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 Saint Elmo (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 Saint Elmo. 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 Saint Elmo ...
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 Saint Elmo: St. Elmo
You might be interested in other communities that are also named Saint Elmo. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Saint Elmo.
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 ...
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 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.
Saint Elmo is located in Freestone 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 Freestone County: Anderson, Leon, Limestone & Navarro.
Below are the counties that are near Saint Elmo. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Saint Elmo:
- Freestone County (The home county of Saint Elmo)
- The following are listed by their distance from Saint Elmo, with the one closest to Saint Elmo listed first.
- Winkler
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Winkler is located in Freestone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winkler
- Stewards Mill ‑ Historic
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Stewards Mill is located in Freestone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stewards Mill
- Streetman
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Fairfield
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Kirvin
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Turlington
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Turlington is located in Freestone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Turlington
- Wortham
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Cotton Gin
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Teague
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Red Lake
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Red Lake is located in Freestone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Lake
- Dew
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Dew is located in Freestone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dew
- Butler
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Butler is located in Freestone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Butler
- Anderson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Saint Elmo, with the one closest to Saint Elmo listed first.
- Cayuga
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Greens Bluff
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Greens Bluff is located in Anderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greens Bluff
- Yard ‑ Historic
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Yard is located in Anderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yard
- Bethel
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Bethel is located in Anderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bethel
- Blackfoot
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Blackfoot is located in Anderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blackfoot
- Massey Lake
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Massey Lake is located in Anderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Massey Lake
- Tennessee Colony
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Springfield
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Springfield is located in Anderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Springfield
- Ward
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Ward is located in Anderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ward
- Bradford
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Bradford is located in Anderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bradford
- Bois d'Arc
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Bois d'Arc is located in Anderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bois d'Arc
- Harmony
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Harmony is located in Anderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harmony
- Henderson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Saint Elmo, with the one closest to Saint Elmo listed first.
- Cross Roads
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Cross Roads is located in Henderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cross Roads
- Trinidad
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Malakoff
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Star Harbor
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Star Harbor is located in Henderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Star Harbor
- Population from the 2020 Census: 487 people
- Caney City
(20 miles [32.2 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
(21 miles [33.8 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
(23 miles [37 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
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Payne Springs
(24 miles [38.6 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
- Seven Points
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Athens
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Pine Grove
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Pine Grove is located in Henderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Grove
- Kaufman County
- The following are listed by their distance from Saint Elmo, with the one closest to Saint Elmo listed first.
- Mabank
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Styx
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Styx is located in Kaufman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Styx
- Tolosa
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Tolosa is located in Kaufman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tolosa
- Limestone County
- The following are listed by their distance from Saint Elmo, with the one closest to Saint Elmo listed first.
- Mexia
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Tehuacana
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Fallon
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Fallon is located in Limestone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fallon
- Personville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Personville is located in Limestone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Personville
- Coolidge
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Navarro County
- The following are listed by their distance from Saint Elmo, with the one closest to Saint Elmo listed first.
- Eureka
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- 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 northwest)
- Mildred is located in Navarro County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mildred
- Population from the 2020 Census: 400 people
- Goodlow
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- 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
- Elm Flat
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Elm Flat is located in Navarro County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elm Flat
- Navarro
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Navarro is located in Navarro County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Navarro
- Population from the 2020 Census: 217 people
- Kerens
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Richland
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Richland is located in Navarro County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Richland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 273 people
- Powell
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Powell is located in Navarro County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Powell
- Population from the 2020 Census: 149 people
- Angus
(15 miles [24.1 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
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Mustang is located in Navarro County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mustang
- Population from the 2020 Census: 23 people
- Bazette
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Bazette is located in Navarro County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bazette
- Retreat
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Retreat is located in Navarro County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Retreat
- Population from the 2020 Census: 384 people
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Saint Elmo, see our County-by-County Page for Saint Elmo.
Cemeteries Near Saint Elmo ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Saint Elmo.
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 Saint Elmo - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Saint Elmo covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Saint Elmo, with the one closest to Saint Elmo listed first.
- Lee Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Greenbriar Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Sweatman Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Petersburg Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Oak Grove Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Johnson Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Gunn Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Birdston Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Old Anglan Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Princeton Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Eureka Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Handcock Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- 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>
- Continue List (141 more) ...
- Rehobath Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Cedar Grove Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Lakes Chapel Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 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 Saint Elmo in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Saint Elmo.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Saint Elmo, with the one closest to Saint Elmo listed first.
- Winkler
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Winkler is located in Freestone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winkler
- Stewards Mill ‑ Historic
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Stewards Mill is located in Freestone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stewards Mill
- Young
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Young is located in Freestone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Young
- Rural Shade
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Rural Shade is located in Navarro County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rural Shade
- Eureka
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Eureka is located in Navarro County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eureka
- Population from the 2020 Census: 315 people
- Kerens
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Fairfield
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Richland
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Richland is located in Navarro County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Richland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 273 people
- Bethel
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Bethel is located in Anderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bethel
- Trinidad
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Powell
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Powell is located in Navarro County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Powell
- Population from the 2020 Census: 149 people
- Angus
(15 miles [24.1 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 (15 more) ...
- Bazette
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Bazette is located in Navarro County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bazette
- Malakoff
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Wortham
(19 miles [30.6 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 Saint Elmo. See our List of 1890's Communities around Saint Elmo.
Newspapers Published in Saint Elmo ...
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 Saint Elmo.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Saint Elmo, there are papers which were published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Saint Elmo.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we first visit 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 Saint Elmo:
- Websites specific to Texas
- Pages specific to Freestone County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Anderson County
- Henderson County
- Kaufman County
- Limestone County
- Navarro 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' (or point-to-point) distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Saint Elmo) 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 Saint Elmo, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |