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 Bluffton (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 Bluffton. 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 Bluffton ...
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.
In past government published Postal Guides, Bluffton was referred to as Bluffton Courthouse.
You might be interested in other communities that are also named Bluffton. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Bluffton.
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.
For more information about how community names might have been affected by the Board of Geographic Names (BGN), see our page about Placename Rules.
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 northeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most hospitals were in the next county to the east. 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 east 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.
Bluffton is located in Wells County and is the County Seat.
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 Wells County: Adams, Allen, Blackford, Grant, Huntington & Jay.
Below are the counties that are near Bluffton. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Bluffton:
- Wells County (The home county of Bluffton)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bluffton, with the one closest to Bluffton listed first.
- North Oaks
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- North Oaks is located in Wells County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Oaks
- Travisville
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Travisville is located in Wells County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Travisville
- Craigville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Craigville is located in Wells County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Craigville
- Vera Cruz
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Vera Cruz is located in Wells County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vera Cruz
- Population from the 2020 Census: 85 people
- Tocsin
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Tocsin is located in Wells County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tocsin
- Reiffsburg
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Reiffsburg is located in Wells County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reiffsburg
- Greenville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Greenville is located in Wells County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenville
- Liberty Center
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Liberty Center is located in Wells County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Liberty Center
- Poneto
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Poneto is located in Wells County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Poneto
- Population from the 2020 Census: 191 people
- Uniondale
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Ossian
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Petroleum
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Petroleum is located in Wells County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Petroleum
- Keystone
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Keystone is located in Wells County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keystone
- Adams County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bluffton, with the one closest to Bluffton listed first.
- Honduras
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Honduras is located in Adams County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Honduras
- Magley
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Magley is located in Adams County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Magley
- Linn Grove
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Linn Grove is located in Adams County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Linn Grove
- Preble
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Coppess Corner
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Coppess Corner is located in Adams County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coppess Corner
- Monroe
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Berne
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Decatur
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Geneva
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Pleasant Mills
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Allen County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bluffton, with the one closest to Bluffton listed first.
- Yoder
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Hoagland
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Aboite
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Aboite is located in Allen County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aboite
- Anthony Wayne Village
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Indian Village
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Indian Village is located in Allen County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Indian Village
- Monroeville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Fort Wayne
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- New Haven
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Dixon
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Dixon is located in Allen County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dixon
- Zulu
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Zulu is located in Allen County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zulu
- Arcola
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Hacienda Village
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Hacienda Village is located in Allen County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hacienda Village
- Wallen
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Wallen is located in Allen County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wallen
- Blackford County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bluffton, with the one closest to Bluffton listed first.
- Montpelier
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Mollie ‑ Historic
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Mollie is located in Blackford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mollie
- Ridertown
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Ridertown is located in Blackford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ridertown
- Hartford City
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Millgrove
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Millgrove is located in Blackford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millgrove
- Renner ‑ Historic
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Renner is located in Blackford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Renner
- Shamrock Lakes
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Shamrock Lakes is located in Blackford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shamrock Lakes
- Population from the 2020 Census: 217 people
- Delaware County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bluffton, with the one closest to Bluffton listed first.
- Eaton
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Albany
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Granville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Granville is located in Delaware County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Granville
- Former name for Granville:
- Weaton
- Grant County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bluffton, with the one closest to Bluffton listed first.
- Farrville
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Farrville is located in Grant County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Farrville
- Van Buren
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Van Buren is located in Grant County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Van Buren
- Population from the 2020 Census: 815 people
- Friendly Corner
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Friendly Corner is located in Grant County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Friendly Corner
- Arcana
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Arcana is located in Grant County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arcana
- Upland
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Gas City
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Marion
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Matthews
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Matthews is located in Grant County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Matthews
- Population from the 2020 Census: 553 people
- Jonesboro
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Jalapa
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Jalapa is located in Grant County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jalapa
- Huntington County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bluffton, with the one closest to Bluffton listed first.
- Markle
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Plum Tree
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Plum Tree is located in Huntington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plum Tree
- Warren
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Majenica
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Majenica is located in Huntington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Majenica
- Bowerstown
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Bowerstown is located in Huntington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bowerstown
- River
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- River is located in Huntington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for River
- Roanoke
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Huntington
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Mount Etna
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Mount Etna is located in Huntington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Etna
- Population from the 2020 Census: 104 people
- Harlansburg
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Harlansburg is located in Huntington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harlansburg
- Monument City ‑ Historic
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Monument City is located in Huntington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monument City
- Andrews
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Banquo
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Banquo is located in Huntington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Banquo
- Jay County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bluffton, with the one closest to Bluffton listed first.
