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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 Reliance (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 Reliance. 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 hospitals and doctors 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.

Reliance is located in Brazos 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 Brazos County: Burleson, Grimes, Leon, Madison, Robertson & Washington.

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

  • Brazos County     (The home county of Reliance)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Reliance, with the one closest to Reliance listed first.
    • Kurten
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Wixon Valley
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
      • Wixon Valley is located in Brazos County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wixon Valley
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 254 people
    • Boonville
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Boonville is located in Brazos County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boonville
    • Tabor
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Tabor is located in Brazos County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tabor
    • Bryan
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Bryan is located in Brazos County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bryan
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 88,165 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Bryan <1>
    • College Station
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Edge
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
      • Edge is located in Brazos County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edge
    • Wellborn
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
    • Rye ‑ Historic
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
      • Rye is located in Brazos County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rye
    • Millican
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
    • Stone City
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Stone City is located in Brazos County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stone City
    • Allen Farm
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
      • Allen Farm is located in Brazos County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Allen Farm
    • Navasota
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
  • Burleson County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Reliance, with the one closest to Reliance listed first.
    • Tunis
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Tunis is located in Burleson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tunis
    • Snook
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Cooks Point
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Cooks Point is located in Burleson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cooks Point
    • Merle ‑ Historic
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Merle is located in Burleson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Merle
    • Clay
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
    • Scofield ‑ Historic
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Scofield is located in Burleson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Scofield
    • Caldwell
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Grimes County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Reliance, with the one closest to Reliance listed first.
    • Iola
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
    • Bedias
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
    • Roans Prairie
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Shiro
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Anderson
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
    • Apolonia
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Apolonia is located in Grimes County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Apolonia
    • Richards
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
  • Leon County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Reliance, with the one closest to Reliance listed first.
    • Wealthy
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
      • Wealthy is located in Leon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wealthy
    • Normangee
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
    • Hilltop Lakes
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
    • Flynn
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
  • Madison County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Reliance, with the one closest to Reliance listed first.
    • Zulch ‑ Historic
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Zulch is located in Madison County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zulch
    • North Zulch
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
    • George
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
      • George is located in Madison County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for George
    • Madisonville
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
  • Milam County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Reliance, with the one closest to Reliance listed first.
    • Gause
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
    • Port Sullivan ‑ Historic
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • Port Sullivan is located in Milam County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Port Sullivan
  • Robertson County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Reliance, with the one closest to Reliance listed first.
    • Benchley
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
      • Benchley is located in Robertson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Benchley
    • Wheelock
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Mumford
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
    • Hearne
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Hearne is located in Robertson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hearne
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 4,340 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Hearne <1>
    • Elliot
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Elliot is located in Robertson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elliot
    • Franklin
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
    • New Baden
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
    • Ridge
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
      • Ridge is located in Robertson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ridge
    • Owensville
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Owensville is located in Robertson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Owensville
    • Calvert
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Walker County
    • Wesley Grove
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
      • Wesley Grove is located in Walker County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wesley Grove
  • Washington County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Reliance, with the one closest to Reliance listed first.
    • Independence
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
    • Washington ‑ Historic
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)

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

Cemeteries Near Reliance ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Reliance.

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

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

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

  • Tryson Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
  • Fridel Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
  • Holuber Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
  • Kurten Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
  • Wixon Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
  • Kizer Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
    • The Kizer Cemetery is located on private property - be sure to secure permission before visiting.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kizer Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Kizer Cemetery is located outside and to the northeast of Bryan.
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #4653 <2>
  • Stick Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • Ebenezer Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
  • Wesson Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
  • New Bethlehem Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
  • Bethel Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
  • Reed Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
  • Continue List   (173 more) ...

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 Reliance in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Reliance.

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

  • Kurten
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
  • Harvey
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
    • Harvey is located in Brazos County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harvey
  • Tabor
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Tabor is located in Brazos County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tabor
  • Bryan
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Bryan is located in Brazos County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bryan
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 88,165 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Bryan <1>
  • College Station
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
  • Iola
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
  • Keith
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Keith is located in Grimes County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keith
  • Zulch ‑ Historic
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Zulch is located in Madison County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zulch
  • Benchley
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
    • Benchley is located in Robertson County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Benchley
  • Wellborn
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
  • Wheelock
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
  • Bedias
    (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Sutton
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
      • Sutton is located in Robertson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sutton
    • Millican
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
    • Mumford
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)

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

Newspapers Published in Reliance ...

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 82 newspapers that have been published in the area around Reliance.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Reliance, there are papers which were published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Reliance.

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 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 Reliance:

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 Reliance, 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' (or point-to-point) distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Reliance) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.