martins Mill
- Jamestown
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Jamestown is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jamestown
- Myrtle Springs
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Myrtle Springs is located in Van Zandt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Myrtle Springs
- Jackson
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Jackson is located in Van Zandt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jackson
- Silver Lake
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Silver Lake is located in Van Zandt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Silver Lake
- Edgewood
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Garden Valley
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Garden Valley is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garden Valley
- Continue List (13 more) ...
- Walton
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Walton is located in Van Zandt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walton
- Edom
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Carroll
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Carroll is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carroll
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Oakland. See our List of 1890's Communities around Oakland.
Newspapers Published in Oakland ...
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 52 newspapers that have been published in the area around Oakland.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Oakland, 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 Oakland.
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 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 Oakland:
- Websites specific to Texas
- Pages specific to Van Zandt County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Henderson County
- Hopkins County
- Hunt County
- Kaufman County
- Rains County
- Smith County
- Wood County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Texas
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 things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Oakland) 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 Oakland, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |