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 Buena Vista (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 Buena Vista. 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 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.
Buena Vista is located in Randolph 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 Randolph County: Delaware, Henry, Jay, Wayne & Darke (OH).
Below are the counties that are near Buena Vista. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Buena Vista:
- Randolph County (The home county of Buena Vista)
- The following are listed by their distance from Buena Vista, with the one closest to Buena Vista listed first.
- Rural
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Rural is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rural
- Farmland
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Modoc
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Modoc is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Modoc
- Population from the 2020 Census: 174 people
- Snow Hill
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Snow Hill is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Snow Hill
- Winchester
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Bloomingport
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Bloomingport is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bloomingport
- Windsor
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Windsor is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Windsor
- Stone
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Stone is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stone
- Parker City
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Lynn
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Losantville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Ridgeville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Ridgeville is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ridgeville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 734 people
- Saratoga
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Blackford County
- The following are listed by their distance from Buena Vista, with the one closest to Buena Vista listed first.
- Ridertown
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Ridertown is located in Blackford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ridertown
- Millgrove
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Millgrove is located in Blackford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millgrove
- Hartford City
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Shamrock Lakes
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Shamrock Lakes is located in Blackford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shamrock Lakes
- Population from the 2020 Census: 217 people
- Mollie ‑ Historic
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Mollie is located in Blackford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mollie
- Renner ‑ Historic
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Renner is located in Blackford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Renner
- Delaware County
- The following are listed by their distance from Buena Vista, with the one closest to Buena Vista listed first.
- Selma
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Desoto
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Desoto is located in Delaware County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Desoto
- Liberty Corners
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Liberty Corners is located in Delaware County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Liberty Corners
- Albany
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Cowan
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Cowan is located in Delaware County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cowan
- Muncie
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Oakville
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Oakville is located in Delaware County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakville
- Granville
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Granville is located in Delaware County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Granville
- Former name for Granville:
- Weaton
- Progress
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Progress is located in Delaware County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Progress
- Andersonville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Andersonville is located in Delaware County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Andersonville
- Eaton
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Yorktown
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Daleville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Fayette County
- The following are listed by their distance from Buena Vista, with the one closest to Buena Vista listed first.
- Bentonville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Bentonville is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bentonville
- Harrisburg
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Harrisburg is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harrisburg
- Grant County
- Matthews
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Matthews is located in Grant County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Matthews
- Population from the 2020 Census: 553 people
- Henry County
- The following are listed by their distance from Buena Vista, with the one closest to Buena Vista listed first.
- Blountsville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Blountsville is located in Henry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blountsville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 128 people
- Mooreland
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Mooreland is located in Henry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mooreland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 355 people
- Messick
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Messick is located in Henry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Messick
- Luray
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Luray is located in Henry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Luray
- Millville
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Millville is located in Henry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millville
- Springport
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Foley
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Foley is located in Henry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Foley
- Mount Summit
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Corwin
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Corwin is located in Henry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Corwin
- New Castle
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- New Lisbon
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- New Lisbon is located in Henry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Lisbon
- Sulphur Springs
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Sulphur Springs is located in Henry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sulphur Springs
- Population from the 2020 Census: 371 people
- Cadiz
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Cadiz is located in Henry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cadiz
- Population from the 2020 Census: 136 people
- Jay County
- The following are listed by their distance from Buena Vista, with the one closest to Buena Vista listed first.
- Bluff Point
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Bluff Point is located in Jay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bluff Point
- Redkey
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Collett
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Collett is located in Jay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Collett
- Boundary City
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Boundary City is located in Jay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boundary City
- Dunkirk
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Blaine
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Blaine is located in Jay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blaine
- Greene
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Greene is located in Jay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greene
- Salamonia
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Salamonia is located in Jay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Salamonia
- Population from the 2020 Census: 158 people
- Pony
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Pony is located in Jay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pony
- Portland
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Pennville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Antiville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Antiville is located in Jay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Antiville
- Bloomfield
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Bloomfield is located in Jay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bloomfield
- Madison County
- The following are listed by their distance from Buena Vista, with the one closest to Buena Vista listed first.
- Chesterfield
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Glyn Ellen
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Glyn Ellen is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glyn Ellen
- Markleville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Rush County
- Raleigh
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Raleigh is located in Rush County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Raleigh
- Union County
- Yankee Town
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Yankee Town is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yankee Town
- Wayne County
- The following are listed by their distance from Buena Vista, with the one closest to Buena Vista listed first.
- Economy
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Economy is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Economy
- Population from the 2020 Census: 175 people
- Franklin
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Franklin is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Franklin
- Williamsburg
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Williamsburg is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Williamsburg
- Fountain City
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Greens Fork
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Hagerstown
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Webster
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Webster is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Webster
- Whitewater
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Whitewater is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whitewater
- Population from the 2020 Census: 70 people
- Chester
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Chester is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chester
- Cambridge City
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Centerville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- East Germantown
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- East Germantown is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Germantown
- Population from the 2020 Census: 351 people
- Pennville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Pennville is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pennville
- Darke County (OH)
- The following are listed by their distance from Buena Vista, with the one closest to Buena Vista listed first.
- Long
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Long is located in Darke County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Long
- Union City
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Union City is located in Darke County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,585 people
- Nashville
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Nashville is located in Darke County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nashville
- Hollansburg
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Hollansburg is located in Darke County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hollansburg
- Population from the 2020 Census: 214 people
- Palestine
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Coletown
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Coletown is located in Darke County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coletown
- New Madison
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Wayne Lakes
(22 miles [35.4 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
- Lightsville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Lightsville is located in Darke County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lightsville
- Ansonia
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Ansonia is located in Darke County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ansonia
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,120 people
- Fort Jefferson
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Fort Jefferson is located in Darke County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fort Jefferson
- Greenville
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Savona
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Savona is located in Darke County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Savona
- Mercer County (OH)
- The following are listed by their distance from Buena Vista, with the one closest to Buena Vista listed first.
- Fort Recovery
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Burkettsville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Wendelin
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Wendelin is located in Mercer County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wendelin
- Macedon
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Macedon is located in Mercer County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Macedon
- Saint Henry
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Preble County (OH)
- The following are listed by their distance from Buena Vista, with the one closest to Buena Vista listed first.
- New Paris
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Eldorado
(25 miles [40.2 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
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- New Hope
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- New Hope is located in Preble County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Hope
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Buena Vista, see our County-by-County Page for Buena Vista.
Cemeteries Near Buena Vista ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Buena Vista.
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 Buena Vista - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Buena Vista covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Buena Vista, with the one closest to Buena Vista listed first.
- Buena Vista Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Sparrow Creek Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Mosier Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Wood Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Scott Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Huntsville Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Woodlawn Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Poplar Run Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Salem Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Fountain Park Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Union Chapel Methodist Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Gable Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Continue List (326 more) ...
- Riverside Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Cherry Grove Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Mt. Pleasant 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>
While we didn't find Buena Vista in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Buena Vista.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Buena Vista, with the one closest to Buena Vista listed first.
- Unionport
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Unionport is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Unionport
- Modoc
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Modoc is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Modoc
- Population from the 2020 Census: 174 people
- Rural
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Rural is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rural
- Farmland
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Snow Hill
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Snow Hill is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Snow Hill
- Winchester
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Bloomingport
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Bloomingport is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bloomingport
- Windsor
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Windsor is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Windsor
- Losantville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Lynn
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Stone
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Stone is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stone
- Parker City
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- Blountsville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Blountsville is located in Henry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blountsville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 128 people
- Economy
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Economy is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Economy
- Population from the 2020 Census: 175 people
- Dalton
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Dalton is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dalton
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Buena Vista. See our List of 1890's Communities around Buena Vista.
Newspapers Published in Buena Vista ...
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 81 newspapers that have been published in the area around Buena Vista.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Buena Vista, 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 Buena Vista.
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 helpful 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 Buena Vista:
- Websites specific to Indiana
- Pages specific to Randolph County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Blackford County
- Delaware County
- Fayette County
- Grant County
- Henry County
- Jay County
- Madison County
- Rush County
- Union County
- Wayne County
- Darke County
- Mercer County
- Preble 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 Buena Vista, 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 from Point A (ie- Buena Vista) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |