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 Bethel (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 Bethel. 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 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.
Bethel is located in Wayne 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 Wayne County: Fayette, Henry, Randolph, Union, Darke (OH) & Preble (OH).
Below are the counties that are near Bethel. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Bethel:
- Wayne County (The home county of Bethel)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
- Whitewater
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Whitewater is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whitewater
- Population from the 2020 Census: 70 people
- Fountain City
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Chester
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Chester is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chester
- Webster
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Webster is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Webster
- Williamsburg
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Williamsburg is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Williamsburg
- Spring Grove
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Spring Grove is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spring Grove
- Population from the 2020 Census: 319 people
- Richmond
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Greens Fork
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Economy
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Economy is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Economy
- Population from the 2020 Census: 175 people
- Centerville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Boston
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Abington
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Abington is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Abington
- Hagerstown
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Delaware County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
- Selma
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Liberty Corners
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Liberty Corners is located in Delaware County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Liberty Corners
- Albany
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Desoto
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Desoto is located in Delaware County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Desoto
- Cowan
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Cowan is located in Delaware County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cowan
- Oakville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Oakville is located in Delaware County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakville
- Fayette County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
- Bentonville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Bentonville is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bentonville
- Springersville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Springersville is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Springersville
- Harrisburg
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Harrisburg is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harrisburg
- Connersville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Henry County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
- Blountsville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Blountsville is located in Henry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blountsville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 128 people
- Millville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Millville is located in Henry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millville
- Mooreland
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Mooreland is located in Henry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mooreland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 355 people
- New Lisbon
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- New Lisbon is located in Henry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Lisbon
- Corwin
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Corwin is located in Henry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Corwin
- Messick
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Messick is located in Henry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Messick
- Straughn
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Foley
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Foley is located in Henry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Foley
- Luray
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Luray is located in Henry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Luray
- New Castle
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Mount Summit
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Lewisville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Springport
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Jay County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
- Bluff Point
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Bluff Point is located in Jay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bluff Point
- Boundary City
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Boundary City is located in Jay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boundary City
- Salamonia
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Salamonia is located in Jay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Salamonia
- Population from the 2020 Census: 158 people
- Collett
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Collett is located in Jay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Collett
- Redkey
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Randolph County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
- Arba
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Arba is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arba
- Spartanburg
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Spartanburg is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spartanburg
- Lynn
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Bloomingport
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Bloomingport is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bloomingport
- Rural
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Rural is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rural
- Snow Hill
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Snow Hill is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Snow Hill
- Haysville Corner
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Haysville Corner is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Haysville Corner
- Union City
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Winchester
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Modoc
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Modoc is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Modoc
- Population from the 2020 Census: 174 people
- Saratoga
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Losantville
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Stone
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Stone is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stone
- Union County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
- Yankee Town
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Yankee Town is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yankee Town
- Goodwins Corner
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Goodwins Corner is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goodwins Corner
- Brownsville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Brownsville is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brownsville
- Liberty
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- West College Corner
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Billingsville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Billingsville is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Billingsville
- Butler County (OH)
- Somerville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Darke County (OH)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
- Hollansburg
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Hollansburg is located in Darke County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hollansburg
- Population from the 2020 Census: 214 people
- New Madison
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Long
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Long is located in Darke County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Long
- Palestine
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Savona
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Savona is located in Darke County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Savona
- Nashville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Nashville is located in Darke County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nashville
- Fort Jefferson
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Fort Jefferson is located in Darke County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fort Jefferson
- Wayne Lakes
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Wayne Lakes is located in Darke County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wayne Lakes
- Population from the 2020 Census: 682 people
- Wayne Lakes has also been known as:
- Wayne Lakes Park
- Castine
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Castine is located in Darke County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Castine
- Population from the 2020 Census: 135 people
- Coletown
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Coletown is located in Darke County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coletown
- Abbottsville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Abbottsville is located in Darke County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Abbottsville
- Greenville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Arcanum
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Mercer County (OH)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
- Burkettsville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Fort Recovery
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Wendelin
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Wendelin is located in Mercer County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wendelin
- Miami County (OH)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
- Laura
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Potsdam
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Potsdam is located in Miami County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Potsdam
- Population from the 2020 Census: 295 people
- Bradford
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Garland
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Garland is located in Miami County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garland
- Ludlow Falls
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Ludlow Falls is located in Miami County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ludlow Falls
- Population from the 2020 Census: 217 people
- Covington
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Pleasant Hill
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- West Covington
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- West Covington is located in Miami County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Covington
- West Milton
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Bloomer
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Bloomer is located in Miami County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bloomer
- Kessler
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Kessler is located in Miami County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kessler
- Polo
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Polo is located in Miami County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Polo
- Montgomery County (OH)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
- Wengerlawn
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Wengerlawn is located in Montgomery County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wengerlawn
- Arlington
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Arlington is located in Montgomery County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arlington
- Pyrmont
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Pyrmont is located in Montgomery County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pyrmont
- Phillipsburg
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Phillipsburg is located in Montgomery County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Phillipsburg
- Population from the 2020 Census: 550 people
- Brookville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Kreitzer Corner
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Kreitzer Corner is located in Montgomery County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kreitzer Corner
- Clayton
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Clayton is located in Montgomery County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clayton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 13,233 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Clayton <1>
- Airhill
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Airhill is located in Montgomery County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Airhill
- Englewood
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Union
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Union is located in Montgomery County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union
- Population from the 2020 Census: 6,909 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Union <1>
- New Lebanon
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Northview
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Northview is located in Montgomery County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Northview
- Farmersville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Preble County (OH)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
- New Paris
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Eldorado
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Eldorado is located in Preble County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eldorado
- Population from the 2020 Census: 490 people
- West Manchester
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- New Hope
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- New Hope is located in Preble County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Hope
- Euphemia
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Euphemia is located in Preble County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Euphemia
- Verona
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Lewisburg
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Eaton
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Corvin ‑ Historic
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Corvin is located in Preble County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Corvin
- Lake Lakengren
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Lake Lakengren is located in Preble County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Lakengren
- West Alexandria
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Camden
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Ingomar
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Ingomar is located in Preble County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ingomar
- Shelby County (OH)
- Russia
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Bethel, see our County-by-County Page for Bethel.
Cemeteries Near Bethel ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Bethel.
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 Bethel - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Bethel covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
- Bethel Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Hollansburg Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Friendship Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Cedar Grove Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Chapel Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Mt. Vernon Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Woodbury Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Beech Grove Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Mt. Gilliard Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- IOOF Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Willow Grove Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- New Garden Friends Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Continue List (401 more) ...
- Pleasant Hill Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- St. Johns Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Bass Cemetery
(5 miles [8 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.<4>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Bethel had a population of 141 people in 1895 with a post office and no railroad service.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Bethel, with the one closest to Bethel listed first.
- Whitewater
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Whitewater is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whitewater
- Population from the 2020 Census: 70 people
- Hollansburg
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Hollansburg is located in Darke County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hollansburg
- Population from the 2020 Census: 214 people
- Glen Karn
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Glen Karn is located in Darke County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glen Karn
- Arba
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Arba is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arba
- Crete
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Crete is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crete
- Fountain City
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Spartanburg
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Spartanburg is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spartanburg
- Wiley ‑ Historic
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Wiley is located in Darke County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wiley
- New Madison
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Long
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Long is located in Darke County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Long
- Chester
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Chester is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chester
- Lynn
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- Webster
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Webster is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Webster
- Savona
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Savona is located in Darke County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Savona
- Baker
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Baker is located in Darke County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Baker
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Bethel. See our List of 1890's Communities around Bethel.
Newspapers Published in Bethel ...
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 60 newspapers that have been published in the area around Bethel.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Bethel, there are papers which were published within 21 miles [33.8 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Bethel.
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 Bethel:
- Websites specific to Indiana
- Pages specific to Wayne County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Delaware County
- Fayette County
- Henry County
- Jay County
- Randolph County
- Union County
- Butler County
- Darke County
- Mercer County
- Miami County
- Montgomery County
- Preble 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> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Bethel) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |
| <3> | 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. |
| <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 Bethel, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |