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 Columbia (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 Columbia. 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 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 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.
Columbia is primarily located in Monroe County. A portion of Columbia extends into Saint Clair County.
To see how the shape of Illinois' counties may have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.
The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Monroe County: Randolph, Saint Clair, Jefferson (MO), Saint Louis (MO) & Sainte Genevieve (MO).
Below are the counties that are near Columbia. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Columbia:
- Monroe County (The home county of Columbia)
- The following are listed by their distance from Columbia, with the one closest to Columbia listed first.
- Waterloo
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Foster Pond ‑ Historic
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Foster Pond is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Foster Pond
- Valmeyer
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Wartburg
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Wartburg is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wartburg
- Burksville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Burksville is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burksville
- Madonnaville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Madonnaville is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Madonnaville
- Burksville Station
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Burksville Station is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burksville Station
- Monroe City
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Monroe City is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monroe City
- Maeystown
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Hecker
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Chalfin Bridge
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Chalfin Bridge is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chalfin Bridge
- Mitchie
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Mitchie is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mitchie
- Fults
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Clinton County
- The following are listed by their distance from Columbia, with the one closest to Columbia listed first.
- New Baden
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- New Memphis
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Trenton
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Madison County
- The following are listed by their distance from Columbia, with the one closest to Columbia listed first.
- Venice
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Madison
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Newport
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Newport is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newport
- Granite City
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Nameoki
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Nameoki is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nameoki
- Collinsville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Pontoon Beach
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Mitchell
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Mitchell is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mitchell
- Brooks
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Brooks is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brooks
- Maryville
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Glen Carbon
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Poag
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Poag is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Poag
- Troy
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Randolph County
- The following are listed by their distance from Columbia, with the one closest to Columbia listed first.
- Red Bud
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Ruma
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Ruma is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ruma
- Population from the 2020 Census: 300 people
- Prairie du Rocher
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Prairie du Rocher is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prairie du Rocher
- Population from the 2020 Census: 548 people
- Prairie du Rocher has also been known as:
- Prairie du Rocher village
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Prairie du Rocher <1>
- Baldwin
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Modoc
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Modoc is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Modoc
- Evansville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Saint Clair County
- The following are listed by their distance from Columbia, with the one closest to Columbia listed first.
- Dupo
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Dupo is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dupo
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,845 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Dupo <1>
- East Carondelet
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Falling Spring
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Falling Spring is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Falling Spring
- Millstadt
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Imbs
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Imbs is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Imbs
- Cahokia
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Sauget
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Centreville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Centreville is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Centreville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 4,844 people
- Alorton
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Gartside
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Gartside is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gartside
- Smithton
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- East Saint Louis
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Belleville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Franklin County (MO)
- The following are listed by their distance from Columbia, with the one closest to Columbia listed first.
- Pacific
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Pacific is located in Franklin County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pacific
- Population from the 2020 Census: 7,097 people
- Former name for Pacific:
- Franklin
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Pacific <1>
- Catawissa
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Port Royal ‑ Historic
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Port Royal is located in Franklin County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Port Royal
- Jefferson County (MO)
- The following are listed by their distance from Columbia, with the one closest to Columbia listed first.
- Arnold
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Arnold is located in Jefferson County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arnold
- Population from the 2020 Census: 21,145 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Arnold <1>
- Flamm City
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Flamm City is located in Jefferson County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flamm City
- Maxville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Maxville is located in Jefferson County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maxville
- Imperial
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Kimmswick
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Barnhart
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Murphy
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Murphy is located in Jefferson County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Murphy
- Pevely
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Pevely is located in Jefferson County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pevely
- Population from the 2020 Census: 6,001 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Pevely <1>
- Herculaneum
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Otto
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Otto is located in Jefferson County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Otto
- Parkdale
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Parkdale is located in Jefferson County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parkdale
- Population from the 2020 Census: 162 people
- Horine
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Horine is located in Jefferson County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Horine
- High Ridge
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Saint Charles County (MO)
- The following are listed by their distance from Columbia, with the one closest to Columbia listed first.
- Harvester
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- West Alton
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Saint Charles
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Gardnerville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Gardnerville is located in Saint Charles County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gardnerville
- Weldon Spring
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Weldon Spring Heights
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Weldon Spring Heights is located in Saint Charles County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weldon Spring Heights
- Population from the 2020 Census: 90 people
- Saint Louis City (MO)
- The following are listed by their distance from Columbia, with the one closest to Columbia listed first.
- Carondelet
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Carondelet is located in Saint Louis City (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carondelet
- Saint Louis
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Tower Grove
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Tower Grove is located in Saint Louis City (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tower Grove
- Cheltenham
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Cheltenham is located in Saint Louis City (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cheltenham
- University City
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- University City is located in Saint Louis City (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for University City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 34,049 people
- Baden
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Baden is located in Saint Louis City (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Baden
- Saint Louis County (MO)
- The following are listed by their distance from Columbia, with the one closest to Columbia listed first.
- Oakville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Oakville is located in Saint Louis County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakville
- Ivory
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Ivory is located in Saint Louis County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ivory
- Bella Villa
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Bella Villa is located in Saint Louis County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bella Villa
- Population from the 2020 Census: 721 people
- Lemay
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Lemay is located in Saint Louis County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lemay
- Mehlville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Mehlville is located in Saint Louis County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mehlville
- Green Park
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Green Park is located in Saint Louis County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Green Park
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,614 people
- Saint George
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Saint George is located in Saint Louis County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint George
- Estimated population in 2011: 1,336 people
- Mattese
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Mattese is located in Saint Louis County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mattese
- Affton
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Affton is located in Saint Louis County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Affton
- Concord
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Concord is located in Saint Louis County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Concord
- Lakeshire
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Lakeshire is located in Saint Louis County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakeshire
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,385 people
- Wilbur Park
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Wilbur Park is located in Saint Louis County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilbur Park
- Population from the 2020 Census: 466 people
- Grantwood Village
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Grantwood Village is located in Saint Louis County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grantwood Village
- Population from the 2020 Census: 855 people
- Sainte Genevieve County (MO)
- The following are listed by their distance from Columbia, with the one closest to Columbia listed first.
- Brickeys
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Brickeys is located in Sainte Genevieve County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brickeys
- Former names for Brickeys:
- Brickeys Gristmill
- Brickeys Landing
- Needmore
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Needmore is located in Sainte Genevieve County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Needmore
- Clement ‑ Historic
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Clement is located in Sainte Genevieve County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clement
- Kinsey
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Kinsey is located in Sainte Genevieve County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kinsey
- Bloomsdale
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Columbia, see our County-by-County Page for Columbia.
Cemeteries Near Columbia ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Columbia.
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 Columbia - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Columbia covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Columbia, with the one closest to Columbia listed first.
- Palmer Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- St. Pauls Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- City Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Immaculate Conception Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- McConkey Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Shoemaker Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Wilson - Divers Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Baltz Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Kleinschmidt Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- New Hanover Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Gilmore Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Bohnemeier Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Continue List (426 more) ...
- Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Lark Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Odd Fellows Cemetery
(5 miles [8 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>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Columbia had a population of 1,267 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Columbia had a population of 10,627 people.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Columbia, with the one closest to Columbia listed first.
- Millstadt Junction
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Millstadt Junction is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millstadt Junction
- Darmstadt
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Darmstadt is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Darmstadt
- Cliff Cave
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Cliff Cave is located in Saint Louis County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cliff Cave
- New Hanover
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- New Hanover is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Hanover
- Jefferson Barracks
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Jefferson Barracks is located in Saint Louis County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jefferson Barracks
- Oakville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Oakville is located in Saint Louis County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakville
- East Carondelet
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Vulcan
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Vulcan is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vulcan
- Falling Spring
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Falling Spring is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Falling Spring
- Ivory
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Ivory is located in Saint Louis County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ivory
- White House
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- White House is located in Saint Louis County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White House
- Millstadt
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Continue List (18 more) ...
- Imbs
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Imbs is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Imbs
- Tillman
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Tillman is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tillman
- Mehlville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Mehlville is located in Saint Louis County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mehlville
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Columbia. See our List of 1890's Communities around Columbia.
Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Columbia ...
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 101 newspapers that have been published in the area around Columbia.
We have organized these newspapers into two lists:
- A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Columbia. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Columbia and those printed in the larger area surrounding Columbia.
- An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 13 miles [20.9 km]<4> of Columbia.
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 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 Columbia:
- Websites specific to Illinois
- Pages specific to Monroe County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Clinton County
- Madison County
- Randolph County
- Saint Clair County
- Franklin County
- Jefferson County
- Saint Charles County
- Saint Louis City
- Saint Louis County
- Sainte Genevieve County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Illinois
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 Columbia, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <4> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' (or point-to-point) distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Columbia) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |