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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 Watsonville (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 Watsonville. 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 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.

Watsonville is located in Tarrant 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 Tarrant County: Dallas, Denton, Ellis, Johnson, Parker & Wise.

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

  • Tarrant County     (The home county of Watsonville)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Watsonville, with the one closest to Watsonville listed first.
    • Johnsons Station
      (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
      • Johnsons Station is located in Tarrant County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Johnsons Station
    • Kennedale
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
    • Dalworthington Gardens
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
    • Rendon
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
      • Rendon is located in Tarrant County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rendon
    • Pantego
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
    • University Park Village
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
    • Retta
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Retta is located in Tarrant County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Retta
    • Arlington
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
    • Forest Hill
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Everman
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
    • Oak Grove
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
      • Oak Grove is located in Tarrant County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Grove
    • Edgecliff Village
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
      • Edgecliff Village is located in Tarrant County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edgecliff Village
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,012 people
    • Fort Worth
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
  • Collin County
    • Carrollton
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Dallas County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Watsonville, with the one closest to Watsonville listed first.
    • Cedar Hill
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
    • Grand Prairie
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Duncanville
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
    • Shamrock
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
      • Shamrock is located in Dallas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shamrock
    • Ovilla
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
    • DeSoto
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
    • Glenn Heights
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
    • Cockrell Hill
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Sowers ‑ Historic
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Sowers is located in Dallas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sowers
    • Eagle Ford
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Eagle Ford is located in Dallas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eagle Ford
    • Jimtown Junction ‑ Historic
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Jimtown Junction is located in Dallas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jimtown Junction
      • Jimtown Junction has also been known as:
      • Jim Town Junction
    • Oak Cliff
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Oak Cliff is located in Dallas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Cliff
    • Estelle
      (18 miles [29 km] to the north)
      • Estelle is located in Dallas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Estelle
  • Denton County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Watsonville, with the one closest to Watsonville listed first.
    • Southlake
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
    • Westlake
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
    • Roanoke
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
    • Trophy Club
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
    • Flower Mound
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
    • Marshall Creek
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
      • Marshall Creek is located in Denton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marshall Creek
    • Elizabethtown
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
      • Elizabethtown is located in Denton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elizabethtown
    • Double Oak
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
  • Ellis County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Watsonville, with the one closest to Watsonville listed first.
    • Mansfield
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
    • Britton
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
      • Britton is located in Ellis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Britton
    • Venus
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
    • Midlothian
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Oak Leaf
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
      • Oak Leaf is located in Ellis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Leaf
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,498 people
    • Red Oak
      (18 miles [29 km] to the east)
    • Sardis
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
      • Sardis is located in Ellis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sardis
    • Sterrett
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Sterrett is located in Ellis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sterrett
    • Pecan Hill
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
      • Pecan Hill is located in Ellis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pecan Hill
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 714 people
    • Auburn
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
      • Auburn is located in Ellis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Auburn
    • Maypearl
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
    • Waxahachie
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Boz
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Boz is located in Ellis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boz
  • Hood County
    • Cresson
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
  • Johnson County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Watsonville, with the one closest to Watsonville listed first.
    • Lillian
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Briaroaks
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Briaroaks is located in Johnson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Briaroaks
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 506 people
    • Burleson
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Crowley
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
    • Cross Timber
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Cross Timber is located in Johnson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cross Timber
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 315 people
    • Egan
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Egan is located in Johnson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Egan
    • Alvarado
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
    • Joshua
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Keene
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
      • Keene is located in Johnson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keene
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 6,588 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Keene <1>
    • Coyote Flats
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Coyote Flats is located in Johnson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coyote Flats
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 368 people
    • Cuba
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
      • Cuba is located in Johnson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cuba
    • Cleburne
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
    • Grandview
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
  • Parker County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Watsonville, with the one closest to Watsonville listed first.
    • Aledo
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
    • Azle
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Azle is located in Parker County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Azle
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 13,607 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Azle <1>

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

Cemeteries Near Watsonville ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Watsonville.

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

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

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

  • Rehoboth Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the north)
  • Grimsley Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
  • Cedar Hill Memorial Park
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
  • Calvary Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Calvary Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Calvary Cemetery is located in Mansfield.
    • The Calvary Cemetery has also been known as:
    • St. Jude's Catholic Church Cemetery
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2705 <2>
  • Cope Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Estes Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
  • Estes Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
  • Hawkins Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
  • Hudson Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
  • Skyvue Memorial Gardens
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Tate Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
  • Walnut Creek Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Continue List   (176 more) ...
    • Everman Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
    • Pleasant Valley Cemetery
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Handley 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.<3>

While we didn't find Watsonville in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Watsonville.

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

  • Mansfield
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
  • Johnsons Station
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
    • Johnsons Station is located in Tarrant County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Johnsons Station
  • Kennedale
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
  • Rendon
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
    • Rendon is located in Tarrant County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rendon
  • Arlington
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
  • Oak Grove
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
    • Oak Grove is located in Tarrant County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Grove
  • Pleasant Point
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Pleasant Point is located in Johnson County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Point
  • Handley
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Handley is located in Tarrant County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Handley
  • Ederville
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Ederville is located in Tarrant County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ederville
  • Cedar Hill
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
  • Burleson
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Venus
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
  • Continue List   (13 more) ...
    • Midlothian
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Grand Prairie
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Crowley
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)

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

Newspapers Published in Watsonville ...

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 42 newspapers that have been published in the area around Watsonville.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Watsonville, there are papers which were published within 25 miles [40.2 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Watsonville.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we start with 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 Watsonville:

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 Watsonville, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.
<4>Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a '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- Watsonville) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.