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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 Wilmer (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 Wilmer. 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 southwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most hospitals and doctors were in the next county to the west. 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 west 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.

Wilmer is located in Dallas 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 Dallas County: Collin, Denton, Ellis, Kaufman, Rockwall & Tarrant.

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

  • Dallas County     (The home county of Wilmer)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Wilmer, with the one closest to Wilmer listed first.
    • Hutchins
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Ferris
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
    • Lancaster
      (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
    • Kleberg
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Kleberg is located in Dallas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kleberg
    • Seagoville
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
    • Balch Springs
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Lawson
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Lawson is located in Dallas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lawson
    • Lisbon ‑ Historic
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Lisbon is located in Dallas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lisbon
    • Combine
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
      • Combine is located in Dallas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Combine
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,537 people
    • DeSoto
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
    • Glenn Heights
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
    • Sargent
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Sargent is located in Dallas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sargent
  • Collin County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Wilmer, with the one closest to Wilmer listed first.
    • Sachse
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
    • Plano
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
      • Plano is located in Collin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plano
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 291,296 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Plano <1>
    • Murphy
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
    • Carrollton
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Ellis County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Wilmer, with the one closest to Wilmer listed first.
    • Walnut Springs
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Walnut Springs is located in Ellis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walnut Springs
    • Pecan Hill
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Pecan Hill is located in Ellis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pecan Hill
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 714 people
    • Red Oak
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Oak Leaf
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Oak Leaf is located in Ellis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Leaf
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,498 people
    • Palmer
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
    • Bristol
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Bristol is located in Ellis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bristol
    • Sterrett
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Sterrett is located in Ellis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sterrett
    • Ike
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
      • Ike is located in Ellis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ike
    • Crisp
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Crisp is located in Ellis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crisp
    • Boyce
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
      • Boyce is located in Ellis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boyce
    • Garrett
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
      • Garrett is located in Ellis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garrett
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 891 people
    • Waxahachie
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Johnson County
  • Kaufman County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Wilmer, with the one closest to Wilmer listed first.
    • Crandall
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
    • Forney
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Rosser
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Talty
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
      • Talty is located in Kaufman County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Talty
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,883 people
    • Scurry
      (18 miles [29 km] to the east)
    • Lone Star
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
      • Lone Star is located in Kaufman County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lone Star
    • Cottonwood
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Cottonwood is located in Kaufman County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cottonwood
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 209 people
    • Heath
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Heath is located in Kaufman County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Heath
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 9,718 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Heath <1>
    • Kaufman
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
    • Oak Grove
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
      • Oak Grove is located in Kaufman County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Grove
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 704 people
    • Post Oak Bend City
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
      • Post Oak Bend City is located in Kaufman County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Post Oak Bend City
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 626 people
    • Grays Prairie
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Grays Prairie is located in Kaufman County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grays Prairie
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 388 people
  • Navarro County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Wilmer, with the one closest to Wilmer listed first.
    • Rice
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Rice is located in Navarro County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rice
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 983 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Rice <1>
    • Chatfield
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Emhouse
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
      • Emhouse is located in Navarro County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Emhouse
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 154 people
    • Tupelo
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Tupelo is located in Navarro County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tupelo
  • Rockwall County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Wilmer, with the one closest to Wilmer listed first.
    • McLendon - Chisholm
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
      • McLendon - Chisholm is located in Rockwall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McLendon - Chisholm
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,815 people
    • Rockwall
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Mobile City
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Mobile City is located in Rockwall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mobile City
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 208 people
    • Blackland
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Blackland is located in Rockwall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blackland
    • Fate
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Fate is located in Rockwall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fate
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 17,434 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Fate <1>
  • Tarrant County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Wilmer, with the one closest to Wilmer listed first.
    • Arlington
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
    • Johnsons Station
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
      • Johnsons Station is located in Tarrant County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Johnsons Station
    • University Park Village
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
    • Euless
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Dalworthington Gardens
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
    • Pantego
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
    • Minters Chapel ‑ Historic
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Minters Chapel is located in Tarrant County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Minters Chapel

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

Cemeteries Near Wilmer ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Wilmer.

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

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

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

  • Trinity Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the east)
  • Carver Memorial Park
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
  • Edgewood Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
  • Ferris Park Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
  • Old Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • Pruitt Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Bluff Springs Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • Lincoln Memorial Park
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
  • Sand Branch Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Rawlins Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
  • Douglas Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
  • Norman Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
  • Continue List   (197 more) ...
    • Walnut Springs Cemetery
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Lee Cemetery
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Samuell - Crawford Memorial Park
      (8 miles [12.9 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.<2>

The Rand McNally Atlas shows that in 1895, Wilmer had a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Wilmer had a population of 5,444 people.

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

  • Hutchins
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
  • Ferris
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • Lancaster
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
  • Kleberg
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Kleberg is located in Dallas County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kleberg
  • Rylie
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
    • Rylie is located in Dallas County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rylie
  • Seagoville
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
  • Red Oak
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
  • Lisbon ‑ Historic
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Lisbon is located in Dallas County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lisbon
  • DeSoto
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
  • Palmer
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
  • Bristol
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Bristol is located in Ellis County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bristol
  • Ovilla
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Sterrett
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Sterrett is located in Ellis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sterrett
    • Crandall
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
    • Duncanville
      (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 Wilmer. See our List of 1890's Communities around Wilmer.

Newspapers Published in Wilmer ...

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 302 newspapers that have been published in the area around Wilmer.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Wilmer, there are papers which were published within 26 miles [41.8 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Wilmer.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we begin with the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These websites either 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 Wilmer:

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>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 Wilmer, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.
<3>Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Wilmer) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.