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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 Vaughan (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 Vaughan. 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 doctors 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.

Vaughan is located in Hill 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 Hill County: Bosque, Ellis, Johnson, Limestone, McLennan & Navarro.

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

  • Hill County     (The home county of Vaughan)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Vaughan, with the one closest to Vaughan listed first.
    • Chatt
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
      • Chatt is located in Hill County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chatt
    • Peoria
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
      • Peoria is located in Hill County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peoria
    • Aquilla
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
    • Abbott
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
    • Hillsboro
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
    • Tyson
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Tyson is located in Hill County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tyson
    • Whitney
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
    • Bynum
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
    • Lovelace
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
      • Lovelace is located in Hill County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lovelace
    • Carl's Corner
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
      • Carl's Corner is located in Hill County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carl's Corner
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 199 people
    • Huron ‑ Historic
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Huron is located in Hill County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Huron
    • Penelope
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
    • Brandon
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
  • Bosque County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Vaughan, with the one closest to Vaughan listed first.
    • Laguna Park
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
    • Greenock
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Greenock is located in Bosque County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenock
    • Cayote
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Cayote is located in Bosque County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cayote
    • Womack
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
      • Womack is located in Bosque County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Womack
    • Lakeside Village
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
      • Lakeside Village is located in Bosque County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakeside Village
    • Kimball
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Kimball is located in Bosque County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kimball
    • Kopperl
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Valley Mills
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Clifton
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
    • Morgan
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
    • Meridian
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
  • Ellis County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Vaughan, with the one closest to Vaughan listed first.
    • Milford
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
    • Italy
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Auburn
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
      • Auburn is located in Ellis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Auburn
    • Maypearl
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
    • Forreston
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Avalon
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Boz
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Boz is located in Ellis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boz
  • Johnson County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Vaughan, with the one closest to Vaughan listed first.
    • Parker
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
      • Parker is located in Johnson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parker
    • Grandview
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
    • Rio Vista
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Cuba
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
      • Cuba is located in Johnson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cuba
  • Limestone County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Vaughan, with the one closest to Vaughan listed first.
    • Watt
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Watt is located in Limestone County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Watt
    • Delia ‑ Historic
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Delia is located in Limestone County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Delia
    • Prairie Hill
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
  • McLennan County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Vaughan, with the one closest to Vaughan listed first.
    • West
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
      • West is located in McLennan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,969 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for West <1>
    • Ross
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
      • Ross is located in McLennan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ross
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 272 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Ross <1>
    • Tours
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Tours is located in McLennan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tours
    • Gholson
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
      • Gholson is located in McLennan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gholson
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,127 people
    • Leroy
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Patrick
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
      • Patrick is located in McLennan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Patrick
    • Elm Mott
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
    • Rock Creek
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
      • Rock Creek is located in McLennan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock Creek
    • Northcrest
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
      • Northcrest is located in McLennan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Northcrest
    • China Spring
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Lacy - Lakeview
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
    • Bosqueville
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
      • Bosqueville is located in McLennan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bosqueville
    • Axtell
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
  • Navarro County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Vaughan, with the one closest to Vaughan listed first.
    • Frost
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
    • Dawson
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
    • Spring Hill
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
      • Spring Hill is located in Navarro County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spring Hill
    • Navarro Mills
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
      • Navarro Mills is located in Navarro County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Navarro Mills
    • Dresden
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
      • Dresden is located in Navarro County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dresden
    • Blooming Grove
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)

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

Cemeteries Near Vaughan ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Vaughan.

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

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

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

  • Vaughan Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
  • Hickey Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
  • Fatima Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fatima Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Fatima Cemetery is located less than 2 miles<2> to the northwest of Abbott.
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #3561 <3>
  • Yates Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
  • Hillcrest Garden of Memory Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Scotts Chapel Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • Jessie Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
  • Peoria Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
  • National Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Abbott Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
  • Park Ridge Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
  • Ridge Park Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
  • Continue List   (154 more) ...

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 in 1895, Vaughan had a post office and no railroad service.

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

  • Aquilla
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Peoria
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
    • Peoria is located in Hill County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peoria
  • Abbott
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
  • Hillsboro
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
  • Tyson
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Tyson is located in Hill County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tyson
  • West
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
    • West is located in McLennan County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,969 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for West <1>
  • Woodbury
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
    • Woodbury is located in Hill County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodbury
  • Whitney
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
  • Bynum
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
  • Ross
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
    • Ross is located in McLennan County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ross
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 272 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Ross <1>
  • Greenock
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Greenock is located in Bosque County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenock
  • Gholson
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
    • Gholson is located in McLennan County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gholson
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,127 people
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Osceola
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
      • Osceola is located in Hill County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Osceola
    • Brandon
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Blanton
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Blanton is located in Hill County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blanton

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

Newspapers Published in Vaughan ...

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 139 newspapers that have been published in the area around Vaughan.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Vaughan, 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 Vaughan.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we first turn to the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These professional and volunteer 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 Vaughan:

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 'point-to-point' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Vaughan) 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 Vaughan, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.