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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 Paradise (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 Paradise. 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 northwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors and hospitals were in the next county to the west. Almost all of the nearby churches and cemeteries were in the county to the north.

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 north 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.

Paradise is located in Wise 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 Wise County: Cooke, Denton, Jack, Montague, Parker & Tarrant.

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

  • Wise County     (The home county of Paradise)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Paradise, with the one closest to Paradise listed first.
    • Bridgeport
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
    • Decatur
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Boyd
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Herman
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
      • Herman is located in Wise County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Herman
    • Lake Bridgeport
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Lake Bridgeport is located in Wise County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Bridgeport
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 405 people
    • Runaway Bay
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
    • Chico
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Boonsville
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Boonsville is located in Wise County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boonsville
    • Aurora
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
    • New Fairview
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
      • New Fairview is located in Wise County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Fairview
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,557 people
      • Former name for New Fairview:
      • Fairview
    • Briar
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Briar is located in Wise County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Briar
    • Bluett
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
      • Bluett is located in Wise County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bluett
    • Alvord
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
  • Clay County
    • Newport
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Newport is located in Clay County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newport
  • Cooke County
  • Denton County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Paradise, with the one closest to Paradise listed first.
    • Stony
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
      • Stony is located in Denton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stony
    • DISH
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
      • DISH is located in Denton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for DISH
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 442 people
    • Justin
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
    • Ponder
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
    • Elizabethtown
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
      • Elizabethtown is located in Denton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elizabethtown
    • Northlake
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
    • Corral City
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
      • Corral City is located in Denton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Corral City
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 52 people
    • Krum
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
      • 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>
    • Roanoke
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
    • Argyle
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
    • Marshall Creek
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
      • Marshall Creek is located in Denton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marshall Creek
    • Bolivar
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Bolivar is located in Denton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bolivar
    • Trophy Club
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
  • Jack County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Paradise, with the one closest to Paradise listed first.
    • Westbrook
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
      • Westbrook is located in Jack County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westbrook
    • Wizard Wells
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
      • Wizard Wells is located in Jack County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wizard Wells
    • Gibtown
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Gibtown is located in Jack County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gibtown
    • Perrin
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
    • Jacksboro
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
  • Montague County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Paradise, with the one closest to Paradise listed first.
    • New Harp
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
      • New Harp is located in Montague County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Harp
    • Sunset
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
    • Fruitland
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
      • Fruitland is located in Montague County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fruitland
    • Forestburg
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
    • Salona
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
      • Salona is located in Montague County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Salona
    • Bowie
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
      • Bowie is located in Montague County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bowie
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 5,140 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Bowie <1>
  • Palo Pinto County
    • Salesville
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Salesville is located in Palo Pinto County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Salesville
  • Parker County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Paradise, with the one closest to Paradise listed first.
    • Springtown
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
    • Goshen
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
      • Goshen is located in Parker County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goshen
    • Agnes
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Agnes is located in Parker County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Agnes
    • Reno
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Reno is located in Parker County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reno
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,473 people
    • Poolville
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Carter
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
      • Carter is located in Parker County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carter
    • Sanctuary
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
      • Sanctuary is located in Parker County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sanctuary
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 327 people
    • Azle
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Azle is located in Parker County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Azle
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 13,607 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Azle <1>
    • Peaster
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Adell
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Adell is located in Parker County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adell
    • Dicey
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
      • Dicey is located in Parker County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dicey
    • Whitt
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
    • Authon
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Authon is located in Parker County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Authon
  • Tarrant County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Paradise, with the one closest to Paradise listed first.
    • Pecan Acres
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Pecan Acres is located in Tarrant County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pecan Acres
    • Pelican Bay
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
      • Pelican Bay is located in Tarrant County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pelican Bay
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,100 people
    • Eagle Mountain
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Eagle Mountain is located in Tarrant County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eagle Mountain
    • Haslet
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
    • Lakeside
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Lakeside is located in Tarrant County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakeside
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,586 people
    • Lake Worth
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Saginaw
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Blue Mound
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Sansom Park
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Keller
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
    • River Oaks
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
    • White Settlement
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)

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

Cemeteries Near Paradise ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Paradise.

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

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

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

  • Paradise Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
  • Trimble Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
  • Prescott Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • Garvin Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
  • East Mound Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
  • Arkansas Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Oldtown Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Bethel Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Annaville Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
  • Sand Hill Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
  • Bethel Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Valley View Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
  • Continue List   (115 more) ...
    • Mexican Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Gilley Cemetery
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Keeter Cemetery
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)

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>

The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Paradise had a population of 57 people in 1895 with a post office and no railroad service. In 2020, Paradise had a population of 594 people.

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

  • Cottondale
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
    • Cottondale is located in Wise County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cottondale
  • Bridgeport
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
  • Decatur
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
  • Keeter
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Keeter is located in Wise County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keeter
  • Herman
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
    • Herman is located in Wise County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Herman
  • Boonsville
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Boonsville is located in Wise County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boonsville
  • Chico
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Springtown
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
  • Aurora
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Willow Point
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
    • Willow Point is located in Wise County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willow Point
  • Agnes
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Agnes is located in Parker County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Agnes
  • Briar
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Briar is located in Wise County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Briar
  • Continue List   (15 more) ...
    • Alvord
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
    • Rhome
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Poolville
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)

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

Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Paradise ...

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 66 newspapers that have been published in the area around Paradise.

We have organized these newspapers into two lists:

  • A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Paradise. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Paradise and those printed in the larger area surrounding Paradise.
  • An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<3> of Paradise.

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 Paradise:

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