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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 Willow Spring (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 Willow Spring. 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 Willow Spring ...

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.

Although we can't give a definitive list, hopefully the following will give you a feel for the variations that might occur.

Another variation: Willowspring.

  • A typical abbreviation for Willow Spring: Willow Spg. (or less commonly used: Willow Spng. or Willow Sprng.)

You might be interested in other communities that are also named Willow Spring. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Willow Spring.

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 southeast 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 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.

Willow Spring is located in Grayson 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 Grayson County: Bryan (OK), Love (OK), Marshall (OK), Collin, Cooke, Denton & Fannin.

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

  • Grayson County     (The home county of Willow Spring)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Willow Spring, with the one closest to Willow Spring listed first.
    • Locust
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Locust is located in Grayson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Locust
    • Pottsboro
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
    • Cedar Mills
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
      • Cedar Mills is located in Grayson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar Mills
    • Sherwood Shores
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Sherwood Shores is located in Grayson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sherwood Shores
    • Basin Springs
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Basin Springs is located in Grayson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Basin Springs
    • Gordonville
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
    • Gage
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
      • Gage is located in Grayson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gage
    • Sadler
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Sandusky
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
      • Sandusky is located in Grayson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sandusky
    • Frontier Village
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
      • Frontier Village is located in Grayson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frontier Village
    • Preston
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Preston is located in Grayson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Preston
    • Knollwood
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Knollwood is located in Grayson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Knollwood
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 503 people
  • Collin County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Willow Spring, with the one closest to Willow Spring listed first.
    • Van Alstyne
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
    • Mantua ‑ Historic
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
      • Mantua is located in Collin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mantua
    • Weston
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
    • Sedalia
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Sedalia is located in Collin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sedalia
  • Cooke County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Willow Spring, with the one closest to Willow Spring listed first.
    • Dexter
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
      • Dexter is located in Cooke County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dexter
    • Callisburg
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
      • Callisburg is located in Cooke County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Callisburg
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 367 people
    • Coesfield
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
      • Coesfield is located in Cooke County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coesfield
    • Custer City ‑ Historic
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
      • Custer City is located in Cooke County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Custer City
    • Oak Ridge
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Oak Ridge is located in Cooke County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Ridge
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 255 people
    • Lake Kiowa
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Gainesville
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Burns City
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Burns City is located in Cooke County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burns City
    • Bloomfield
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Bloomfield is located in Cooke County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bloomfield
    • Lindsay
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
    • Hemming
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Hemming is located in Cooke County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hemming
  • Denton County
    • Pilot Point
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Fannin County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Willow Spring, with the one closest to Willow Spring listed first.
    • Savoy
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
    • Mulberry
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
      • Mulberry is located in Fannin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mulberry
    • Whitewright
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Ravenna
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
    • Ector
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Bryan County (OK)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Willow Spring, with the one closest to Willow Spring listed first.
    • Cartwright
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Platter
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Colbert
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
      • Colbert is located in Bryan County (OK)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colbert
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,268 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Colbert <1>
    • Hendrix
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
    • Achille
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
    • Mead
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Mead is located in Bryan County (OK)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mead
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 260 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Mead <1>
    • Calera
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Calera is located in Bryan County (OK)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Calera
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,414 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Calera <1>
    • Kemp
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
      • Kemp is located in Bryan County (OK)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kemp
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 156 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Kemp <1>
    • Silo
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
      • Silo is located in Bryan County (OK)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Silo
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 370 people
    • Durant
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Durant is located in Bryan County (OK)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Durant
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 19,157 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Durant <1>
    • Yarnaby
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
      • Yarnaby is located in Bryan County (OK)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yarnaby
    • Armstrong
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Armstrong is located in Bryan County (OK)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Armstrong
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 111 people
  • Johnston County (OK)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Willow Spring, with the one closest to Willow Spring listed first.
    • Bee
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
      • Bee is located in Johnston County (OK)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bee
    • Mannsville
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
  • Love County (OK)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Willow Spring, with the one closest to Willow Spring listed first.
    • Thackerville
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
    • Marietta
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
    • Overbrook
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Marshall County (OK)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Willow Spring, with the one closest to Willow Spring listed first.
    • Shay
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
      • Shay is located in Marshall County (OK)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shay
    • McBride
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
      • McBride is located in Marshall County (OK)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McBride
    • New Woodville
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
      • New Woodville is located in Marshall County (OK)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Woodville
      • Population from the 2010 Census: 132 people
    • Kingston
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
      • Kingston is located in Marshall County (OK)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kingston
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,689 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Kingston <1>
    • Lebanon
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Cumberland
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
      • Cumberland is located in Marshall County (OK)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cumberland
    • Madill
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
      • Madill is located in Marshall County (OK)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Madill
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 4,064 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Madill <1>
    • Little City
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
      • Little City is located in Marshall County (OK)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Little City
    • Oakland
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
      • Oakland is located in Marshall County (OK)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakland
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,161 people

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

Cemeteries Near Willow Spring ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Willow Spring.

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 Willow Spring - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

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 Willow Spring in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Willow Spring.

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

  • Steedham
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
    • Steedham is located in Grayson County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Steedham
  • Cedar Mills
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
    • Cedar Mills is located in Grayson County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar Mills
  • Basin Springs
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Basin Springs is located in Grayson County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Basin Springs
  • Gordonville
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
  • Sadler
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
  • Sandusky
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
    • Sandusky is located in Grayson County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sandusky
  • Preston
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Preston is located in Grayson County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Preston
  • Red Branch
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
    • Red Branch is located in Grayson County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Branch
  • Southmayd
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
  • Ray
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
    • Ray is located in Grayson County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ray
  • Whitesboro
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Sherman
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Denison
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
    • Dexter
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
      • Dexter is located in Cooke County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dexter
    • Balm
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
      • Balm is located in Cooke County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Balm

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

Newspapers Published in Willow Spring ...

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 95 newspapers that have been published in the area around Willow Spring.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Willow Spring, there are papers which were published within 29 miles [46.7 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Willow Spring.

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 Willow Spring:

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 '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- Willow Spring) 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 Willow Spring, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.