- Fiat
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Fiat is located in Jay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fiat
- Pennville
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Bryant
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Antiville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Antiville is located in Jay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Antiville
- Bloomfield
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Bloomfield is located in Jay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bloomfield
- Pony
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Pony is located in Jay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pony
- Jay City
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Jay City is located in Jay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jay City
- Trinity
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Trinity is located in Jay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trinity
- Greene
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Greene is located in Jay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greene
- Portland
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Blaine
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Blaine is located in Jay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blaine
- Dunkirk
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Collett
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Collett is located in Jay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Collett
- Wabash County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bluffton, with the one closest to Bluffton listed first.
- Lincolnville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Lincolnville is located in Wabash County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lincolnville
- La Fontaine
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- La Fontaine is located in Wabash County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for La Fontaine
- Population from the 2020 Census: 810 people
- Lagro
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Whitley County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bluffton, with the one closest to Bluffton listed first.
- Dunfee
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Dunfee is located in Whitley County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunfee
- Luther
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Luther is located in Whitley County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Luther
- Mercer County (OH)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bluffton, with the one closest to Bluffton listed first.
- Skeels Crossroads
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Skeels Crossroads is located in Mercer County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Skeels Crossroads
- Scudder
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Scudder is located in Mercer County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Scudder
- Wabash
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Wabash is located in Mercer County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wabash
- Rockford
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Macedon
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Macedon is located in Mercer County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Macedon
- Tama
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Tama is located in Mercer County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tama
- Fort Recovery
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Paulding County (OH)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bluffton, with the one closest to Bluffton listed first.
- McGill ‑ Historic
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- McGill is located in Paulding County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McGill
- Batson ‑ Historic
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Batson is located in Paulding County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Batson
- Van Wert County (OH)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bluffton, with the one closest to Bluffton listed first.
- Willshire
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Wren
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Wren is located in Van Wert County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wren
- Population from the 2020 Census: 184 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Wren <1>
- Schumm
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Schumm is located in Van Wert County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Schumm
- Abanaka
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Abanaka is located in Van Wert County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Abanaka
- Glenmore
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Glenmore is located in Van Wert County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glenmore
- Dixon
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Dixon is located in Van Wert County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dixon
- Convoy
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Ohio City
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Bluffton, see our County-by-County Page for Bluffton.
Cemeteries Near Bluffton ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Bluffton.
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 Bluffton - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Bluffton covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Bluffton, with the one closest to Bluffton listed first.
- Fair View Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Old Bluffton Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Elm Grove Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Six Mile Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Murray Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Grove Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- St. Johns Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Oakland Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- McFarren Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Grannand Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Linn Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Stahl Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Continue List (276 more) ...
- French Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Zion Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- St. Lukes Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
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 Bluffton had a population of 3,589 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Bluffton had a population of 10,094 people.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Bluffton, with the one closest to Bluffton listed first.
- Murray
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Murray is located in Wells County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Murray
- Craigville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Craigville is located in Wells County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Craigville
- Vera Cruz
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Vera Cruz is located in Wells County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vera Cruz
- Population from the 2020 Census: 85 people
- Liberty Center
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Liberty Center is located in Wells County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Liberty Center
- Poneto
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Poneto is located in Wells County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Poneto
- Population from the 2020 Census: 191 people
- Reiffsburg
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Reiffsburg is located in Wells County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reiffsburg
- Curryville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Curryville is located in Wells County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Curryville
- Kingsland
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Kingsland is located in Wells County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kingsland
- Tocsin
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Tocsin is located in Wells County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tocsin
- Honduras
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Honduras is located in Adams County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Honduras
- Uniondale
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Magley
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Magley is located in Adams County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Magley
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- Linn Grove
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Linn Grove is located in Adams County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Linn Grove
- Peterson
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Peterson is located in Adams County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peterson
- Ossian
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Bluffton. See our List of 1890's Communities around Bluffton.
Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Bluffton ...
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 131 newspapers that have been published in the area around Bluffton.
We have organized these newspapers into two lists:
- A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Bluffton. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Bluffton and those printed in the larger area surrounding Bluffton.
- An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 23 miles [37 km]<4> of Bluffton.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we like to start 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 Bluffton:
- Websites specific to Indiana
- Pages specific to Wells County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Adams County
- Allen County
- Blackford County
- Delaware County
- Grant County
- Huntington County
- Jay County
- Wabash County
- Whitley County
- Mercer County
- Paulding County
- Van Wert 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 Bluffton, 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- Bluffton) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |