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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 Prairie Valley (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 Prairie Valley. 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 Prairie Valley ...

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.

Although we can't give a definitive list, hopefully the following will give you a feel for the variations that might have occurred.

For example, a typical abbreviation for Prairie Valley: Prairie Vly. (or less commonly used: Prairie Vally. or Prairie Vlly.)

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 southeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most hospitals and doctors 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.

Prairie Valley is located in Hill County.

To see how the shape of Texas' counties have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.

The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Hill County: Bosque, Ellis, Johnson, Limestone, McLennan & Navarro.

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

  • Hill County     (The home county of Prairie Valley)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Prairie Valley, with the one closest to Prairie Valley listed first.
    • Whitney
      (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Whitney have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whitney
      • Whitney is located in Hill County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,145 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Whitney <2>
    • Aquilla
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
    • Tyson
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Tyson have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tyson
      • Tyson is located in Hill County
    • Peoria
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peoria
      • Peoria is located in Hill County
    • Huron ‑ Historic
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Huron have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Huron
      • Huron is located in Hill County
    • Abbott
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
    • Chatt
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chatt
      • Chatt is located in Hill County
    • Hillsboro
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Blum
      (18 miles [29 km] to the north)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Blum have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blum
      • Blum is located in Hill County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 476 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Blum <2>
    • Lovelace
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lovelace
      • Lovelace is located in Hill County
    • Bynum
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Bynum have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bynum
      • Bynum is located in Hill County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 208 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Bynum <2>
    • Covington
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Covington have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Covington
      • Covington is located in Hill County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 283 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Covington <2>
    • Carl's Corner
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Carl's Corner have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carl's Corner
      • Carl's Corner is located in Hill County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 199 people
  • Bosque County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Prairie Valley, with the one closest to Prairie Valley listed first.
    • Laguna Park
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
    • Greenock
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Greenock have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenock
      • Greenock is located in Bosque County
    • Womack
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Womack
      • Womack is located in Bosque County
    • Lakeside Village
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Lakeside Village have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakeside Village
      • Lakeside Village is located in Bosque County
    • Kopperl
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Clifton
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Clifton have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clifton
      • Clifton is located in Bosque County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,410 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Clifton <2>
    • Valley Mills
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Kimball
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kimball
      • Kimball is located in Bosque County
    • Morgan
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
    • Meridian
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Meridian have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meridian
      • Meridian is located in Bosque County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,502 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Meridian <2>
    • Eulogy
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eulogy
      • Eulogy is located in Bosque County
    • Walnut Springs
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Walnut Springs have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walnut Springs
      • Walnut Springs is located in Bosque County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 877 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Walnut Springs <2>
    • Cranfills Gap
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
  • Coryell County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Prairie Valley, with the one closest to Prairie Valley listed first.
    • McGregor
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
    • Turnersville
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Turnersville
      • Turnersville is located in Coryell County
  • Ellis County
    • Milford
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Milford have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Milford
      • Milford is located in Ellis County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 756 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Milford <2>
  • Johnson County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Prairie Valley, with the one closest to Prairie Valley listed first.
    • Rio Vista
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
    • Parker
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parker
      • Parker is located in Johnson County
    • Grandview
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Grandview have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grandview
      • Grandview is located in Johnson County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,817 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Grandview <2>
    • Cuba
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Cuba have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cuba
      • Cuba is located in Johnson County
  • McLennan County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Prairie Valley, with the one closest to Prairie Valley listed first.
    • Gholson
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Gholson have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gholson
      • Gholson is located in McLennan County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,127 people
    • West
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for West have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West
      • West is located in McLennan County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,969 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for West <2>
    • Patrick
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Patrick have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Patrick
      • Patrick is located in McLennan County
    • China Spring
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
    • Rock Creek
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock Creek
      • Rock Creek is located in McLennan County
    • Ross
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Ross have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ross
      • Ross is located in McLennan County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 272 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Ross <2>
    • Tours
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tours
      • Tours is located in McLennan County
    • Elm Mott
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
    • Bosqueville
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bosqueville
      • Bosqueville is located in McLennan County
    • Leroy
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Leroy have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leroy
      • Leroy is located in McLennan County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 346 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Leroy <2>
    • Lacy - Lakeview
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Lacy - Lakeview have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lacy - Lakeview
      • Lacy - Lakeview is located in McLennan County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 6,803 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Lacy - Lakeview <2>
    • Northcrest
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Northcrest have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Northcrest
      • Northcrest is located in McLennan County
    • Speegleville
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Speegleville have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Speegleville
      • Speegleville is located in McLennan County

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

Newspapers Published in Prairie Valley ...

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 134 newspapers that have been published in the area around Prairie Valley.

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

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we like to start with 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 Prairie Valley:

Cemeteries Near Prairie Valley ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Prairie Valley.

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.

If you need information about a burial or interment, photos, transcripts, how to contact the cemetery or local authorities, please visit our selection of Genealogy Websites (see below).

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

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

  • Prairie Valley Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the west)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Prairie Valley Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Prairie Valley Cemetery
  • Smiths Bend - Coon Creek Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Smiths Bend - Coon Creek Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Smiths Bend - Coon Creek Cemetery
  • Whitney - Towash Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Whitney - Towash Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Whitney - Towash Cemetery
  • Lebanon Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Lebanon Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Lebanon Cemetery
  • Yates Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Yates Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Yates Cemetery
  • Bethlehem Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Bethlehem Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Bethlehem Cemetery
  • Prairie Grove Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Prairie Grove Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Prairie Grove Cemetery
  • Scotts Chapel Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Scotts Chapel Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Scotts Chapel Cemetery
  • Vaughan Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Vaughan Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Vaughan Cemetery
  • Oak Grove Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Oak Grove Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Oak Grove Cemetery
  • Peoria Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
  • Cedron Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Cedron Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Cedron Cemetery
  • Continue List   (144 more) ...
    • Pleasant Grove Cemetery
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Pleasant Grove Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Pleasant Grove Cemetery
    • Ft. Graham Cemetery
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Ft. Graham Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Ft. Graham Cemetery
    • Hickey Cemetery
      (10 miles [16.1 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.<5>

While we didn't find Prairie Valley in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Prairie Valley.

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

  • Whitney
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Whitney have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whitney
    • Whitney is located in Hill County
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,145 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Whitney <2>
  • Aquilla
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
  • Greenock
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Greenock have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenock
    • Greenock is located in Bosque County
  • Tyson
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Tyson have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tyson
    • Tyson is located in Hill County
  • Vaughan
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Vaughan have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vaughan
    • Vaughan is located in Hill County
  • Peoria
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peoria
    • Peoria is located in Hill County
  • Womack
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Womack
    • Womack is located in Bosque County
  • Cayote
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Cayote have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cayote
    • Cayote is located in Bosque County
  • Gholson
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Gholson have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gholson
    • Gholson is located in McLennan County
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,127 people
  • Woodbury
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Woodbury have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodbury
    • Woodbury is located in Hill County
  • Patrick
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Patrick have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Patrick
    • Patrick is located in McLennan County
  • West
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for West have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West
    • West is located in McLennan County
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,969 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for West <2>
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Abbott
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
    • Hillsboro
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
    • China Spring
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)

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

Unfortunately, we don't know of a website for Prairie Valley. If you can help, please contact us through our Feedback Page.

The official website for State of Texas: https://texas.gov/

Footnotes ...

<1>The location has been supplied by the Geographic Names Information System - which is maintained by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). While these values should be definitive, we found that accuracy can vary and you should double-check the location if accuracy is required.
<2>While we're fans and frequent users of TripAdvisor, you should know that we're also members of the TripAdvisor affiliate program.
<3>Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' (or 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- Prairie Valley) to Point B.Our distance measurements begin at a specific point in Prairie Valley. The point we use is located at these GPS coordinates - Latitude: 31.8771, Longitude: -97.3283       In this case, the coordinates for Prairie Valley have been provided by the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS).
<4>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.
<5>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 Prairie Valley, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.




 

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This page was last modified/updated: 07 Apr 2024