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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 Sheldon (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 Sheldon. 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 northeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most hospitals 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 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, we would have missed many valuable sources of information.

If you're in a similar situation, we hope that the following information helps.

Sheldon is located in Harris 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 Harris County: Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, Liberty, Montgomery & Waller.

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

  • Harris County     (The home county of Sheldon)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Sheldon, with the one closest to Sheldon listed first.
    • Barrett
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
    • Crosby
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Highlands
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
    • Winterwood Village
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
      • Winterwood Village is located in Harris County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winterwood Village
    • Channelview
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
    • Cloverleaf
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
    • Atascocita
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
    • Jacinto City
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Galena Park
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Pine Village North
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
      • Pine Village North is located in Harris County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Village North
    • Huffman
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
    • Intercontinental Village
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Brazoria County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Sheldon, with the one closest to Sheldon listed first.
    • Woodcreek
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
      • Woodcreek is located in Brazoria County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodcreek
    • Brookside Village
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Pearland
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
    • West Oaks Village
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
      • West Oaks Village is located in Brazoria County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Oaks Village
    • Westwood Village
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Westwood Village is located in Brazoria County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westwood Village
    • Fairway Village
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Fairway Village is located in Brazoria County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairway Village
    • Manvel
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Manvel is located in Brazoria County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Manvel
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 13,867 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Manvel <1>
  • Chambers County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Sheldon, with the one closest to Sheldon listed first.
    • Baytown
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Mont Belvieu
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
    • Old River - Winfree
      (18 miles [29 km] to the east)
      • Old River - Winfree is located in Chambers County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Old River - Winfree
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,453 people
    • Shoreacres
      (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
      • Shoreacres is located in Chambers County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shoreacres
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,578 people
    • Cove
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
      • Cove is located in Chambers County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cove
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 586 people
    • Beach City
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Beach City is located in Chambers County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beach City
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,825 people
    • Seabrook
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
    • Wallisville
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
    • Anahuac
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
    • Turtle Bayou
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
      • Turtle Bayou is located in Chambers County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Turtle Bayou
    • Hankamer
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
  • Fort Bend County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Sheldon, with the one closest to Sheldon listed first.
    • Fresno
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Missouri City Estates
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Missouri City Estates is located in Fort Bend County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Missouri City Estates
  • Galveston County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Sheldon, with the one closest to Sheldon listed first.
    • Clear Lake Shores
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
    • Quaker Village
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
      • Quaker Village is located in Galveston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Quaker Village
    • Kemah
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
      • Kemah is located in Galveston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kemah
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,048 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Kemah <1>
    • League City
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
    • Parkwood Village
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
      • Parkwood Village is located in Galveston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parkwood Village
    • South Shore Village
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
      • South Shore Village is located in Galveston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Shore Village
    • Friendswood
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
    • Bacliff
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
    • Carmel Village
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
      • Carmel Village is located in Galveston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carmel Village
    • Dickinson
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
    • San Leon
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Liberty County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Sheldon, with the one closest to Sheldon listed first.
    • Gum Grove
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Gum Grove is located in Liberty County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gum Grove
    • Stilson
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Stilson is located in Liberty County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stilson
    • Dayton
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Moss Bluff
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
      • Moss Bluff is located in Liberty County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moss Bluff
    • Plum Grove
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
      • Plum Grove is located in Liberty County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plum Grove
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 756 people
    • Kenefick
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
      • Kenefick is located in Liberty County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kenefick
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 722 people
    • Liberty
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
    • Ames
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Ames is located in Liberty County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ames
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,275 people
    • Dayton Lakes
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Dayton Lakes is located in Liberty County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dayton Lakes
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 107 people
    • Raywood
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Nimrod ‑ Historic
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • Nimrod is located in Liberty County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nimrod
    • Hardin
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Montgomery County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Sheldon, with the one closest to Sheldon listed first.
    • Porter
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
    • New Caney
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
    • Roman Forest
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
      • Roman Forest is located in Montgomery County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roman Forest
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,035 people
    • Woodbranch
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
      • Woodbranch is located in Montgomery County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodbranch
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,498 people
    • Patton Village
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
      • Patton Village is located in Montgomery County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Patton Village
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,207 people
    • Porter Heights
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
      • Porter Heights is located in Montgomery County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Porter Heights
    • Splendora
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
    • Chateau Woods
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Chateau Woods is located in Montgomery County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chateau Woods
    • Oak Ridge North
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Sleepy Hollow
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Sleepy Hollow is located in Montgomery County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sleepy Hollow
    • The Woodlands
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Grangerland
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)

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

Cemeteries Near Sheldon ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Sheldon.

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

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

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

  • Harrington Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
  • Crosby Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
  • Sacred Heart Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
  • Lynch Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • Evergreen Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • San Jacinto Memorial Park
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
  • Harris County Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
  • DeZavalla Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
  • Hart - Magee - Oates - Singleton Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hart - Magee - Oates - Singleton Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Hart - Magee - Oates - Singleton Cemetery is located in Houston.
    • The Hart - Magee - Oates - Singleton Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Oates Prairie Cemetery
    • Oates - Singleton Cemetery
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2134356 <2>
  • Earthman Memory Gardens
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
  • Huffman Community Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
  • Rosewood Park Cemetery
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
  • Continue List   (145 more) ...
    • Golden Gate Cemetery
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
    • Humble Cemetery
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Brookside Memorial Park
      (11 miles [17.7 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.<3>

The Rand McNally Atlas shows that in 1895, Sheldon had a post office and railroad service.

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

  • Crosby
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • Lynchburg
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Lynchburg is located in Harris County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lynchburg
  • Red Bluff
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
    • Red Bluff is located in Harris County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Bluff
  • Huffman
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
  • Cedar Bayou
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Cedar Bayou is located in Harris County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar Bayou
  • Humble
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Magnolia Park
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Magnolia Park is located in Harris County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Magnolia Park
  • Harrisburg
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Harrisburg is located in Harris County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harrisburg
  • Mont Belvieu
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
  • Houston
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
  • Aldine
    (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
  • Genoa
    (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
    • Genoa is located in Harris County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Genoa
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Dayton
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
    • New Caney
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
    • Pierce Junction
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Pierce Junction is located in Harris County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pierce Junction

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

Newspapers Published in Sheldon ...

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 7 newspapers that have been published in the area around Sheldon.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Sheldon, there are papers which were published within 12 miles [19.3 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Sheldon.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we like to start 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 Sheldon:

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 Sheldon, 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 obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Sheldon) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.