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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 Ragtown (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 Ragtown. 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 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.

Ragtown is located in Lamar 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 Lamar County: Bryan (OK), Choctaw (OK), Delta, Fannin & Red River.

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

  • Lamar County     (The home county of Ragtown)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ragtown, with the one closest to Ragtown listed first.
    • Belk
      (Less than 2 miles to the east)
      • Belk is also located in Lamar County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belk
    • Garretts Bluff
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Garretts Bluff is also located in Lamar County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garretts Bluff
    • Direct
      (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
      • Direct is also located in Lamar County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Direct
    • Razor
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
      • Razor is also located in Lamar County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Razor
    • Sumner
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Caviness
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Caviness is also located in Lamar County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caviness
    • Chicota
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
    • Hopewell
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Hopewell is also located in Lamar County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hopewell
    • Camp Maxey ‑ Historic
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
      • Camp Maxey was located in Lamar County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Camp Maxey
    • Powderly
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
    • Midcity
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
      • Midcity is also located in Lamar County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Midcity
      • Midcity has also been known as:
      • Trout Spur
      • Trout
    • Hinckley
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Hinckley is also located in Lamar County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hinckley
    • Toco
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Toco is also located in Lamar County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Toco
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 76 people
  • Delta County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ragtown, with the one closest to Ragtown listed first.
    • Ben Franklin
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
    • Enloe
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
    • Lake Creek
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
    • Pecan Gap
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
  • Fannin County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ragtown, with the one closest to Ragtown listed first.
    • Allen Point
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Allen Point is located in Fannin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Allen Point
    • Telephone
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
    • Carson
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Carson is located in Fannin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carson
    • Allens Chapel
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
      • Allens Chapel is located in Fannin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Allens Chapel
    • Honey Grove
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Windom
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
    • Dial
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
      • Dial is located in Fannin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dial
    • Ivanhoe
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
    • Bug Tussle ‑ Historic
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Bug Tussle was located in Fannin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bug Tussle
    • Dodd City
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Ridings
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
      • Ridings is located in Fannin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ridings
    • Sowells Bluff
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
      • Sowells Bluff is located in Fannin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sowells Bluff
    • Boyd
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Boyd is located in Fannin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boyd
  • Red River County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ragtown, with the one closest to Ragtown listed first.
    • Kanawha
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
      • Kanawha is located in Red River County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kanawha
    • Addielou
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
      • Addielou is located in Red River County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Addielou
    • Detroit
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Atoka County (OK)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ragtown, with the one closest to Ragtown listed first.
    • Lone Pine
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
      • Lone Pine is located in Atoka County (OK)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lone Pine
    • Farris
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
  • Bryan County (OK)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ragtown, with the one closest to Ragtown listed first.
    • Wade
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
      • Wade is located in Bryan County (OK)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wade
    • Bennington
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Albany
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
    • Bokchito
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Yuba
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
      • Yuba is located in Bryan County (OK)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yuba
    • Matoy
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Matoy is located in Bryan County (OK)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Matoy
    • Yarnaby
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • Yarnaby is located in Bryan County (OK)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yarnaby
  • Choctaw County (OK)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ragtown, with the one closest to Ragtown listed first.
    • Soper
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
      • Soper is located in Choctaw County (OK)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Soper
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 253 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Soper <1>
    • Boswell
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Boswell is located in Choctaw County (OK)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boswell
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 680 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Boswell <1>
    • Grant
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Hugo
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Hugo is located in Choctaw County (OK)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hugo
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 5,070 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Hugo <1>
    • Frogville
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
      • Frogville is located in Choctaw County (OK)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frogville
    • Sawyer
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Sawyer is located in Choctaw County (OK)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sawyer
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 327 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Sawyer <1>
    • Virgil
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Virgil is located in Choctaw County (OK)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Virgil
    • Apple
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Apple is located in Choctaw County (OK)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Apple
    • Fort Towson
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Spencerville
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Pushmataha County (OK)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ragtown, with the one closest to Ragtown listed first.
    • Antlers
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
      • Antlers is located in Pushmataha County (OK)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Antlers
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,300 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Antlers <1>
    • Belzoni
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Belzoni is located in Pushmataha County (OK)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belzoni
    • Ethel
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Ethel is located in Pushmataha County (OK)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ethel

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

Cemeteries Near Ragtown ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Ragtown.

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

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

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

  • Post Oak Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
  • Community Hall Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
  • Pyles Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Sumner Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Reid Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Crowder Springs Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Bluff Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Little Vine Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
  • Caviness Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
  • New Macedonia Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Prairie Ridge Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
  • Forest Chapel Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
  • Continue List   (177 more) ...
    • Cottonwood Cemetery
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
    • Cottonwood Cemetery
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
    • Casey Cemetery
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)

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.<3>

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

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

  • Direct
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
    • Direct is also located in Lamar County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Direct
  • Sumner
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Emberson
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Emberson is also located in Lamar County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Emberson
  • Maxey
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
    • Maxey is also located in Lamar County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maxey
  • Monkstown
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
    • Monkstown is located in Fannin County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monkstown
  • Chicota
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
  • Powderly
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
  • Selfs
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Selfs is located in Fannin County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Selfs
  • Hinckley
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Hinckley is also located in Lamar County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hinckley
  • Arthur City
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
  • High
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
    • High is also located in Lamar County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for High
  • Brookston
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Telephone
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
    • Petty
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
    • Paris
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Paris is also located in Lamar County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Paris
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 24,872 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Paris <1>

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

Newspapers Published in Ragtown ...

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 Ragtown.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Ragtown, there are papers which were published within 25 miles [40.2 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Ragtown.

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 either 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 Ragtown:

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>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 Ragtown, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.
<4>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- Ragtown) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.