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 Salem (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 Salem. 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 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.
Salem is located in Jay 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 Jay County: Adams, Blackford, Delaware, Randolph, Wells, Darke (OH) & Mercer (OH).
Below are the counties that are near Salem. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Salem:
- Jay County (The home county of Salem)
- The following are listed by their distance from Salem, with the one closest to Salem listed first.
- Boundary City
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Boundary City is located in Jay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boundary City
- Salamonia
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Salamonia is located in Jay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Salamonia
- Population from the 2020 Census: 158 people
- Bluff Point
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Bluff Point is located in Jay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bluff Point
- Collett
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Collett is located in Jay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Collett
- Portland
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Blaine
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Blaine is located in Jay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blaine
- Antiville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Antiville is located in Jay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Antiville
- Bloomfield
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Bloomfield is located in Jay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bloomfield
- Greene
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Greene is located in Jay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greene
- Trinity
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Trinity is located in Jay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trinity
- Bryant
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Pony
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Pony is located in Jay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pony
- Redkey
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Adams County
- The following are listed by their distance from Salem, with the one closest to Salem listed first.
- Geneva
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Berne
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Linn Grove
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Linn Grove is located in Adams County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Linn Grove
- Coppess Corner
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Coppess Corner is located in Adams County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coppess Corner
- Monroe
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Blackford County
- The following are listed by their distance from Salem, with the one closest to Salem listed first.
- Ridertown
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Ridertown is located in Blackford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ridertown
- Millgrove
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Millgrove is located in Blackford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millgrove
- Mollie ‑ Historic
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Mollie is located in Blackford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mollie
- Montpelier
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Hartford City
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Delaware County
- The following are listed by their distance from Salem, with the one closest to Salem listed first.
- Albany
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Desoto
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Desoto is located in Delaware County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Desoto
- Selma
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Granville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Granville is located in Delaware County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Granville
- Former name for Granville:
- Weaton
- Eaton
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Liberty Corners
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Liberty Corners is located in Delaware County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Liberty Corners
- Muncie
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Henry County
- The following are listed by their distance from Salem, with the one closest to Salem listed first.
- Blountsville
(27 miles [43.5 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
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Mooreland is located in Henry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mooreland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 355 people
- Randolph County
- The following are listed by their distance from Salem, with the one closest to Salem listed first.
- New Pittsburg
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- New Pittsburg is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Pittsburg
- Saratoga
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Union City
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Haysville Corner
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Haysville Corner is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Haysville Corner
- Ridgeville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Ridgeville is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ridgeville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 734 people
- Stone
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Stone is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stone
- Winchester
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Rural
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Rural is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rural
- Snow Hill
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Snow Hill is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Snow Hill
- Spartanburg
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Spartanburg is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spartanburg
- Farmland
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Lynn
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Arba
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Arba is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arba
- Wayne County
- The following are listed by their distance from Salem, with the one closest to Salem listed first.
- Fountain City
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Whitewater
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Whitewater is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whitewater
- Population from the 2020 Census: 70 people
- Williamsburg
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Williamsburg is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Williamsburg
- Economy
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Economy is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Economy
- Population from the 2020 Census: 175 people
- Webster
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Webster is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Webster
- Chester
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Chester is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chester
- Franklin
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Franklin is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Franklin
- Greens Fork
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Wells County
- The following are listed by their distance from Salem, with the one closest to Salem listed first.
- Phenix
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Phenix is located in Wells County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Phenix
- Nottingham
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Nottingham is located in Wells County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nottingham
- Petroleum
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Petroleum is located in Wells County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Petroleum
- Reiffsburg
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Reiffsburg is located in Wells County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reiffsburg
- Keystone
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Keystone is located in Wells County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keystone
- Vera Cruz
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Vera Cruz is located in Wells County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vera Cruz
- Population from the 2020 Census: 85 people
- Auglaize County (OH)
- The following are listed by their distance from Salem, with the one closest to Salem listed first.
- Minster
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- New Bremen
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Saint Marys
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- New Knoxville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- New Knoxville is located in Auglaize County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Knoxville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 862 people
- Darke County (OH)
- The following are listed by their distance from Salem, with the one closest to Salem listed first.
- Lightsville
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Lightsville is located in Darke County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lightsville
- Union City
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Union City is located in Darke County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,585 people
- New Weston
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Rossburg
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Ansonia
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Ansonia is located in Darke County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ansonia
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,120 people
- North Star
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Coletown
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Coletown is located in Darke County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coletown
- Brock
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Brock is located in Darke County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brock
- Nashville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Nashville is located in Darke County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nashville
- Dawn
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Dawn is located in Darke County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dawn
- Long
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Long is located in Darke County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Long
- Pikeville
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Pikeville is located in Darke County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pikeville
- Frenchtown
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Frenchtown is located in Darke County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frenchtown
- Mercer County (OH)
- The following are listed by their distance from Salem, with the one closest to Salem listed first.
- Fort Recovery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Burkettsville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Wendelin
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Wendelin is located in Mercer County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wendelin
- Macedon
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Macedon is located in Mercer County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Macedon
- Saint Henry
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Wabash
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Wabash is located in Mercer County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wabash
- Coldwater
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Scudder
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Scudder is located in Mercer County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Scudder
- Skeels Crossroads
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Skeels Crossroads is located in Mercer County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Skeels Crossroads
- Montezuma
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Montezuma is located in Mercer County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Montezuma
- Population from the 2020 Census: 158 people
- Chickasaw
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Celina
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Earley ‑ Historic
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Earley is located in Mercer County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Earley
- Miami County (OH)
- The following are listed by their distance from Salem, with the one closest to Salem listed first.
- Bloomer
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Bloomer is located in Miami County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bloomer
- Bradford
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Polo
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Polo is located in Miami County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Polo
- West Covington
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- West Covington is located in Miami County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Covington
- Covington
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Preble County (OH)
- The following are listed by their distance from Salem, with the one closest to Salem listed first.
- Eldorado
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Eldorado is located in Preble County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eldorado
- Population from the 2020 Census: 490 people
- West Manchester
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Shelby County (OH)
- The following are listed by their distance from Salem, with the one closest to Salem listed first.
- Russia
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Fort Laramie
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Filburns Island
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Filburns Island is located in Shelby County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Filburns Island
- Dawson
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Dawson is located in Shelby County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dawson
- Lehmkuhl Landing
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Lehmkuhl Landing is located in Shelby County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lehmkuhl Landing
- Van Wert County (OH)
- The following are listed by their distance from Salem, with the one closest to Salem listed first.
- Schumm
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Schumm is located in Van Wert County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Schumm
- Willshire
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Salem, see our County-by-County Page for Salem.
Cemeteries Near Salem ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Salem.
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 Salem - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Salem covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Salem, with the one closest to Salem listed first.
- Hoover Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Mt. Zion Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Pleasant Ridge Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Raper Chapel Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Boundary Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Weimer Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Old Prospect Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Pisgah Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Saratoga Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- St. Marys Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Brick Memorial Park
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- New Rose Hill Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Continue List (377 more) ...
- Old Rose Hill Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Hawkins Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Antioch Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 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.<4>
While we didn't find Salem in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Salem.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Salem, with the one closest to Salem listed first.
- New Pittsburg
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- New Pittsburg is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Pittsburg
- Cosmos
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Cosmos is located in Darke County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cosmos
- Boundary City
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Boundary City is located in Jay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boundary City
- Salamonia
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Salamonia is located in Jay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Salamonia
- Population from the 2020 Census: 158 people
- Saratoga
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Rose Hill
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Rose Hill is located in Darke County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rose Hill
- Deerfield
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Deerfield is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deerfield
- Randolph
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Randolph is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Randolph
- Union City
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Brice
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Brice is located in Jay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brice
- Lightsville
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Lightsville is located in Darke County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lightsville
- Fort Recovery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Continue List (13 more) ...
- Bluff Point
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Bluff Point is located in Jay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bluff Point
- Harrisville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Harrisville is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harrisville
- Hill Grove
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Hill Grove is located in Darke County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hill Grove
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Salem. See our List of 1890's Communities around Salem.
Newspapers Published in Salem ...
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 45 newspapers that have been published in the area around Salem.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Salem, 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 Salem.
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 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 Salem:
- Websites specific to Indiana
- Pages specific to Jay County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Adams County
- Blackford County
- Delaware County
- Henry County
- Randolph County
- Wayne County
- Wells County
- Auglaize County
- Darke County
- Mercer County
- Miami County
- Preble County
- Shelby 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> | 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 from Point A (ie- Salem) 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 Salem, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |