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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 Pilgrim (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 Pilgrim. 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.

Pilgrim is located in Gonzales 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 Gonzales County: Bastrop, Caldwell, DeWitt, Fayette, Guadalupe, Karnes, Lavaca & Wilson.

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

  • Gonzales County     (The home county of Pilgrim)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Pilgrim, with the one closest to Pilgrim listed first.
    • Wrightsboro
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Cheapside
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
      • Cheapside is located in Gonzales County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cheapside
    • Smiley
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
    • Cost
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
      • Cost is located in Gonzales County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cost
    • Bebe
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Summerville
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
      • Summerville is located in Gonzales County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Summerville
    • Hamon
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Hamon is located in Gonzales County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hamon
    • Monthalia ‑ Historic
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Monthalia is located in Gonzales County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monthalia
    • Oak Forest
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
      • Oak Forest is located in Gonzales County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Forest
    • Nixon
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
      • Nixon is located in Gonzales County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nixon
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,508 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Nixon <1>
    • Gonzales
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
    • Leesville
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
  • Caldwell County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Pilgrim, with the one closest to Pilgrim listed first.
    • Luling
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
    • McNeil
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
      • McNeil is located in Caldwell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McNeil
    • Soda Springs
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
      • Soda Springs is located in Caldwell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Soda Springs
  • DeWitt County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Pilgrim, with the one closest to Pilgrim listed first.
    • Westhoff
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Hochheim
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
    • Pearl City
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
      • Pearl City is located in DeWitt County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pearl City
    • Edgar
      (18 miles [29 km] to the east)
      • Edgar is located in DeWitt County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edgar
    • Cuero
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
    • Yorktown
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
    • Yoakum
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
    • Nordheim
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
    • Terryville
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
      • Terryville is located in DeWitt County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Terryville
    • Meyersville
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Thomaston
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Goliad County
    • Weser
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
      • Weser is located in Goliad County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weser
  • Guadalupe County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Pilgrim, with the one closest to Pilgrim listed first.
    • Jakes Colony
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
      • Jakes Colony is located in Guadalupe County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jakes Colony
    • Dugger
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Dugger is located in Guadalupe County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dugger
    • Kingsbury
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Karnes County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Pilgrim, with the one closest to Pilgrim listed first.
    • Gillett
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Ecleto
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Flaccus ‑ Historic
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Flaccus is located in Karnes County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flaccus
    • Helena
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Helena is located in Karnes County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Helena
    • Pawelekville
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Pawelekville is located in Karnes County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pawelekville
    • Runge
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
  • Lavaca County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Pilgrim, with the one closest to Pilgrim listed first.
    • Shiner
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
    • Sweet Home
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
    • Wied
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
      • Wied is located in Lavaca County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wied
    • Moulton
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Wilson County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Pilgrim, with the one closest to Pilgrim listed first.
    • Pandora
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
    • Union
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
      • Union is located in Wilson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union
    • Caddo
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
      • Caddo is located in Wilson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caddo
    • Nockenut
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
      • Nockenut is located in Wilson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nockenut
    • Denhawken
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
      • Denhawken is located in Wilson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Denhawken
    • Alum
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
      • Alum is located in Wilson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alum
    • Stockdale
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
    • Kosciusko
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Kosciusko is located in Wilson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kosciusko
    • Plummer Crossing ‑ Historic
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Plummer Crossing is located in Wilson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plummer Crossing

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

Cemeteries Near Pilgrim ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Pilgrim.

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

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

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

  • Sample Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
  • Clabber Town Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
  • Smiley Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
  • St. Aloysius Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Bellview Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
  • Mt. Enon Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mt. Enon Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Mt. Enon Cemetery is located 12 miles [19.3 km]<3> to the south of Gonzales.
  • Watson Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Westhoff Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
  • Ruppert Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
  • Gates Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
  • Bundick Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
  • Smiley Masonic Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
  • Continue List   (135 more) ...
    • Oso Cemetery
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
    • Lord Cemetery
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Terrysville 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 Pilgrim in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Pilgrim.

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

  • Wrightsboro
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Smiley
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
  • Westhoff
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Cheapside
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
    • Cheapside is located in Gonzales County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cheapside
  • Hamon
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Hamon is located in Gonzales County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hamon
  • Hochheim
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
  • Oak Forest
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
    • Oak Forest is located in Gonzales County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Forest
  • Concrete
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
    • Concrete is located in DeWitt County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Concrete
  • Gonzales
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
  • Leesville
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
  • Edgar
    (18 miles [29 km] to the east)
    • Edgar is located in DeWitt County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edgar
  • Kokernot
    (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
    • Kokernot is located in Gonzales County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kokernot
  • Continue List   (13 more) ...
    • Belmont
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
    • Cuero
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
    • Slayden
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
      • Slayden is located in Gonzales County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Slayden

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

Newspapers Published in Pilgrim ...

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 50 newspapers that have been published in the area around Pilgrim.

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

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we start with the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These 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 Pilgrim:

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 from Point A (ie- Pilgrim) 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 Pilgrim, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.