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 Tool (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 Tool. 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 southeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most hospitals and doctors were in the next county to the east. 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 east 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.
Tool is located in Henderson 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 Henderson County: Anderson, Ellis, Kaufman, Navarro, Smith & Van Zandt.
Below are the counties that are near Tool. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Tool:
- Henderson County (The home county of Tool)
- The following are listed by their distance from Tool, with the one closest to Tool listed first.
- Enchanted Oaks
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Enchanted Oaks is located in Henderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Enchanted Oaks
- Population from the 2020 Census: 343 people
- Payne Springs
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Payne Springs is located in Henderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Payne Springs
- Population from the 2020 Census: 756 people
- Seven Points
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Gun Barrel City
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Star Harbor
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Star Harbor is located in Henderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Star Harbor
- Population from the 2020 Census: 487 people
- Eustace
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Log Cabin
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Log Cabin is located in Henderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Log Cabin
- Population from the 2020 Census: 785 people
- Caney City
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Caney City is located in Henderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caney City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 223 people
- Trinidad
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Malakoff
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Athens
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Cross Roads
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Cross Roads is located in Henderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cross Roads
- Anderson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Tool, with the one closest to Tool listed first.
- Cayuga
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Bethel
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Bethel is located in Anderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bethel
- Blackfoot
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Blackfoot is located in Anderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blackfoot
- Springfield
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Springfield is located in Anderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Springfield
- Bradford
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Bradford is located in Anderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bradford
- Greens Bluff
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Greens Bluff is located in Anderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greens Bluff
- Yard ‑ Historic
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Yard is located in Anderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yard
- Dallas County
- Combine
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Combine is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Combine
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,537 people
- Ellis County
- The following are listed by their distance from Tool, with the one closest to Tool listed first.
- Telico
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Telico is located in Ellis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Telico
- Alma
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Alma is located in Ellis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alma
- Population from the 2020 Census: 400 people
- Crisp
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Crisp is located in Ellis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crisp
- Bristol
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Bristol is located in Ellis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bristol
- Ennis
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Walnut Springs
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Walnut Springs is located in Ellis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walnut Springs
- Garrett
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Garrett is located in Ellis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garrett
- Population from the 2020 Census: 891 people
- Bardwell
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Palmer
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Freestone County
- The following are listed by their distance from Tool, with the one closest to Tool listed first.
- Winkler
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Winkler is located in Freestone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winkler
- Streetman
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Kaufman County
- The following are listed by their distance from Tool, with the one closest to Tool listed first.
- Mabank
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Tolosa
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Tolosa is located in Kaufman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tolosa
- Styx
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Styx is located in Kaufman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Styx
- Stubbs
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Stubbs is located in Kaufman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stubbs
- Kemp
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Prairieville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Prairieville is located in Kaufman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prairieville
- Becker
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Becker is located in Kaufman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Becker
- Grays Prairie
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Grays Prairie is located in Kaufman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grays Prairie
- Population from the 2020 Census: 388 people
- Cottonwood
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Cottonwood is located in Kaufman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cottonwood
- Population from the 2020 Census: 209 people
- Oak Grove
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Oak Grove is located in Kaufman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Grove
- Population from the 2020 Census: 704 people
- Ola
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Ola is located in Kaufman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ola
- Rosser
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Navarro County
- The following are listed by their distance from Tool, with the one closest to Tool listed first.
- Bazette
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Bazette is located in Navarro County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bazette
- Kerens
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Goodlow
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- 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
- Roane
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Roane is located in Navarro County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roane
- Powell
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Powell is located in Navarro County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Powell
- Population from the 2020 Census: 149 people
- Chatfield
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Elm Flat
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Elm Flat is located in Navarro County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elm Flat
- Tupelo
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Tupelo is located in Navarro County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tupelo
- Mildred
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Mildred is located in Navarro County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mildred
- Population from the 2020 Census: 400 people
- Eureka
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Eureka is located in Navarro County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eureka
- Population from the 2020 Census: 315 people
- Rice
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Corsicana
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Van Zandt County
- The following are listed by their distance from Tool, with the one closest to Tool listed first.
- Tundra
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Tundra is located in Van Zandt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tundra
- Canton
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Myrtle Springs
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Myrtle Springs is located in Van Zandt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Myrtle Springs
- Ben Wheeler
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Tool, see our County-by-County Page for Tool.
Cemeteries Near Tool ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Tool.
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 Tool - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Tool covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Tool, with the one closest to Tool listed first.
- Mason Ranch Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- King Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Prairie Point Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prairie Point Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Prairie Point Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located 5 miles [8 km]<2> to the northwest of Kerens.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #304780 <3>
- Baker Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Mabank Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Clear Creek Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Ware Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Shiloh Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Guthrie Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Samarie Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Stean Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Steen Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Steen Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Steen Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located less than 2 miles<2> to the west of Malakoff.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2171619 <3>
- Continue List (142 more) ...
- Payne Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Goshen Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Berry Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 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>
While we didn't find Tool in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Tool.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Tool, with the one closest to Tool listed first.
- Payne Springs
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Payne Springs is located in Henderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Payne Springs
- Population from the 2020 Census: 756 people
- Tolosa
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Tolosa is located in Kaufman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tolosa
- Bazette
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Bazette is located in Navarro County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bazette
- Kerens
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Trinidad
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Malakoff
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Stubbs
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Stubbs is located in Kaufman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stubbs
- Kemp
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Roddy
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Roddy is located in Van Zandt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roddy
- Powell
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Powell is located in Navarro County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Powell
- Population from the 2020 Census: 149 people
- Prairieville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Prairieville is located in Kaufman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prairieville
- Chatfield
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Continue List (13 more) ...
- Rural Shade
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Rural Shade is located in Navarro County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rural Shade
- Wise
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Wise is located in Van Zandt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wise
- Eureka
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Eureka is located in Navarro County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eureka
- Population from the 2020 Census: 315 people
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Tool. See our List of 1890's Communities around Tool.
Newspapers Published in Tool ...
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 65 newspapers that have been published in the area around Tool.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Tool, 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 Tool.
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 Tool:
- Websites specific to Texas
- Pages specific to Henderson County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Anderson County
- Dallas County
- Ellis County
- Freestone County
- Kaufman County
- Navarro County
- Van Zandt 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 obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Tool) 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 Tool, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |