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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 Smithville (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 Smithville. 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.

Smithville is located in Bastrop 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 Bastrop County: Caldwell, Fayette, Gonzales, Lee & Travis.

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

  • Bastrop County     (The home county of Smithville)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Smithville, with the one closest to Smithville listed first.
    • Alum Creek
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
      • Alum Creek is located in Bastrop County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alum Creek
    • Togo
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
      • Togo is located in Bastrop County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Togo
    • Upton
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
      • Upton is located in Bastrop County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Upton
    • Kovar
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Kovar is located in Bastrop County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kovar
    • Hills Prairie
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
      • Hills Prairie is located in Bastrop County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hills Prairie
    • Rosanky
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Bastrop
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Paige
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
    • Phelan
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Phelan is located in Bastrop County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Phelan
    • Camp Swift
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Camp Swift is located in Bastrop County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Camp Swift
    • Jeddo
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Jeddo is located in Bastrop County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jeddo
    • Red Rock
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
  • Caldwell County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Smithville, with the one closest to Smithville listed first.
    • Delhi
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Delhi is located in Caldwell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Delhi
    • Pettytown
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
      • Pettytown is located in Caldwell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pettytown
    • Elm Grove
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
      • Elm Grove is located in Caldwell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elm Grove
    • Taylorsville
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
      • Taylorsville is located in Caldwell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Taylorsville
    • McMahan
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
      • McMahan is located in Caldwell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McMahan
    • Saint Johns Colony
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
      • Saint Johns Colony is located in Caldwell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Johns Colony
    • Dale
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
    • Lytton Springs
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • Lytton Springs is located in Caldwell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lytton Springs
    • Tilmon
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Tilmon is located in Caldwell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tilmon
    • Seawillow
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Seawillow is located in Caldwell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seawillow
  • Colorado County
    • Weimar
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Fayette County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Smithville, with the one closest to Smithville listed first.
    • Kirtley
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Kirtley is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kirtley
    • Stellar
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
      • Stellar is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stellar
    • West Point
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Plum
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Cistern
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
      • Cistern is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cistern
      • Former names for Cistern:
      • Cockrell's Hill
      • Milton
      • Whiteside's Prairie
    • Warda
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
    • Muldoon
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
    • Colony
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
      • Colony is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colony
    • Hostyn
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Hostyn is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hostyn
    • La Grange
      (18 miles [29 km] to the east)
    • Nechanitz
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
      • Nechanitz is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nechanitz
    • Freyburg
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Freyburg is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Freyburg
  • Gonzales County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Smithville, with the one closest to Smithville listed first.
    • Waelder
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
    • Sandy Fork
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Sandy Fork is located in Gonzales County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sandy Fork
  • Lavaca County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Smithville, with the one closest to Smithville listed first.
    • Moulton
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
    • Komensky
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
      • Komensky is located in Lavaca County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Komensky
    • Moravia
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
      • Moravia is located in Lavaca County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moravia
  • Lee County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Smithville, with the one closest to Smithville listed first.
    • Serbin ‑ Historic
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Serbin is located in Lee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Serbin
    • Giddings
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Fedor
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
      • Fedor is located in Lee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fedor
    • Lincoln
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Knobbs Springs
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
      • Knobbs Springs is located in Lee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Knobbs Springs
    • Loebau
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Loebau is located in Lee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Loebau
    • Blue
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
      • Blue is located in Lee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blue
    • Lexington
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
    • Old Dime Box
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Old Dime Box is located in Lee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Old Dime Box
  • Travis County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Smithville, with the one closest to Smithville listed first.
    • Webberville
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Garfield
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Garfield is located in Travis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garfield
    • Littig
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Littig is located in Travis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Littig
    • Elroy
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • Elroy is located in Travis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elroy

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

Cemeteries Near Smithville ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Smithville.

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

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

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

  • Thompson Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the west)
  • Oak Hill Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
  • Colorado Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
  • Powell Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
  • Adams Thompson Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adams Thompson Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Adams Thompson Cemetery is located less than 2 miles<2> to the southeast of Alum Creek.
    • The Adams Thompson Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Adams Morris Thompson Cemetery
    • Thompson - Morris Cemetery
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2306332 <3>
  • Woods Prairie Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Young Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
  • Old Bartons Creek Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
  • Plum Grove Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
  • Shiloh Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
  • Winchester Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
  • Mt. Olive Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
  • Continue List   (166 more) ...
    • Rosanky Cemetery
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Grays Cemetery
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
    • Williams Cemetery
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)

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 Smithville had a population of 616 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Smithville had a population of 4,664 people.

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

  • Alum Creek
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
    • Alum Creek is located in Bastrop County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alum Creek
  • Upton
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
    • Upton is located in Bastrop County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Upton
  • Stellar
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
    • Stellar is located in Fayette County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stellar
  • West Point
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
  • Winchester
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
    • Winchester is located in Fayette County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winchester
  • Hills Prairie
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
    • Hills Prairie is located in Bastrop County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hills Prairie
  • Plum
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Serbin ‑ Historic
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Serbin is located in Lee County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Serbin
  • Bastrop
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Cistern
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
    • Cistern is located in Fayette County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cistern
    • Former names for Cistern:
    • Cockrell's Hill
    • Milton
    • Whiteside's Prairie
  • String Prairie
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
    • String Prairie is located in Bastrop County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for String Prairie
  • Muldoon
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Warda
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
    • Paige
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
    • Jeddo
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Jeddo is located in Bastrop County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jeddo

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

Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Smithville ...

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 67 newspapers that have been published in the area around Smithville.

We have organized these newspapers into two lists:

  • A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Smithville. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Smithville and those printed in the larger area surrounding Smithville.
  • An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<2> of Smithville.

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 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 Smithville:

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- Smithville) 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 Smithville, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.