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 Rural Shade (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 Rural Shade. 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 southwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors were in the next county to the west. 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 west 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.
Rural Shade is located in Navarro 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 Navarro County: Anderson, Ellis, Freestone, Henderson, Hill & Limestone.
Below are the counties that are near Rural Shade. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Rural Shade:
- Navarro County (The home county of Rural Shade)
- The following are listed by their distance from Rural Shade, with the one closest to Rural Shade listed first.
- Goodlow
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- 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
- Kerens
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Elm Flat
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Elm Flat is located in Navarro County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elm Flat
- Eureka
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Eureka is located in Navarro County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eureka
- Population from the 2020 Census: 315 people
- Mildred
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Mildred is located in Navarro County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mildred
- Population from the 2020 Census: 400 people
- Bazette
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Bazette is located in Navarro County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bazette
- Powell
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Powell is located in Navarro County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Powell
- Population from the 2020 Census: 149 people
- Navarro
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Navarro is located in Navarro County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Navarro
- Population from the 2020 Census: 217 people
- Roane
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Roane is located in Navarro County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roane
- Angus
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Angus is located in Navarro County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Angus
- Population from the 2020 Census: 427 people
- Mustang
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Mustang is located in Navarro County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mustang
- Population from the 2020 Census: 23 people
- Corsicana
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Anderson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rural Shade, with the one closest to Rural Shade listed first.
- Cayuga
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Bethel
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Bethel is located in Anderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bethel
- Greens Bluff
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Greens Bluff is located in Anderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greens Bluff
- Yard ‑ Historic
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Yard is located in Anderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yard
- Blackfoot
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Blackfoot is located in Anderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blackfoot
- Springfield
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Springfield is located in Anderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Springfield
- Ward
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Ward is located in Anderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ward
- Bradford
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Bradford is located in Anderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bradford
- Massey Lake
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Massey Lake is located in Anderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Massey Lake
- Tennessee Colony
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Bois d'Arc
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Bois d'Arc is located in Anderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bois d'Arc
- Montalba
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Ellis County
- Alma
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Alma is located in Ellis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alma
- Population from the 2020 Census: 400 people
- Freestone County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rural Shade, with the one closest to Rural Shade listed first.
- Winkler
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Winkler is located in Freestone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winkler
- Stewards Mill ‑ Historic
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Stewards Mill is located in Freestone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stewards Mill
- Streetman
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Fairfield
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Kirvin
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Turlington
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Turlington is located in Freestone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Turlington
- Wortham
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Red Lake
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Red Lake is located in Freestone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Lake
- Cotton Gin
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Butler
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Butler is located in Freestone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Butler
- Teague
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Henderson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rural Shade, with the one closest to Rural Shade listed first.
- Trinidad
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Cross Roads
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Cross Roads is located in Henderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cross Roads
- Malakoff
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Star Harbor
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Star Harbor is located in Henderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Star Harbor
- Population from the 2020 Census: 487 people
- Caney City
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Caney City is located in Henderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caney City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 223 people
- Log Cabin
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Log Cabin is located in Henderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Log Cabin
- Population from the 2020 Census: 785 people
- Enchanted Oaks
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Enchanted Oaks is located in Henderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Enchanted Oaks
- Population from the 2020 Census: 343 people
- Tool
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Payne Springs
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Payne Springs is located in Henderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Payne Springs
- Population from the 2020 Census: 756 people
- Eustace
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Gun Barrel City
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Athens
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Kaufman County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rural Shade, with the one closest to Rural Shade listed first.
- Mabank
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Tolosa
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Tolosa is located in Kaufman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tolosa
- Styx
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Styx is located in Kaufman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Styx
- Stubbs
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Stubbs is located in Kaufman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stubbs
- Kemp
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Prairieville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Prairieville is located in Kaufman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prairieville
- Becker
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Becker is located in Kaufman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Becker
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Rural Shade, see our County-by-County Page for Rural Shade.
Cemeteries Near Rural Shade ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Rural Shade.
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 Rural Shade - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Rural Shade covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Rural Shade, with the one closest to Rural Shade listed first.
- Petersburg Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Princeton Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Samarie Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Owens Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Eureka Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Gunn Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Johnson Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Sweatman Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Post Oak Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Antioch Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Kerens Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kerens Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Kerens Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the west of Kerens.
- The Kerens Cemetery has also been known as:
- Restland Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #4613 <3>
- Woods Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Continue List (140 more) ...
- Handcock Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Handcock Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Handcock Cemetery is located less than 2 miles<2> to the southeast of Eureka.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #4044 <3>
- Lee Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Elm Flat Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
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>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Rural Shade had a population of 76 people in 1895 with a post office and no railroad service.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Rural Shade, with the one closest to Rural Shade listed first.
- Trinidad
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Kerens
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Winkler
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Winkler is located in Freestone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winkler
- Eureka
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Eureka is located in Navarro County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eureka
- Population from the 2020 Census: 315 people
- Malakoff
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Bazette
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Bazette is located in Navarro County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bazette
- Powell
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Powell is located in Navarro County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Powell
- Population from the 2020 Census: 149 people
- Young
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Young is located in Freestone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Young
- Bethel
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Bethel is located in Anderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bethel
- Stewards Mill ‑ Historic
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Stewards Mill is located in Freestone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stewards Mill
- Payne Springs
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Payne Springs is located in Henderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Payne Springs
- Population from the 2020 Census: 756 people
- Angus
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Angus is located in Navarro County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Angus
- Population from the 2020 Census: 427 people
- Continue List (18 more) ...
- Richland
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Richland is located in Navarro County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Richland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 273 people
- Blackfoot
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Blackfoot is located in Anderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blackfoot
- Athens
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Rural Shade. See our List of 1890's Communities around Rural Shade.
Newspapers Published in Rural Shade ...
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 38 newspapers that have been published in the area around Rural Shade.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Rural Shade, there are papers which were published within 29 miles [46.7 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Rural Shade.
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 professional and volunteer 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 Rural Shade:
- Websites specific to Texas
- Pages specific to Navarro County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Anderson County
- Ellis County
- Freestone County
- Henderson County
- Kaufman 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> | 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 from Point A (ie- Rural Shade) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |
| <3> | 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. |
| <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 Rural Shade, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |