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 Bethany (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 Bethany. 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 northwest 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 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.
Bethany is located in Bartholomew County.
To see how the shape of Indiana's counties may have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.
The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Bartholomew County: Brown, Decatur, Jackson, Jennings, Johnson & Shelby.
Below are the counties that are near Bethany. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Bethany:
- Bartholomew County (The home county of Bethany)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethany, with the one closest to Bethany listed first.
- Stony Lonesome
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Stony Lonesome is located in Bartholomew County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stony Lonesome
- North Ogilville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- North Ogilville is located in Bartholomew County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Ogilville
- Bethel Village
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Bethel Village is located in Bartholomew County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bethel Village
- Garden City
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Garden City is located in Bartholomew County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garden City
- Corn Brook
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Corn Brook is located in Bartholomew County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Corn Brook
- Columbus
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Taylorsville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Jewell Village
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Jewell Village is located in Bartholomew County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jewell Village
- Clifford
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Clifford is located in Bartholomew County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clifford
- Population from the 2020 Census: 252 people
- Pleasant View Village
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Pleasant View Village is located in Bartholomew County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant View Village
- Jonesville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Elizabethtown
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Elizabethtown is located in Bartholomew County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elizabethtown
- Population from the 2020 Census: 540 people
- Petersville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Petersville is located in Bartholomew County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Petersville
- Brown County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethany, with the one closest to Bethany listed first.
- Mount Liberty
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Mount Liberty is located in Brown County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Liberty
- Gnaw Bone
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Pikes Peak
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Pikes Peak is located in Brown County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pikes Peak
- Becks Grove
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Becks Grove is located in Brown County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Becks Grove
- Story
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Story is located in Brown County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Story
- Nashville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Beanblossom
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Beanblossom is located in Brown County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beanblossom
- Beanblossom has also been known as:
- Bean Blossom
- Spearsville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Spearsville is located in Brown County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spearsville
- Helmsburg
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Helmsburg is located in Brown County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Helmsburg
- Decatur County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethany, with the one closest to Bethany listed first.
- Alert
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Alert is located in Decatur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alert
- Sardinia
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Sardinia is located in Decatur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sardinia
- Burney
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Burney is located in Decatur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burney
- Harper
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Harper is located in Decatur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harper
- Letts Corner
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Letts Corner is located in Decatur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Letts Corner
- Westport
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Westport is located in Decatur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westport
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,416 people
- Milford
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Letts
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Letts is located in Decatur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Letts
- Germantown
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Germantown is located in Decatur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Germantown
- Harris City
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Harris City is located in Decatur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harris City
- Saint Paul
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Adams
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Adams is located in Decatur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adams
- Saint Omer
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Saint Omer is located in Decatur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Omer
- Jackson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethany, with the one closest to Bethany listed first.
- Spraytown
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Spraytown is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spraytown
- Houston
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Houston is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Houston
- Cortland
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Cortland is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cortland
- Freetown
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Kurtz
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Kurtz is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kurtz
- Seymour
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- New Elizabethtown
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- New Elizabethtown is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Elizabethtown
- Norman
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Fleming
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Fleming is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fleming
- Brownstown
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Kriete Corner
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Kriete Corner is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kriete Corner
- Vallonia
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Dudleytown
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Dudleytown is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dudleytown
- Jennings County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethany, with the one closest to Bethany listed first.
- Scipio
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Scipio is located in Jennings County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Scipio
- Hayden
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Hayden is located in Jennings County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hayden
- Queensville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Queensville is located in Jennings County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Queensville
- Four Corners
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Four Corners is located in Jennings County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Four Corners
- North Vernon
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Vernon
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Oakdale
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Oakdale is located in Jennings County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakdale
- Grayford
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Grayford is located in Jennings County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grayford
- Johnson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethany, with the one closest to Bethany listed first.
- Peoga
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Peoga is located in Johnson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peoga
- Princes Lakes
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Princes Lakes is located in Johnson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Princes Lakes
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,342 people
- Edinburgh
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Nineveh
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Amity
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Amity is located in Johnson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Amity
- Trafalgar
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Samaria
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Samaria is located in Johnson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Samaria
- Anita ‑ Historic
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Anita is located in Johnson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Anita
- Franklin
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Providence
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Providence is located in Johnson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Providence
- Bargersville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Urmeyville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Urmeyville is located in Johnson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Urmeyville
- Needham
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Lawrence County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethany, with the one closest to Bethany listed first.
- Zelma
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Zelma is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zelma
- Heltonville
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Leesville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Leesville is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leesville
- Erie
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Erie is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Erie
- Guthrie
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Guthrie is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Guthrie
- Crawford
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Crawford is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crawford
- Fort Ritner
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Fort Ritner is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fort Ritner
- Judah
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Judah is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Judah
- Monroe County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethany, with the one closest to Bethany listed first.
- Unionville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Dolan
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Dolan is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dolan
- Bloomington
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Smithville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Clear Creek
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Clear Creek is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clear Creek
- Highland Village
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Highland Village is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Highland Village
- Harrodsburg
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Harrodsburg is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harrodsburg
- Ellettsville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Kirksville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Kirksville is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kirksville
- Morgan County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethany, with the one closest to Bethany listed first.
- Morgantown
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Mahalasville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Mahalasville is located in Morgan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mahalasville
- Taggart Crossing ‑ Historic
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Taggart Crossing is located in Morgan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Taggart Crossing
- Martinsville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Waverly
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Waverly is located in Morgan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waverly
- Bethany
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Bethany is located in Morgan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bethany
- Population from the 2020 Census: 88 people
- Red House ‑ Historic
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Red House is located in Morgan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red House
- Brooklyn
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Paragon
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Shelby County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethany, with the one closest to Bethany listed first.
- Mount Auburn
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Mount Auburn is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Auburn
- Flat Rock
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Norristown
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Norristown is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Norristown
- Geneva
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Geneva is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Geneva
- Wilson Corner
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Wilson Corner is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilson Corner
- Riley Village
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Riley Village is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riley Village
- Boggstown
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Prescott
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Prescott is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prescott
- Waldron
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Waldron is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waldron
- Beech Brook
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Beech Brook is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beech Brook
- Hildebrand Village
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Hildebrand Village is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hildebrand Village
- Shelbyville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Candleglo Village
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Candleglo Village is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Candleglo Village
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Bethany, see our County-by-County Page for Bethany.
Cemeteries Near Bethany ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Bethany.
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 Bethany - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Bethany covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Bethany, with the one closest to Bethany listed first.
- Haislup Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Roth Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Lawton Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Dobbs Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Grandview Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Spiker Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Ohio Chapel Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- St. Paul Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Sweeney Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Reeves Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Moffitt Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Cain Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Continue List (316 more) ...
- Mt. Pleasant Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Pittman Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Phillips Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 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.<3>
While we didn't find Bethany in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Bethany.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Bethany, with the one closest to Bethany listed first.
- Stratford ‑ Historic
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Stratford is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stratford
- Mount Liberty
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Mount Liberty is located in Brown County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Liberty
- Pikes Peak
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Pikes Peak is located in Brown County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pikes Peak
- Christiansburg
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Christiansburg is located in Brown County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Christiansburg
- Becks Grove
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Becks Grove is located in Brown County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Becks Grove
- Waymansville
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Waymansville is located in Bartholomew County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waymansville
- Walesboro
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Walesboro is located in Bartholomew County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walesboro
- Corn Brook
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Corn Brook is located in Bartholomew County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Corn Brook
- Story
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Story is located in Brown County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Story
- Columbus
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Nashville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Waynesville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Waynesville is located in Bartholomew County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waynesville
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Taylorsville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Spraytown
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Spraytown is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spraytown
- Beanblossom
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Beanblossom is located in Brown County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beanblossom
- Beanblossom has also been known as:
- Bean Blossom
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Bethany. See our List of 1890's Communities around Bethany.
Newspapers Published in Bethany ...
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 114 newspapers that have been published in the area around Bethany.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Bethany, there are papers which were published within 21 miles [33.8 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Bethany.
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 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 Bethany:
- Websites specific to Indiana
- Pages specific to Bartholomew County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Brown County
- Decatur County
- Jackson County
- Jennings County
- Johnson County
- Lawrence County
- Monroe County
- Morgan County
- Shelby County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Indiana
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 Bethany, 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 things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Bethany) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |