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 West Liberty (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 West Liberty. 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 West Liberty ...
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.
For example, a typical abbreviation for West Liberty: W. Liberty
You might be interested in other communities that are also named West Liberty. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for West Liberty.
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.
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.
West Liberty 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 West Liberty. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to West Liberty:
- Jay County (The home county of West Liberty)
- The following are listed by their distance from West Liberty, with the one closest to West Liberty listed first.
- Bryant
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Bloomfield
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Bloomfield is located in Jay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bloomfield
- Antiville
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Antiville is located in Jay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Antiville
- Portland
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Trinity
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Trinity is located in Jay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trinity
- Jay City
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Jay City is located in Jay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jay City
- Pony
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Pony is located in Jay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pony
- Fiat
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Fiat is located in Jay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fiat
- Pennville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Blaine
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Blaine is located in Jay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blaine
- Collett
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Collett is located in Jay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Collett
- Greene
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Greene is located in Jay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greene
- Adams County
- The following are listed by their distance from West Liberty, with the one closest to West Liberty listed first.
- Geneva
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Linn Grove
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Linn Grove is located in Adams County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Linn Grove
- Berne
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Coppess Corner
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Coppess Corner is located in Adams County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coppess Corner
- Monroe
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Honduras
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Honduras is located in Adams County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Honduras
- Pleasant Mills
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Decatur
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Magley
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Magley is located in Adams County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Magley
- Preble
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Allen County
- The following are listed by their distance from West Liberty, with the one closest to West Liberty listed first.
- Hoagland
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Yoder
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Dixon
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Dixon is located in Allen County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dixon
- Blackford County
- The following are listed by their distance from West Liberty, with the one closest to West Liberty listed first.
- Ridertown
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Ridertown is located in Blackford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ridertown
- Montpelier
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Millgrove
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Millgrove is located in Blackford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millgrove
- Mollie ‑ Historic
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Mollie is located in Blackford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mollie
- Hartford City
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Renner ‑ Historic
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Renner is located in Blackford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Renner
- Shamrock Lakes
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- 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 West Liberty, with the one closest to West Liberty listed first.
- Albany
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Eaton
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Granville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Granville is located in Delaware County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Granville
- Former name for Granville:
- Weaton
- Desoto
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Desoto is located in Delaware County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Desoto
- Selma
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Liberty Corners
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Liberty Corners is located in Delaware County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Liberty Corners
- Gaston
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Grant County
- The following are listed by their distance from West Liberty, with the one closest to West Liberty listed first.
- Farrville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Farrville is located in Grant County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Farrville
- Arcana
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Arcana is located in Grant County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arcana
- Friendly Corner
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Friendly Corner is located in Grant County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Friendly Corner
- Upland
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Van Buren
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Van Buren is located in Grant County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Van Buren
- Population from the 2020 Census: 815 people
- Matthews
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Matthews is located in Grant County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Matthews
- Population from the 2020 Census: 553 people
- Huntington County
- The following are listed by their distance from West Liberty, with the one closest to West Liberty listed first.
- Warren
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Plum Tree
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Plum Tree is located in Huntington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plum Tree
- Markle
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Majenica
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Majenica is located in Huntington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Majenica
- River
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- River is located in Huntington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for River
- Randolph County
- The following are listed by their distance from West Liberty, with the one closest to West Liberty listed first.
- New Pittsburg
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- New Pittsburg is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Pittsburg
- Ridgeville
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Ridgeville is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ridgeville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 734 people
- Saratoga
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Stone
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Stone is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stone
- Farmland
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Winchester
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Union City
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Haysville Corner
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Haysville Corner is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Haysville Corner
- Parker City
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Windsor
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Windsor is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Windsor
- Rural
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Rural is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rural
- Snow Hill
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Snow Hill is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Snow Hill
- Wells County
- The following are listed by their distance from West Liberty, with the one closest to West Liberty listed first.
- Phenix
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Phenix is located in Wells County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Phenix
- Nottingham
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Nottingham is located in Wells County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nottingham
- Petroleum
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Petroleum is located in Wells County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Petroleum
- Reiffsburg
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Reiffsburg is located in Wells County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reiffsburg
- Vera Cruz
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Vera Cruz is located in Wells County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vera Cruz
- Population from the 2020 Census: 85 people
- Greenville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Greenville is located in Wells County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenville
- Poneto
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Poneto is located in Wells County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Poneto
- Population from the 2020 Census: 191 people
- Keystone
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Keystone is located in Wells County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keystone
- Travisville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Travisville is located in Wells County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Travisville
- Craigville
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Craigville is located in Wells County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Craigville
- Bluffton
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Liberty Center
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Liberty Center is located in Wells County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Liberty Center
- Darke County (OH)
- The following are listed by their distance from West Liberty, with the one closest to West Liberty listed first.
- Lightsville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Lightsville is located in Darke County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lightsville
- New Weston
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Rossburg
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Union City
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Union City is located in Darke County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,585 people
- North Star
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Ansonia
(29 miles [46.7 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
- Brock
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Brock is located in Darke County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brock
- Osgood
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Yorkshire
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Dawn
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Dawn is located in Darke County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dawn
- Mercer County (OH)
- The following are listed by their distance from West Liberty, with the one closest to West Liberty listed first.
- Skeels Crossroads
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Skeels Crossroads is located in Mercer County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Skeels Crossroads
- Wabash
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Wabash is located in Mercer County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wabash
- Macedon
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Macedon is located in Mercer County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Macedon
- Scudder
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Scudder is located in Mercer County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Scudder
- Fort Recovery
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Wendelin
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Wendelin is located in Mercer County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wendelin
- Coldwater
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Saint Henry
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Tama
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Tama is located in Mercer County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tama
- Earley ‑ Historic
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Earley is located in Mercer County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Earley
- Rockford
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Burkettsville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Van Wert County (OH)
- The following are listed by their distance from West Liberty, with the one closest to West Liberty listed first.
- Willshire
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Schumm
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Schumm is located in Van Wert County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Schumm
- Wren
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- 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>
- Abanaka
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Abanaka is located in Van Wert County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Abanaka
- Glenmore
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Glenmore is located in Van Wert County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glenmore
- Ohio City
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Dixon
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Dixon is located in Van Wert County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dixon
- Convoy
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Elgin
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Elgin is located in Van Wert County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elgin
- Population from the 2020 Census: 55 people
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to West Liberty, see our County-by-County Page for West Liberty.
Cemeteries Near West Liberty ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of West Liberty.
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 West Liberty - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for West Liberty covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from West Liberty, with the one closest to West Liberty listed first.
- Gravel Hill Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Pingrey Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Borris Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Whicker Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Hartford Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Old Baptist Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Westlawn Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Brown Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Old Brethren Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Old Brethren Cemetery
- The Old Brethren Cemetery has also been known as:
- Bear Creek Cemetery
- Bearcreek Cemetery
- Boehm Cemetery
- Chapel Hill Cemetery
- Frank Boehm Farm Cemetery
- Macklin Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2194239 <2>
- Riverside Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Pound Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Collins Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Continue List (326 more) ...
- Snow Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Studebaker Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Hearne 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 West Liberty in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of West Liberty.
These communities are listed based on their distance from West Liberty, with the one closest to West Liberty listed first.
- Bryant
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Antiville
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Antiville is located in Jay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Antiville
- Kitt
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Kitt is located in Jay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kitt
- Poling
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Poling is located in Jay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Poling
- Geneva
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Corkwell
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Corkwell is located in Jay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Corkwell
- Westchester
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Westchester is located in Jay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westchester
- Ceylon
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Ceylon is located in Adams County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ceylon
- Portland
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Phenix
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Phenix is located in Wells County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Phenix
- Linn Grove
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Linn Grove is located in Adams County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Linn Grove
- Domestic
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Domestic is located in Wells County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Domestic
- Continue List (16 more) ...
- Pennville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Pony
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Pony is located in Jay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pony
- Jay City
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Jay City is located in Jay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jay City
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around West Liberty. See our List of 1890's Communities around West Liberty.
Newspapers Published in West Liberty ...
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 133 newspapers that have been published in the area around West Liberty.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of West Liberty, there are papers which were published within 22 miles [35.4 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for West Liberty.
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 either 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 West Liberty:
- Websites specific to Indiana
- Pages specific to Jay County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Adams County
- Allen County
- Blackford County
- Delaware County
- Grant County
- Huntington County
- Randolph County
- Wells County
- Darke County
- Mercer 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 West Liberty, 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 drawn from Point A (ie- West Liberty) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |