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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 Brookhaven (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 Brookhaven. 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.

Brookhaven is located in Sedgwick 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 Sedgwick County: Butler, Cowley, Harvey, Kingman, Reno & Sumner.

Below are the counties that are near Brookhaven. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Brookhaven:

  • Sedgwick County     (The home county of Brookhaven)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Brookhaven, with the one closest to Brookhaven listed first.
    • Eastborough
      (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
      • Eastborough is located in Sedgwick County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eastborough
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 730 people
    • Greenwich
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Greenwich is located in Sedgwick County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenwich
    • Bel Aire
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Kechi
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Kechi is located in Sedgwick County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kechi
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,109 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Kechi <1>
    • Wichita
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
    • Wichita Heights
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Wichita Heights is located in Sedgwick County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wichita Heights
    • Derby
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Derby is located in Sedgwick County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Derby
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 25,145 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Derby <1>
    • Cow Town
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
      • Cow Town is located in Sedgwick County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cow Town
    • Park City
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Oatville
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
      • Oatville is located in Sedgwick County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oatville
    • Valley Center
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Haysville
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
  • Butler County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Brookhaven, with the one closest to Brookhaven listed first.
    • Prairie Village
      (Less than 2 miles to the east)
      • Prairie Village is located in Butler County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prairie Village
    • Andover
      (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
      • Andover is located in Butler County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Andover
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 13,672 people
      • Andover has also been known as:
      • Cloud City
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Andover <1>
    • Sunset Acres
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Sunset Acres is located in Butler County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sunset Acres
    • Lorena
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
      • Lorena is located in Butler County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lorena
    • Benton
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
    • Rose Hill
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
    • Salter
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Salter is located in Butler County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Salter
    • Augusta
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
    • Towanda
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Gordon
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Gordon is located in Butler County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gordon
    • Midian
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
      • Midian is located in Butler County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Midian
    • Bois d'Arc
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Bois d'Arc is located in Butler County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bois d'Arc
  • Cowley County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Brookhaven, with the one closest to Brookhaven listed first.
    • Rock
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
    • Udall
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
    • Akron
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
      • Akron is located in Cowley County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Akron
    • Dale
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
      • Dale is located in Cowley County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dale
    • Wilmot
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Wilmot is located in Cowley County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilmot
    • Atlanta
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Floral
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Floral is located in Cowley County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Floral
    • Kellogg
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
      • Kellogg is located in Cowley County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kellogg
    • New Salem
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
      • New Salem is located in Cowley County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Salem
  • Harvey County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Brookhaven, with the one closest to Brookhaven listed first.
    • Annelly
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
      • Annelly is located in Harvey County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Annelly
    • McLains
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
      • McLains is located in Harvey County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McLains
    • Sedgwick
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Putnam
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Putnam is located in Harvey County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Putnam
    • McGraw
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
      • McGraw is located in Harvey County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McGraw
    • Van Arsdale
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Van Arsdale is located in Harvey County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Van Arsdale
    • Newton
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
    • North Newton
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
    • Halstead
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Walton
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
    • Zimmerdale
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Zimmerdale is located in Harvey County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zimmerdale
  • Marion County
    • Burns
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Burns is located in Marion County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burns
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 204 people
  • Sumner County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Brookhaven, with the one closest to Brookhaven listed first.
    • Belle Plaine
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
    • Cicero
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
      • Cicero is located in Sumner County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cicero
    • Millerton
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Millerton is located in Sumner County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millerton
    • Oxford
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
      • Oxford is located in Sumner County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oxford
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 988 people
      • Former name for Oxford:
      • Hapawalla
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Oxford <1>
    • Anson
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Anson is located in Sumner County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Anson

For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Brookhaven, see our County-by-County Page for Brookhaven.

Cemeteries Near Brookhaven ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Brookhaven.

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 Brookhaven - one of the links might be able to help.

If not found below, our Cemetery List for Brookhaven covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.

The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Brookhaven, with the one closest to Brookhaven listed first.

  • Seltzer Springs Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
  • Andover Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
  • Lakeview Gardens Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
  • Pierpoint Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
  • Deem Family Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
  • Kensington Gardens Memorial Centre
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
  • Reflection Point Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Indianola Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
  • Greenwich Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
  • Branson Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Old Benton Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
  • Lutheran Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Continue List   (133 more) ...

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 Brookhaven in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Brookhaven.

These communities are listed based on their distance from Brookhaven, with the one closest to Brookhaven listed first.

  • Andover
    (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
    • Andover is located in Butler County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Andover
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 13,672 people
    • Andover has also been known as:
    • Cloud City
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Andover <1>
  • Lorena
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
    • Lorena is located in Butler County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lorena
  • Minneha
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
    • Minneha is located in Sedgwick County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Minneha
  • Greenwich
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Greenwich is located in Sedgwick County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenwich
  • Benton
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
  • Tolerville
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Tolerville is located in Sedgwick County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tolerville
  • Rose Hill
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
  • Kechi
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Kechi is located in Sedgwick County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kechi
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,109 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Kechi <1>
  • Wichita
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
  • Augusta
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
  • Derby
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Derby is located in Sedgwick County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Derby
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 25,145 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Derby <1>
  • Gordon
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Gordon is located in Butler County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gordon
  • Continue List   (13 more) ...
    • Towanda
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Wichita Heights
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Wichita Heights is located in Sedgwick County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wichita Heights
    • Oatville
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
      • Oatville is located in Sedgwick County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oatville

We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Brookhaven. See our List of 1890's Communities around Brookhaven.

Newspapers Published in Brookhaven ...

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 75 newspapers that have been published in the area around Brookhaven.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Brookhaven, 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 Brookhaven.

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 Brookhaven:

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 Brookhaven, 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 from Point A (ie- Brookhaven) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.