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 Wakefield (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 Wakefield. 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 doctors and hospitals 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.
Wakefield is located in Polk 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 Polk County: Angelina, Hardin, Liberty, San Jacinto, Trinity & Tyler.
Below are the counties that are near Wakefield. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Wakefield:
- Polk County (The home county of Wakefield)
- The following are listed by their distance from Wakefield, with the one closest to Wakefield listed first.
- Skinner Town
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Skinner Town is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Skinner Town
- Corrigan
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Moscow
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Camden
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Barnum
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Barnum is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barnum
- Lily Island
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Lily Island is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lily Island
- Barnes
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Barnes is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barnes
- Seven Oaks
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Seven Oaks is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seven Oaks
- Population from the 2020 Census: 131 people
- Leggett
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Bold Springs
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Bold Springs is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bold Springs
- New Willard
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- New Willard is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Willard
- Onalaska
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Angelina County
- The following are listed by their distance from Wakefield, with the one closest to Wakefield listed first.
- Rutland
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Rutland is located in Angelina County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rutland
- Diboll
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Shady Grove
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Shady Grove is located in Angelina County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shady Grove
- Prairie Grove
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Prairie Grove is located in Angelina County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prairie Grove
- Burke
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Burke is located in Angelina County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burke
- Population from the 2020 Census: 727 people
- Blix
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Blix is located in Angelina County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blix
- Beulah
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Beulah is located in Angelina County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beulah
- Granville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Granville is located in Angelina County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Granville
- Peavy
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Peavy is located in Angelina County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peavy
- Bald Hill
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Bald Hill is located in Angelina County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bald Hill
- Hudson
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Hudson is located in Angelina County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hudson
- Population from the 2020 Census: 5,288 people
- Providence
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Providence is located in Angelina County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Providence
- Cherokee County
- The following are listed by their distance from Wakefield, with the one closest to Wakefield listed first.
- Wells
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Forest
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Forest is located in Cherokee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest
- Houston County
- The following are listed by their distance from Wakefield, with the one closest to Wakefield listed first.
- Hagerville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Hagerville is located in Houston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hagerville
- Fog Town
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Fog Town is located in Houston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fog Town
- Ratcliff
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Kennard
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Holly
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Holly is located in Houston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holly
- Harrison Town
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Harrison Town is located in Houston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harrison Town
- Tadmor
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Tadmor is located in Houston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tadmor
- Nacogdoches County
- Etoile
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Trinity County
- The following are listed by their distance from Wakefield, with the one closest to Wakefield listed first.
- Helmic
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Helmic is located in Trinity County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Helmic
- Apple Springs
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Woodlake
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Woodlake is located in Trinity County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodlake
- Sumpter ‑ Historic
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Sumpter is located in Trinity County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sumpter
- Lacy
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Lacy is located in Trinity County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lacy
- Lacy has also been known as:
- Lacey
- Centralia
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Groveton
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Center Point ‑ Historic
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Center Point is located in Trinity County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Center Point
- Chita
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Chita is located in Trinity County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chita
- Pennington
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Friday
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Friday is located in Trinity County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Friday
- Carlisle
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Carlisle is located in Trinity County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carlisle
- Tyler County
- The following are listed by their distance from Wakefield, with the one closest to Wakefield listed first.
- Peach Tree Village
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Peach Tree Village is located in Tyler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peach Tree Village
- Chester
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Colmesneil
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Doucette
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Wakefield, see our County-by-County Page for Wakefield.
Cemeteries Near Wakefield ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Wakefield.
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 Wakefield - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Wakefield covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Wakefield, with the one closest to Wakefield listed first.
- Emporia Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Emporia Cemetery
- The Emporia Cemetery has also been known as:
- Anthony Cemetery
- Pleasant View Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #6087 <2>
- Wagner Hill Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Wagner Hill Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Abbott Springs Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Abbott Springs Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Knox Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Stryker Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Stryker Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Ryan Chapel Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Mt. Zion Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Carmona Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- McCarty Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Continue List (163 more) ...
- Burch Cemetery
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Grimes Cemetery
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Dubose Cemetery
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
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>
While we didn't find Wakefield in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Wakefield.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Wakefield, with the one closest to Wakefield listed first.
- Asia
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Asia is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Asia
- Corrigan
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Burke
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Burke is located in Angelina County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burke
- Population from the 2020 Census: 727 people
- Carmona
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Carmona is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carmona
- Apple Springs
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Moscow
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Barnum
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Barnum is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barnum
- Josserand
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Josserand is located in Trinity County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Josserand
- Centralia
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Seven Oaks
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Seven Oaks is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seven Oaks
- Population from the 2020 Census: 131 people
- Homer
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Homer is located in Angelina County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Homer
- Lufkin
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Continue List (17 more) ...
- Groveton
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Colita
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Colita is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colita
- Chester
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Wakefield. See our List of 1890's Communities around Wakefield.
Newspapers Published in Wakefield ...
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 33 newspapers that have been published in the area around Wakefield.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Wakefield, there are papers which were published within 28 miles [45.1 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Wakefield.
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 Wakefield:
- Websites specific to Texas
- Pages specific to Polk County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Angelina County
- Cherokee County
- Houston County
- Nacogdoches County
- Trinity County
- Tyler 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> | 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 Wakefield, 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 things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Wakefield) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |