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 West Mineola (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 West Mineola. 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 West Mineola ...
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.
For example, a typical abbreviation for West Mineola: W. Mineola
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 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.
West Mineola is located in Wood 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 Wood County: Franklin, Hopkins, Rains, Smith, Upshur & Van Zandt.
Below are the counties that are near West Mineola. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to West Mineola:
- Wood County (The home county of West Mineola)
- The following are listed by their distance from West Mineola, with the one closest to West Mineola listed first.
- Mineola
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Golden
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Hainesville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Hainesville is located in Wood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hainesville
- Quitman
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Alba
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Forest Hill
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Forest Hill is located in Wood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest Hill
- Pine Mills
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Pine Mills is located in Wood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Mills
- Gunter
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Gunter is located in Wood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gunter
- Cartwright
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Cartwright is located in Wood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cartwright
- Coke
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Coke is located in Wood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coke
- Yantis
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Stout
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Stout is located in Wood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stout
- Franklin County
- The following are listed by their distance from West Mineola, with the one closest to West Mineola listed first.
- Winnsboro
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Scroggins
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Henderson County
- The following are listed by their distance from West Mineola, with the one closest to West Mineola listed first.
- Chandler
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Brownsboro
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Murchison
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Hopkins County
- The following are listed by their distance from West Mineola, with the one closest to West Mineola listed first.
- Black Oak
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Black Oak is located in Hopkins County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Black Oak
- Bonanza
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Pickton
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Como
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Tazewell
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Tazewell is located in Hopkins County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tazewell
- Divide
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Divide is located in Hopkins County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Divide
- Miller Grove
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Rains County
- The following are listed by their distance from West Mineola, with the one closest to West Mineola listed first.
- Emory
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Flats
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Flats is located in Rains County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flats
- Point
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- East Tawakoni
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- East Tawakoni is located in Rains County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Tawakoni
- Population from the 2020 Census: 991 people
- Smith County
- The following are listed by their distance from West Mineola, with the one closest to West Mineola listed first.
- Jamestown
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Jamestown is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jamestown
- Garden Valley
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Garden Valley is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garden Valley
- Carroll
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Carroll is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carroll
- Hideaway
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Hideaway is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hideaway
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,208 people
- Lindale
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Red Springs
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Red Springs is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Springs
- Swan
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Swan is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Swan
- Winona
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Tyler
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Starrville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Starrville is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Starrville
- Noonday
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Noonday is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Noonday
- Population from the 2020 Census: 722 people
- Upshur County
- The following are listed by their distance from West Mineola, with the one closest to West Mineola listed first.
- Rhonesboro
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Rhonesboro is located in Upshur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rhonesboro
- Big Sandy
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Grice
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Grice is located in Upshur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grice
- Rosewood
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Rosewood is located in Upshur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rosewood
- Kelsey
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Kelsey is located in Upshur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kelsey
- Piney Grove
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Piney Grove is located in Upshur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Piney Grove
- Center Point
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Center Point is located in Upshur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Center Point
- Pritchett
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Pritchett is located in Upshur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pritchett
- Simpsonville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Simpsonville is located in Upshur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Simpsonville
- Thomas
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Thomas is located in Upshur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thomas
- Wilkins
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Wilkins is located in Upshur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilkins
- Van Zandt County
- The following are listed by their distance from West Mineola, with the one closest to West Mineola listed first.
- Grand Saline
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Van
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Van is located in Van Zandt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Van
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,778 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Van <1>
- Fruitvale
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Ben Wheeler
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Edom
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Canton
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Edgewood
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Myrtle Springs
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Myrtle Springs is located in Van Zandt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Myrtle Springs
- Tundra
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Tundra is located in Van Zandt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tundra
- Wills Point
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to West Mineola, see our County-by-County Page for West Mineola.
Cemeteries Near West Mineola ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of West Mineola.
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 West Mineola - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for West Mineola covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from West Mineola, with the one closest to West Mineola listed first.
- Green & Ford Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Cedars Memorial Gardens
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Roselawn Memorial Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Dickerson Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Providence Baptist Church Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Rockfield Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Erwin Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Jamestown Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Bowman Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bowman Cemetery
- The Bowman Cemetery has also been known as:
- Village Creek Cemetery
- Flewellen Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Flewellen Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- New Hope Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Continue List (203 more) ...
- Padgett Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Dumas Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Bunkley Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
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 West Mineola in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of West Mineola.
These communities are listed based on their distance from West Mineola, with the one closest to West Mineola listed first.
- Mineola
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Golden
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Silver Lake
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Silver Lake is located in Van Zandt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Silver Lake
- Jamestown
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Jamestown is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jamestown
- Quitman
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Pruitt
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Pruitt is located in Van Zandt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pruitt
- Garden Valley
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Garden Valley is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garden Valley
- Alba
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Grand Saline
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Carroll
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Carroll is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carroll
- Pine Mills
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Pine Mills is located in Wood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Mills
- Mount Sylvan
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Mount Sylvan is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Sylvan
- Continue List (13 more) ...
- Lindale
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Colfax
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Colfax is located in Van Zandt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colfax
- Yantis
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around West Mineola. See our List of 1890's Communities around West Mineola.
Newspapers Published in West Mineola ...
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 39 newspapers that have been published in the area around West Mineola.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of West Mineola, there are papers which were published within 28 miles [45.1 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for West Mineola.
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 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 West Mineola:
- Websites specific to Texas
- Pages specific to Wood County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Franklin County
- Henderson County
- Hopkins County
- Rains County
- Smith County
- Upshur 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> | 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> | 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 from Point A (ie- West Mineola) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |
| <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 West Mineola, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |