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 Sun Valley (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 Sun Valley. 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 Sun Valley ...
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.
Although we can't give a definitive list, hopefully the following will give you a feel for the variations that might occur.
For example, a typical abbreviation for Sun Valley: Sun Vly. (or less commonly used: Sun Vally. or Sun Vlly.)
You might be interested in other communities that are also named Sun Valley. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Sun Valley.
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 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.
Sun Valley is located in Lamar 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 Lamar County: Bryan (OK), Choctaw (OK), Delta, Fannin & Red River.
Below are the counties that are near Sun Valley. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Sun Valley:
- Lamar County (The home county of Sun Valley)
- The following are listed by their distance from Sun Valley, with the one closest to Sun Valley listed first.
- Sylvan
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Sylvan is located in Lamar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sylvan
- Blossom
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Reno
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Reno is located in Lamar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reno
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,349 people
- Amherst
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Amherst is located in Lamar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Amherst
- Pattonville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Paris
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Novice
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Novice is located in Lamar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Novice
- Hinckley
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Hinckley is located in Lamar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hinckley
- Camp Maxey ‑ Historic
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Camp Maxey is located in Lamar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Camp Maxey
- Clardy
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Clardy is located in Lamar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clardy
- Biardstown
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Biardstown is located in Lamar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Biardstown
- Deport
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Delta County
- The following are listed by their distance from Sun Valley, with the one closest to Sun Valley listed first.
- Lake Creek
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Charleston
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Charleston is located in Delta County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Charleston
- Enloe
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Ben Franklin
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Cooper
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Pecan Gap
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Klondike
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Fannin County
- The following are listed by their distance from Sun Valley, with the one closest to Sun Valley listed first.
- Dial
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Dial is located in Fannin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dial
- Allen Point
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Allen Point is located in Fannin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Allen Point
- Honey Grove
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Allens Chapel
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Allens Chapel is located in Fannin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Allens Chapel
- Franklin County
- Hagansport
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Hagansport is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hagansport
- Hopkins County
- The following are listed by their distance from Sun Valley, with the one closest to Sun Valley listed first.
- Sulphur Bluff
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Tira
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Tira is located in Hopkins County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tira
- Population from the 2020 Census: 311 people
- Nelta
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Nelta is located in Hopkins County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nelta
- Birthright
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Birthright is located in Hopkins County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Birthright
- Dike
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Posey
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Posey is located in Hopkins County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Posey
- Red River County
- The following are listed by their distance from Sun Valley, with the one closest to Sun Valley listed first.
- Detroit
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Liberty
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Liberty is located in Red River County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Liberty
- Bagwell
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Addielou
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Addielou is located in Red River County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Addielou
- Kanawha
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Kanawha is located in Red River County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kanawha
- Halesboro
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Halesboro is located in Red River County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Halesboro
- Bogata
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Sherry
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Sherry is located in Red River County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sherry
- Clarksville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Silver City
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Silver City is located in Red River County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Silver City
- Cuthand
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Cuthand is located in Red River County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cuthand
- Albion
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Albion is located in Red River County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Albion
- Titus County
- Talco
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Choctaw County (OK)
- The following are listed by their distance from Sun Valley, with the one closest to Sun Valley listed first.
- Frogville
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Frogville is located in Choctaw County (OK)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frogville
- Grant
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Hugo
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Hugo is located in Choctaw County (OK)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hugo
- Population from the 2020 Census: 5,070 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Hugo <1>
- Sawyer
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Fort Towson
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Virgil
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Virgil is located in Choctaw County (OK)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Virgil
- Swink
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Soper
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- McCurtain County (OK)
- Valliant
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Sun Valley, see our County-by-County Page for Sun Valley.
Cemeteries Near Sun Valley ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Sun Valley.
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 Sun Valley - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Sun Valley covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Sun Valley, with the one closest to Sun Valley listed first.
- Union Grove Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Moore Springs Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Meadowbrook Memorial Park
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Knights of Honor Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Egypt Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Sikes Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Corn Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Neathery Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Holt Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holt Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Holt Cemetery is located 3 miles [4.8 km]<2> to the southeast of Blossom.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #4319 <3>
- Red Oak Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Evergreen Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Evergreen Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Evergreen Cemetery is a very large cemetery that is located outside and to the south of Paris.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #3481 <3>
- Newbether Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Continue List (167 more) ...
- Restlawn Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Old City Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Long Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
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 Sun Valley in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Sun Valley.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Sun Valley, with the one closest to Sun Valley listed first.
- Sylvan
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Sylvan is located in Lamar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sylvan
- Blossom
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Reno
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Reno is located in Lamar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reno
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,349 people
- Givens
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Givens is located in Lamar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Givens
- Jennings
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Jennings is located in Lamar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jennings
- Pattonville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Paris
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Hinckley
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Hinckley is located in Lamar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hinckley
- Detroit
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Biardstown
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Biardstown is located in Lamar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Biardstown
- Glory
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Glory is located in Lamar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glory
- Milton
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Milton is located in Lamar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Milton
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- Deport
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Powderly
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Atlas
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Atlas is located in Lamar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Atlas
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Sun Valley. See our List of 1890's Communities around Sun Valley.
Newspapers Published in Sun Valley ...
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 88 newspapers that have been published in the area around Sun Valley.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Sun Valley, there are papers which were published within 26 miles [41.8 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Sun Valley.
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 either 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 Sun Valley:
- Websites specific to Texas
- Pages specific to Lamar County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Delta County
- Fannin County
- Franklin County
- Hopkins County
- Red River County
- Titus County
- Choctaw County
- McCurtain 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 from Point A (ie- Sun Valley) 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 Sun Valley, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |