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 Roddy (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 Roddy. 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.
Roddy is located in Van Zandt 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 Van Zandt County: Henderson, Hunt, Kaufman, Rains, Smith & Wood.
Below are the counties that are near Roddy. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Roddy:
- Van Zandt County (The home county of Roddy)
- The following are listed by their distance from Roddy, with the one closest to Roddy listed first.
- Tundra
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Tundra is located in Van Zandt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tundra
- Canton
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Myrtle Springs
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Myrtle Springs is located in Van Zandt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Myrtle Springs
- Ben Wheeler
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Wills Point
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Edgewood
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Fruitvale
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Edom
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Van
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Van is located in Van Zandt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Van
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,778 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Van <1>
- Grand Saline
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Dallas County
- Combine
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Combine is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Combine
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,537 people
- Ellis County
- Telico
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Telico is located in Ellis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Telico
- Henderson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Roddy, with the one closest to Roddy listed first.
- Eustace
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Gun Barrel City
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Payne Springs
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Payne Springs is located in Henderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Payne Springs
- Population from the 2020 Census: 756 people
- Enchanted Oaks
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Enchanted Oaks is located in Henderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Enchanted Oaks
- Population from the 2020 Census: 343 people
- Seven Points
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Tool
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Log Cabin
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Log Cabin is located in Henderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Log Cabin
- Population from the 2020 Census: 785 people
- Caney City
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Caney City is located in Henderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caney City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 223 people
- Star Harbor
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Star Harbor is located in Henderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Star Harbor
- Population from the 2020 Census: 487 people
- Malakoff
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Athens
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Murchison
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Kaufman County
- The following are listed by their distance from Roddy, with the one closest to Roddy listed first.
- Prairieville
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Prairieville is located in Kaufman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prairieville
- Mabank
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Becker
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Becker is located in Kaufman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Becker
- Kemp
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Tolosa
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Tolosa is located in Kaufman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tolosa
- Ola
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Ola is located in Kaufman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ola
- Stubbs
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Stubbs is located in Kaufman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stubbs
- Abner
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Abner is located in Kaufman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Abner
- Styx
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Styx is located in Kaufman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Styx
- Oak Grove
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Oak Grove is located in Kaufman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Grove
- Population from the 2020 Census: 704 people
- Grays Prairie
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Grays Prairie is located in Kaufman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grays Prairie
- Population from the 2020 Census: 388 people
- College Mound
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- College Mound is located in Kaufman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for College Mound
- Navarro County
- The following are listed by their distance from Roddy, with the one closest to Roddy listed first.
- Bazette
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Bazette is located in Navarro County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bazette
- Kerens
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Goodlow
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Goodlow is located in Navarro County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goodlow
- Population from the 2020 Census: 197 people
- Goodlow has also been known as:
- Goodlow Park
- Chatfield
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Powell
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Powell is located in Navarro County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Powell
- Population from the 2020 Census: 149 people
- Roane
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Roane is located in Navarro County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roane
- Elm Flat
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Elm Flat is located in Navarro County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elm Flat
- Tupelo
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Tupelo is located in Navarro County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tupelo
- Rice
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Mildred
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Mildred is located in Navarro County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mildred
- Population from the 2020 Census: 400 people
- Rains County
- Flats
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Flats is located in Rains County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flats
- Smith County
- The following are listed by their distance from Roddy, with the one closest to Roddy listed first.
- Jamestown
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Jamestown is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jamestown
- Garden Valley
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Garden Valley is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garden Valley
- Carroll
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Carroll is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carroll
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Roddy, see our County-by-County Page for Roddy.
Cemeteries Near Roddy ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Roddy.
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 Roddy - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Roddy covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Roddy, with the one closest to Roddy listed first.
- Beard Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Mabank Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Goshen Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Traver Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Aanonsen Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Field Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Moorehead Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Mason Ranch Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Brewer Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Morris Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Kayser Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Chinquapin Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Continue List (150 more) ...
- Baker Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Cottonwood Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Wesley Chapel Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
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>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that in 1895, Roddy had a post office and no railroad service.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Roddy, with the one closest to Roddy listed first.
- Prairieville
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Prairieville is located in Kaufman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prairieville
- Wise
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Wise is located in Van Zandt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wise
- Jackson
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Jackson is located in Van Zandt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jackson
- Payne Springs
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Payne Springs is located in Henderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Payne Springs
- Population from the 2020 Census: 756 people
- Walton
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Walton is located in Van Zandt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walton
- Kemp
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Tolosa
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Tolosa is located in Kaufman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tolosa
- Canton
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Martins Mill
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Martins Mill is located in Van Zandt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Martins Mill
- Myrtle Springs
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Myrtle Springs is located in Van Zandt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Myrtle Springs
- Stubbs
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Stubbs is located in Kaufman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stubbs
- Malakoff
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Abner
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Abner is located in Kaufman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Abner
- Athens
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Colfax
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Colfax is located in Van Zandt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colfax
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Roddy. See our List of 1890's Communities around Roddy.
Newspapers Published in Roddy ...
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 51 newspapers that have been published in the area around Roddy.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Roddy, there are papers which were published within 28 miles [45.1 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Roddy.
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 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 Roddy:
- Websites specific to Texas
- Pages specific to Van Zandt County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Dallas County
- Ellis County
- Henderson County
- Kaufman County
- Navarro County
- Rains County
- Smith 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> | 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 Roddy, 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- Roddy) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |