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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 Oscar (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 Oscar. 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 and hospitals 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.

Oscar is located in Bell 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 Bell County: Burnet, Coryell, Falls, Lampasas, McLennan, Milam & Williamson.

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

  • Bell County     (The home county of Oscar)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Oscar, with the one closest to Oscar listed first.
    • Heidenheimer
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Oenaville
      (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
      • Oenaville is located in Bell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oenaville
    • Temple
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
    • Cyclone
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
      • Cyclone is located in Bell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cyclone
    • Academy
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Academy is located in Bell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Academy
    • Ocker
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
      • Ocker is located in Bell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ocker
    • Little River Academy
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Little River Academy is located in Bell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Little River Academy
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,048 people
    • Little River
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Rogers
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
    • Edgeworth
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Edgeworth is located in Bell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edgeworth
    • Meeks
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Meeks is located in Bell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meeks
    • Troy
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
    • Sparks
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Sparks is located in Bell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sparks
  • Coryell County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Oscar, with the one closest to Oscar listed first.
    • The Grove
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
      • The Grove is located in Coryell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for The Grove
    • McGregor
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
    • Flat
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Leon Junction
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Lime City
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Lime City is located in Coryell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lime City
    • Mason Crossing ‑ Historic
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
      • Mason Crossing is located in Coryell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mason Crossing
    • Oglesby
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Mound
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Falls County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Oscar, with the one closest to Oscar listed first.
    • Barclay
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
      • Barclay is located in Falls County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barclay
    • Westphalia
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Westphalia is located in Falls County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westphalia
    • Zipperlandville ‑ Historic
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
      • Zipperlandville is located in Falls County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zipperlandville
      • Zipperlandville has also been known as:
      • Zipperlen
      • Zipperlenville
    • Blevins
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
      • Blevins is located in Falls County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blevins
    • Durango
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
      • Durango is located in Falls County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Durango
    • Rosebud
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
    • Bruceville - Eddy
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
      • Bruceville - Eddy is located in Falls County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bruceville - Eddy
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,704 people
    • Lott
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Mooreville
      (18 miles [29 km] to the north)
      • Mooreville is located in Falls County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mooreville
    • Chilton
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Wilderville
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
      • Wilderville is located in Falls County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilderville
    • North Prairie
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
      • North Prairie is located in Falls County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Prairie
    • Golinda
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Golinda is located in Falls County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Golinda
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 610 people
  • McLennan County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Oscar, with the one closest to Oscar listed first.
    • Eddy
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
    • Bruceville
      (18 miles [29 km] to the north)
    • Moody
      (18 miles [29 km] to the north)
      • Moody is located in McLennan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moody
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,433 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Moody <1>
    • Lorena
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
      • Lorena is located in McLennan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lorena
    • Rosenthal
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
      • Rosenthal is located in McLennan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rosenthal
    • Hewitt
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
      • Hewitt is located in McLennan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hewitt
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 15,113 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Hewitt <1>
    • Downsville
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • Downsville is located in McLennan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Downsville
    • Robinson
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
    • Woodway
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
  • Milam County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Oscar, with the one closest to Oscar listed first.
    • Val Verde
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
      • Val Verde is located in Milam County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Val Verde
    • Buckholts
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Burlington
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
    • Davilla
      (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
    • Silver City
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Silver City is located in Milam County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Silver City
    • Cameron
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Tracy
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
      • Tracy is located in Milam County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tracy
    • Marlow
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Marlow is located in Milam County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marlow
    • Baileyville
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
      • Baileyville is located in Milam County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Baileyville
    • Minerva
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Minerva is located in Milam County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Minerva
    • Jones Prairie
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
      • Jones Prairie is located in Milam County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jones Prairie
    • Maysfield
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Crossroads
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
      • Crossroads is located in Milam County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crossroads
  • Williamson County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Oscar, with the one closest to Oscar listed first.
    • Schwertner
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Friendship ‑ Historic
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
      • Friendship is located in Williamson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Friendship
    • Laneport
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
      • Laneport is located in Williamson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Laneport
    • Granger
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Jarrell
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Hoxie
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
      • Hoxie is located in Williamson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hoxie
    • Walburg
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)

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

Cemeteries Near Oscar ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Oscar.

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

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

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

  • Dyess Grove Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
  • Little Flock Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Little Flock Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Little Flock Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located 3 miles [4.8 km]<3> to the southeast of Temple.
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #4866 <2>
  • Wedel Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Dyess Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
  • Seaton Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
  • Greathouse Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
  • Lancaster Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
  • Evergreen Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
  • Hillcrest Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hillcrest Cemetery
    • The Hillcrest Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Temple City Cemetery
  • Reeds Lake Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Ferguson Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
  • Little River Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
  • Continue List   (258 more) ...
    • St. Joseph Cemetery
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
    • Barclay Cemetery
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
    • Theo Cemetery
      (8 miles [12.9 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 Oscar in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Oscar.

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

  • Seaton
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
    • Seaton is located in Bell County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seaton
  • Heidenheimer
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Oenaville
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
    • Oenaville is located in Bell County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oenaville
  • Temple
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
  • Cyclone
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
    • Cyclone is located in Bell County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cyclone
  • Little River
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Ocker
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
    • Ocker is located in Bell County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ocker
  • Rogers
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
  • Barclay
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
    • Barclay is located in Falls County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barclay
  • Westphalia
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Westphalia is located in Falls County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westphalia
  • Belfalls
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
    • Belfalls is located in Bell County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belfalls
  • Troy
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
  • Continue List   (16 more) ...
    • Pendleton
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Belton
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
    • Blevins
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
      • Blevins is located in Falls County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blevins

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

Newspapers Published in Oscar ...

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 80 newspapers that have been published in the area around Oscar.

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

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 Oscar:

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 'straight-line' (or point-to-point) distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Oscar) 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 Oscar, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.