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 Blake (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 Blake. 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 hospitals and doctors 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.
Blake is located in Montgomery 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 Montgomery County: Chautauqua, Elk, Labette, Neosho, Wilson, Nowata (OK) & Washington (OK).
Below are the counties that are near Blake. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Blake:
- Montgomery County (The home county of Blake)
- The following are listed by their distance from Blake, with the one closest to Blake listed first.
- Independence
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Liberty
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Liberty is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Liberty
- Population from the 2020 Census: 110 people
- Dearing
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Tyro
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Tyro is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tyro
- Population from the 2020 Census: 195 people
- Avian ‑ Historic
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Avian is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avian
- Kalloch ‑ Historic
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Kalloch is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kalloch
- Kalloch has also been known as:
- Kallocki
- Sycamore
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Sycamore is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sycamore
- Elk City
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Elk City is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elk City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 289 people
- Coffeyville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Havana
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Havana is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Havana
- Population from the 2020 Census: 104 people
- Cherryvale
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Caney
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Chautauqua County
- The following are listed by their distance from Blake, with the one closest to Blake listed first.
- Niotaze
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Niotaze is located in Chautauqua County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Niotaze
- Population from the 2020 Census: 72 people
- Hale
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Hale is located in Chautauqua County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hale
- Monett
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Monett is located in Chautauqua County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monett
- Peru
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Peru is located in Chautauqua County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peru
- Population from the 2020 Census: 125 people
- Grafton
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Grafton is located in Chautauqua County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grafton
- Jonesburg ‑ Historic
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Jonesburg is located in Chautauqua County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jonesburg
- Sedan
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Chautauqua
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Chautauqua is located in Chautauqua County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chautauqua
- Population from the 2020 Census: 88 people
- Rogers
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Rogers is located in Chautauqua County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rogers
- Elgin
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Elgin is located in Chautauqua County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elgin
- Population from the 2020 Census: 79 people
- Elgin has also been known as:
- New Elgin
- Elk County
- The following are listed by their distance from Blake, with the one closest to Blake listed first.
- Oak Valley
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Oak Valley is located in Elk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Valley
- Upola
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Upola is located in Elk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Upola
- Longton
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Longton is located in Elk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Longton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 306 people
- Former name for Longton:
- Elk Rapids
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Longton <1>
- Busby
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Busby is located in Elk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Busby
- Elk Falls
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Labette County
- The following are listed by their distance from Blake, with the one closest to Blake listed first.
- Valeda
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Valeda is located in Labette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Valeda
- Mound Valley
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Mound Valley is located in Labette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mound Valley
- Population from the 2020 Census: 378 people
- Penfield
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Penfield is located in Labette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Penfield
- Morehead
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Morehead is located in Labette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morehead
- Dennis
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Edna
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Altamont
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Parsons
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Neosho County
- The following are listed by their distance from Blake, with the one closest to Blake listed first.
- Thayer
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Galesburg
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Galesburg is located in Neosho County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Galesburg
- Population from the 2020 Census: 120 people
- Wilson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Blake, with the one closest to Blake listed first.
- Lafontaine
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Lafontaine is located in Wilson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lafontaine
- Neodesha
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Brooks
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Brooks is located in Wilson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brooks
- Hilford
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Hilford is located in Wilson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hilford
- Buxton
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Buxton is located in Wilson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buxton
- Altoona
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Altoona is located in Wilson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Altoona
- Population from the 2020 Census: 371 people
- Fredonia
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Guilford
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Guilford is located in Wilson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Guilford
- New Albany
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- New Albany is located in Wilson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Albany
- Population from the 2020 Census: 50 people
- Benedict Junction
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Benedict Junction is located in Wilson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Benedict Junction
- Nowata County (OK)
- The following are listed by their distance from Blake, with the one closest to Blake listed first.
- South Coffeyville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- South Coffeyville is located in Nowata County (OK)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Coffeyville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 730 people
- Wann
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Lenapah
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Delaware
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Sanders
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Sanders is located in Nowata County (OK)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sanders
- Osage County (OK)
- The following are listed by their distance from Blake, with the one closest to Blake listed first.
- Whippoorwill
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Whippoorwill is located in Osage County (OK)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whippoorwill
- Bowring
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Washington County (OK)
- The following are listed by their distance from Blake, with the one closest to Blake listed first.
- Copan
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Copan is located in Washington County (OK)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Copan
- Population from the 2020 Census: 746 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Copan <1>
- Dewey
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Dewey is located in Washington County (OK)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dewey
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,411 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Dewey <1>
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Blake, see our County-by-County Page for Blake.
Cemeteries Near Blake ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Blake.
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 Blake - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Blake covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Blake, with the one closest to Blake listed first.
- Harrisonville Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Jefferson Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Highland Center Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Zion Lutheran Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Mt. Hope Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Spring Hill Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Calvary Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Quaker Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Fawn Creek Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Pratt Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- St. Andrews Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Radical Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Continue List (141 more) ...
- Parker Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Rutland Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Pioneer Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 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 Blake in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Blake.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Blake, with the one closest to Blake listed first.
- Bolton
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Bolton is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bolton
- Jefferson
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Jefferson is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jefferson
- Independence
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Wayside
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Wayside is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wayside
- Crane
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Crane is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crane
- Dearing
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Liberty
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Liberty is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Liberty
- Population from the 2020 Census: 110 people
- Tyro
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Tyro is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tyro
- Population from the 2020 Census: 195 people
- Kalloch ‑ Historic
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Kalloch is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kalloch
- Kalloch has also been known as:
- Kallocki
- Havana
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Havana is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Havana
- Population from the 2020 Census: 104 people
- Coffeyville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Sycamore
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Sycamore is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sycamore
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- Elk City
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Elk City is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elk City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 289 people
- Cherryvale
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Caney
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Blake. See our List of 1890's Communities around Blake.
Newspapers Published in Blake ...
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 48 newspapers that have been published in the area around Blake.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Blake, there are papers which were published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Blake.
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 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 Blake:
- Websites specific to Kansas
- Pages specific to Montgomery County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Chautauqua County
- Elk County
- Labette County
- Neosho County
- Wilson County
- Nowata County
- Osage County
- Washington 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 Blake, 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 things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Blake) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |