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 Wood Forest (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 Wood Forest. 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 Wood Forest ...
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 Wood Forest: Wood Frst.
You might be interested in other communities that are also named Wood Forest. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Wood Forest.
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 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.
Wood Forest is located in Harris 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 Harris County: Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, Liberty, Montgomery & Waller.
Below are the counties that are near Wood Forest. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Wood Forest:
- Harris County (The home county of Wood Forest)
- The following are listed by their distance from Wood Forest, with the one closest to Wood Forest listed first.
- Winterwood Village
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Winterwood Village is located in Harris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winterwood Village
- Cloverleaf
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Jacinto City
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Galena Park
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Channelview
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Sheldon
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Sheldon is located in Harris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sheldon
- Meadow Creek Village
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Meadow Creek Village is located in Harris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meadow Creek Village
- Pasadena
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Harrisburg
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Harrisburg is located in Harris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harrisburg
- Magnolia Park
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Magnolia Park is located in Harris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Magnolia Park
- Highlands
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Deer Park
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Park Place
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Park Place is located in Harris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Park Place
- Brazoria County
- The following are listed by their distance from Wood Forest, with the one closest to Wood Forest listed first.
- Brookside Village
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Pearland
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Woodcreek
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Woodcreek is located in Brazoria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodcreek
- Westwood Village
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Westwood Village is located in Brazoria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westwood Village
- West Oaks Village
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- West Oaks Village is located in Brazoria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Oaks Village
- Fairway Village
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Fairway Village is located in Brazoria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairway Village
- Manvel
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Alvin
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Iowa Colony
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Iowa Colony is located in Brazoria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Iowa Colony
- Population from the 2020 Census: 4,888 people
- Hillcrest
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Hillcrest is located in Brazoria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hillcrest
- Population from the 2020 Census: 706 people
- Chambers County
- The following are listed by their distance from Wood Forest, with the one closest to Wood Forest listed first.
- Baytown
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Shoreacres
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Shoreacres is located in Chambers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shoreacres
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,578 people
- Mont Belvieu
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Seabrook
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Beach City
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Beach City is located in Chambers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beach City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,825 people
- Old River - Winfree
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Old River - Winfree is located in Chambers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Old River - Winfree
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,453 people
- Cove
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Cove is located in Chambers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cove
- Population from the 2020 Census: 586 people
- Wallisville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Fort Bend County
- The following are listed by their distance from Wood Forest, with the one closest to Wood Forest listed first.
- Fresno
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Missouri City Estates
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Missouri City Estates is located in Fort Bend County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Missouri City Estates
- Stafford
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Arcola
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Fifth Street
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Fifth Street is located in Fort Bend County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fifth Street
- Meadows Place
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Meadows Place is located in Fort Bend County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meadows Place
- Population from the 2020 Census: 4,813 people
- Meadows
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Meadows is located in Fort Bend County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meadows
- Missouri City
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Dewalt
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Dewalt is located in Fort Bend County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dewalt
- Hawdon
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Hawdon is located in Fort Bend County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hawdon
- Hawdon has also been known as:
- Hawdon Junction
- Trammels
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Trammels is located in Fort Bend County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trammels
- Mission Bend
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Mission Bend is located in Fort Bend County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mission Bend
- Town West
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Town West is located in Fort Bend County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Town West
- Galveston County
- The following are listed by their distance from Wood Forest, with the one closest to Wood Forest listed first.
- Quaker Village
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Quaker Village is located in Galveston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Quaker Village
- Friendswood
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Parkwood Village
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Parkwood Village is located in Galveston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parkwood Village
- Clear Lake Shores
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- League City
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- South Shore Village
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- South Shore Village is located in Galveston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Shore Village
- Carmel Village
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Carmel Village is located in Galveston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carmel Village
- Kemah
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Bacliff
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Dickinson
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- San Leon
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Arcadia
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Arcadia is located in Galveston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arcadia
- Santa Fe
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Liberty County
- The following are listed by their distance from Wood Forest, with the one closest to Wood Forest listed first.
- Gum Grove
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Gum Grove is located in Liberty County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gum Grove
- Stilson
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Stilson is located in Liberty County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stilson
- Dayton
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Moss Bluff
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Moss Bluff is located in Liberty County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moss Bluff
- Plum Grove
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Plum Grove is located in Liberty County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plum Grove
- Population from the 2020 Census: 756 people
- Kenefick
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Kenefick is located in Liberty County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kenefick
- Population from the 2020 Census: 722 people
- Liberty
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Montgomery County
- The following are listed by their distance from Wood Forest, with the one closest to Wood Forest listed first.
- Porter
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- New Caney
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Porter Heights
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Porter Heights is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Porter Heights
- Roman Forest
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Roman Forest is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roman Forest
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,035 people
- Woodbranch
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Woodbranch is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodbranch
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,498 people
- Patton Village
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Patton Village is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Patton Village
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,207 people
- Oak Ridge North
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Chateau Woods
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Chateau Woods is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chateau Woods
- Sleepy Hollow
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Sleepy Hollow is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sleepy Hollow
- Splendora
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Shenandoah
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- The Woodlands
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Wood Forest, see our County-by-County Page for Wood Forest.
Cemeteries Near Wood Forest ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Wood Forest.
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 Wood Forest - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Wood Forest covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Wood Forest, with the one closest to Wood Forest listed first.
- San Jacinto Memorial Park
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Harris County Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Hart - Magee - Oates - Singleton Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hart - Magee - Oates - Singleton Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Hart - Magee - Oates - Singleton Cemetery is located in Houston.
- The Hart - Magee - Oates - Singleton Cemetery has also been known as:
- Oates Prairie Cemetery
- Oates - Singleton Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2134356 <2>
- Glendale Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- DeZavalla Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Jackson Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Harrington Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Evergreen Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Forest Park Lawndale Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Golden Gate Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Golden Gate Cemetery
- The Golden Gate Cemetery has also been known as:
- Oak Park Cemetery
- Paradise Golden Gate Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #261357 <2>
- Westcott Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- St. Vincent Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Continue List (142 more) ...
- Betheny Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Crosby Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Sacred Heart Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
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 Wood Forest in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Wood Forest.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Wood Forest, with the one closest to Wood Forest listed first.
- Red Bluff
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Red Bluff is located in Harris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Bluff
- Sheldon
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Sheldon is located in Harris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sheldon
- Magnolia Park
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Magnolia Park is located in Harris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Magnolia Park
- Harrisburg
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Harrisburg is located in Harris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harrisburg
- Lynchburg
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Lynchburg is located in Harris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lynchburg
- Houston
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Genoa
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Genoa is located in Harris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Genoa
- Crosby
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Pierce Junction
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Pierce Junction is located in Harris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pierce Junction
- Humble
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Aldine
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Cedar Bayou
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Cedar Bayou is located in Harris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar Bayou
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Huffman
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Mont Belvieu
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Piney Point Village
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Piney Point Village is located in Harris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Piney Point Village
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,416 people
- Piney Point Village has also been known as:
- Piney Point
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Piney Point Village <1>
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Wood Forest. See our List of 1890's Communities around Wood Forest.
Newspapers Published in Wood Forest ...
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 248 newspapers that have been published in the area around Wood Forest.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Wood Forest, there are papers which were published within 9 miles [14.5 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Wood Forest.
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 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 Wood Forest:
- Websites specific to Texas
- Pages specific to Harris County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Brazoria County
- Chambers County
- Fort Bend County
- Galveston County
- Liberty County
- Montgomery 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 Wood Forest, 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 obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Wood Forest) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |