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 Allen (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 Allen. 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 northeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors and 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.
Allen is located in Lyon County.
To see how the shape of Kansas' counties may have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.
The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Lyon County: Chase, Coffey, Greenwood, Morris, Osage & Wabaunsee.
Below are the counties that are near Allen. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Allen:
- Lyon County (The home county of Allen)
- The following are listed by their distance from Allen, with the one closest to Allen listed first.
- Admire
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Agnes City ‑ Historic
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Agnes City is located in Lyon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Agnes City
- Bushong
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Bushong is located in Lyon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bushong
- Population from the 2020 Census: 33 people
- Miller
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Miller is located in Lyon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Miller
- Americus
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Lang
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Lang is located in Lyon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lang
- Lang has also been known as:
- Hortonville
- Reading
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Berkeley Hills
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Berkeley Hills is located in Lyon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Berkeley Hills
- Emporia Junction
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Emporia Junction is located in Lyon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Emporia Junction
- Emporia
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Merrick
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Merrick is located in Lyon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Merrick
- Plymouth
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Plymouth is located in Lyon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plymouth
- Chase County
- The following are listed by their distance from Allen, with the one closest to Allen listed first.
- Toledo
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Toledo is located in Chase County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Toledo
- Saffordville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Saffordville is located in Chase County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saffordville
- Ellinor
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Ellinor is located in Chase County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ellinor
- Strong City
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Strong City is located in Chase County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Strong City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 446 people
- Strong City has also been known as:
- Strong
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Strong City <1>
- Gladstone
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Gladstone is located in Chase County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gladstone
- Cottonwood Falls
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Neva
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Neva is located in Chase County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Neva
- Neva has also been known as:
- Neva Station
- Hymer
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Hymer is located in Chase County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hymer
- Rockland
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Rockland is located in Chase County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rockland
- Coffey County
- Lebo
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Morris County
- The following are listed by their distance from Allen, with the one closest to Allen listed first.
- Dunlap
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Dunlap is located in Morris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunlap
- Population from the 2020 Census: 29 people
- Council Grove
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Council Grove is located in Morris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Council Grove
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,100 people
- Council Grove has also been known as:
- Council
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Council Grove <1>
- Downing ‑ Historic
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Downing is located in Morris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Downing
- Kelso
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Kelso is located in Morris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kelso
- Helmick
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Helmick is located in Morris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Helmick
- Dwight
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Dwight is located in Morris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dwight
- Population from the 2020 Census: 255 people
- Parkerville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Parkerville is located in Morris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parkerville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 59 people
- Wilsey
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Wilsey is located in Morris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilsey
- Population from the 2020 Census: 142 people
- Osage County
- The following are listed by their distance from Allen, with the one closest to Allen listed first.
- Barclay
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Barclay is located in Osage County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barclay
- Osage City
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Peterton
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Peterton is located in Osage County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peterton
- Burlingame
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Burlingame is located in Osage County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burlingame
- Population from the 2020 Census: 884 people
- Former name for Burlingame:
- American Settlement
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Burlingame <1>
- Scranton
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Olivet
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Olivet is located in Osage County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Olivet
- Population from the 2020 Census: 66 people
- Lyndon
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Carbondale
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Carbondale is located in Osage County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carbondale
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,347 people
- Mineral Springs
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Mineral Springs is located in Osage County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mineral Springs
- Vassar
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Melvern
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Melvern is located in Osage County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Melvern
- Population from the 2020 Census: 368 people
- Melvern has also been known as:
- Melvin
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Melvern <1>
- Shawnee County
- The following are listed by their distance from Allen, with the one closest to Allen listed first.
- Dover
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Auburn
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Auburn is located in Shawnee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Auburn
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,203 people
- Wabaunsee County
- The following are listed by their distance from Allen, with the one closest to Allen listed first.
- Wilmington
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Wilmington is located in Wabaunsee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilmington
- Eskridge
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Eskridge is located in Wabaunsee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eskridge
- Population from the 2020 Census: 502 people
- Harveyville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Harveyville is located in Wabaunsee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harveyville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 246 people
- Alta Vista
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Alma
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- McFarland
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- McFarland is located in Wabaunsee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McFarland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 250 people
- Paxico
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Vera
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Vera is located in Wabaunsee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vera
- Maple Hill
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Allen, see our County-by-County Page for Allen.
Cemeteries Near Allen ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Allen.
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 Allen - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Allen covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Allen, with the one closest to Allen listed first.
- Allen Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Admire Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Bushong Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Frost Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Ivy Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Pleasant Ridge Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Agnes City Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Sunnyside Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Rosean Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Phillips Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Comisky Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Dunlap African-American Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Continue List (103 more) ...
- Americus Twp. Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Chalk Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Dunlap Cemetery
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
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 Allen had a population of 226 people in 1895 with a post office and no railroad service. In 2020, Allen had a population of 169 people.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Allen, with the one closest to Allen listed first.
- Admire
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Bushong
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Bushong is located in Lyon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bushong
- Population from the 2020 Census: 33 people
- Miller
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Miller is located in Lyon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Miller
- Dunlap
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Dunlap is located in Morris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunlap
- Population from the 2020 Census: 29 people
- Americus
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Wilmington
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Wilmington is located in Wabaunsee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilmington
- Bradford
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Bradford is located in Wabaunsee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bradford
- Lang
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Lang is located in Lyon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lang
- Lang has also been known as:
- Hortonville
- Reading
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Harveyville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Harveyville is located in Wabaunsee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harveyville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 246 people
- Eskridge
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Eskridge is located in Wabaunsee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eskridge
- Population from the 2020 Census: 502 people
- Barclay
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Barclay is located in Osage County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barclay
- Continue List (16 more) ...
- Emporia
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Emporia Junction
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Emporia Junction is located in Lyon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Emporia Junction
- Plymouth
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Plymouth is located in Lyon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plymouth
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Allen. See our List of 1890's Communities around Allen.
Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Allen ...
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 217 newspapers that have been published in the area around Allen.
We have organized these newspapers into two lists:
- A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Allen. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Allen and those printed in the larger area surrounding Allen.
- An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<4> of Allen.
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 Allen:
- Websites specific to Kansas
- Pages specific to Lyon County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Chase County
- Coffey County
- Morris County
- Osage County
- Shawnee County
- Wabaunsee County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Kansas
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 Allen, 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 things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Allen) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |