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 Rock Island (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 Rock Island. 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 Rock Island ...
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.
For example, a typical abbreviation for Rock Island: Rock Is. (in Canada, 'Isld.' is the more common abbreviation.)
You might be interested in other communities that are also named Rock Island. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Rock Island.
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/Parishes ...
When searching for family records, we have frequently made the mistake of not checking the neighboring counties/parishes.
For example, we have great-grandparents who lived in the northeast 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 north.
So when searching for records, we had our best success by looking in neighboring counties/parishes 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 north contained their burial records. If we hadn't included the neighboring counties/parishes, we would have missed many valuable sources of information.
If you're in a similar situation, we hope that the following information helps.
Rock Island is located in Marion 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 Marion County: Caddo (LA), Cass, Harrison, Morris & Upshur.
Below are the counties/parishes that are near Rock Island. For each of these counties/parishes, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Rock Island:
- Marion County (The home county of Rock Island)
- The following are listed by their distance from Rock Island, with the one closest to Rock Island listed first.
- Jackson
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Jackson is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jackson
- Sarber
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Sarber is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sarber
- Macedonia
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Macedonia is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Macedonia
- Kellyville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Kellyville is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kellyville
- Jefferson
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Lodi
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Camp County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rock Island, with the one closest to Rock Island listed first.
- Center Point ‑ Historic
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Center Point is located in Camp County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Center Point
- Pine
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Pine is located in Camp County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine
- Pittsburg
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Harvard
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Harvard is located in Camp County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harvard
- Rocky Mound
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Rocky Mound is located in Camp County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rocky Mound
- Population from the 2020 Census: 78 people
- Leesburg
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Cass County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rock Island, with the one closest to Rock Island listed first.
- Avinger
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Hughes Springs
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Linden
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Marietta
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Kildare
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Red Hill
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Red Hill is located in Cass County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Hill
- Bryans Mill
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Bryans Mill is located in Cass County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bryans Mill
- Bivins
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Douglassville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Gregg County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rock Island, with the one closest to Rock Island listed first.
- Judson
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Seven Pines
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Seven Pines is located in Gregg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seven Pines
- East Mountain
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- East Mountain is located in Gregg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Mountain
- Population from the 2020 Census: 878 people
- Teneryville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Teneryville is located in Gregg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Teneryville
- Longview
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Warren City
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Warren City is located in Gregg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Warren City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 305 people
- White Oak
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Greggton
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Greggton is located in Gregg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greggton
- Clarksville City
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Clarksville City is located in Gregg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clarksville City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 945 people
- Gladewater
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Harrison County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rock Island, with the one closest to Rock Island listed first.
- Harleton
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Morton
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Morton is located in Harrison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morton
- Noonday
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Noonday is located in Harrison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Noonday
- Nesbitt
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Nesbitt is located in Harrison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nesbitt
- Population from the 2010 Census: 281 people
- Woodlawn
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Woodlawn is located in Harrison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodlawn
- Lansing
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Lansing is located in Harrison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lansing
- Pope City
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Pope City is located in Harrison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pope City
- Hallsville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Baldwin
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Baldwin is located in Harrison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Baldwin
- Marshall
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Morris County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rock Island, with the one closest to Rock Island listed first.
- Lone Star
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Jenkins
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Jenkins is located in Morris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jenkins
- Daingerfield
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Cason
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Rocky Branch
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Rocky Branch is located in Morris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rocky Branch
- Omaha
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Naples
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Naples is located in Morris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Naples
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,305 people
- Former name for Naples:
- Station Belden
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Naples <1>
- Titus County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rock Island, with the one closest to Rock Island listed first.
- Cookville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Mount Pleasant
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Upshur County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rock Island, with the one closest to Rock Island listed first.
- Coffeeville
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Coffeeville is located in Upshur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coffeeville
- Ore City
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Diana
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- LaFayette
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- LaFayette is located in Upshur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for LaFayette
- James
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- James is located in Upshur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for James
- Graceton
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Graceton is located in Upshur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Graceton
- Ewell
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Ewell is located in Upshur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ewell
- Indian Rock
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Indian Rock is located in Upshur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Indian Rock
- Bettie
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Bettie is located in Upshur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bettie
- Delrose
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Delrose is located in Upshur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Delrose
- Gilmer
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Glenwood
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Glenwood is located in Upshur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glenwood
- Kelsey
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Kelsey is located in Upshur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kelsey
- Wood County
- Perryville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Perryville is located in Wood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Perryville
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Rock Island, see our County-by-County Page for Rock Island.
Cemeteries Near Rock Island ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Rock Island.
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 Rock Island - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Rock Island covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Rock Island, with the one closest to Rock Island listed first.
- Coffeeville Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coffeeville Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Coffeeville Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the northeast of Coffeeville.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2960 <2>
- Cedar Grove Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Iron Bluff Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Cheatham Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- South Union Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Hickory Hill Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Mt. Moriah Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Clark Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Pyland Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Jones Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Slaton Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Beamer - Davis Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Continue List (177 more) ...
- Mattox Cemetery
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Ashland Cemetery
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- New Prospect Cemetery
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
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 Rock Island in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Rock Island.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Rock Island, with the one closest to Rock Island listed first.
- Coffeeville
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Coffeeville is located in Upshur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coffeeville
- Avinger
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Orrs
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Orrs is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orrs
- Hughes Springs
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Diana
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- LaFayette
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- LaFayette is located in Upshur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for LaFayette
- Daingerfield
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Sardis
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Sardis is located in Cass County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sardis
- Cason
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Ewell
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Ewell is located in Upshur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ewell
- Kellyville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Kellyville is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kellyville
- Bettie
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Bettie is located in Upshur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bettie
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Lanier
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Lanier is located in Cass County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lanier
- Rocky Branch
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Rocky Branch is located in Morris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rocky Branch
- Gilmer
(18 miles [29 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 Rock Island. See our List of 1890's Communities around Rock Island.
Newspapers Published in Rock Island ...
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 Rock Island.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Rock Island, there are papers which were published within 26 miles [41.8 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Rock Island.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we begin 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 Rock Island:
- Websites specific to Texas
- Pages specific to Marion County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Camp County
- Cass County
- Gregg County
- Harrison County
- Morris County
- Titus County
- Upshur County
- Wood County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Texas
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 obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Rock Island) 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 Rock Island, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |