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 Colwich (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 Colwich. 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 southeast 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 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 east 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.
Colwich 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 Colwich. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Colwich:
- Sedgwick County (The home county of Colwich)
- The following are listed by their distance from Colwich, with the one closest to Colwich listed first.
- Maize
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Andale
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Coleman
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Coleman is located in Sedgwick County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coleman
- Bentley
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Westlink Village
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Westlink Village is located in Sedgwick County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westlink Village
- Goddard
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Mount Hope
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Valley Center
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Wichita Heights
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Wichita Heights is located in Sedgwick County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wichita Heights
- Park City
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Cow Town
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Cow Town is located in Sedgwick County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cow Town
- Garden Plain
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Garden Plain is located in Sedgwick County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garden Plain
- Population from the 2020 Census: 912 people
- Wichita
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Butler County
- The following are listed by their distance from Colwich, with the one closest to Colwich listed first.
- Andover
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- 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>
- Prairie Village
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Prairie Village is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prairie Village
- Sunset Acres
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Sunset Acres is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sunset Acres
- Benton
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Whitewater
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Lorena
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Lorena is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lorena
- Brainerd
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Brainerd is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brainerd
- Rose Hill
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Salter
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Salter is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Salter
- Towanda
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Elbing
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Elbing is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elbing
- Population from the 2020 Census: 230 people
- Potwin
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Potwin is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Potwin
- Population from the 2020 Census: 438 people
- Harvey County
- The following are listed by their distance from Colwich, with the one closest to Colwich listed first.
- Sedgwick
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Patterson
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Patterson is located in Harvey County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Patterson
- Halstead
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Putnam
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Putnam is located in Harvey County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Putnam
- Paxton
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Paxton is located in Harvey County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Paxton
- Van Arsdale
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Van Arsdale is located in Harvey County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Van Arsdale
- McGraw
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- McGraw is located in Harvey County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McGraw
- Burrton
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Burrton is located in Harvey County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burrton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 854 people
- McLains
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- McLains is located in Harvey County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McLains
- Newton
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Annelly
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Annelly is located in Harvey County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Annelly
- North Newton
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Alta Mills ‑ Historic
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Alta Mills is located in Harvey County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alta Mills
- Kingman County
- The following are listed by their distance from Colwich, with the one closest to Colwich listed first.
- Murdock
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Murdock is located in Kingman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Murdock
- Norwich
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Belmont
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Belmont is located in Kingman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belmont
- McPherson County
- Moundridge
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Reno County
- The following are listed by their distance from Colwich, with the one closest to Colwich listed first.
- Saint Joe
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Saint Joe is located in Reno County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Joe
- Haven
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Punkin Center ‑ Historic
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Punkin Center is located in Reno County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Punkin Center
- Yoder
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Castleton
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Castleton is located in Reno County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Castleton
- Cruppers Corner
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Cruppers Corner is located in Reno County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cruppers Corner
- Darlow
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Darlow is located in Reno County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Darlow
- Elmer
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Elmer is located in Reno County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elmer
- Obeeville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Obeeville is located in Reno County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Obeeville
- Pretty Prairie
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Buhler
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Buhler is located in Reno County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buhler
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,269 people
- Buhler has also been known as:
- Tulip Town
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Buhler <1>
- South Hutchinson
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Hutchinson
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Sumner County
- The following are listed by their distance from Colwich, with the one closest to Colwich listed first.
- Millerton
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Millerton is located in Sumner County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millerton
- Conway Springs
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Milton
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Milton is located in Sumner County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Milton
- Anson
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Anson is located in Sumner County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Anson
- Belle Plaine
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Colwich, see our County-by-County Page for Colwich.
Cemeteries Near Colwich ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Colwich.
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 Colwich - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Colwich covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Colwich, with the one closest to Colwich listed first.
- Sacred Heart Catholic Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Eldridge Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Maize Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- St. Mark Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Resurrection Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Jamesburg Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- St. Marys Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Pleasant Ridge Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Pleasant Valley Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Rest haven Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Mulkey Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Chikaskia Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Continue List (137 more) ...
- Mt. Hope Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Afton Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Valley Center Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
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 Colwich had a population of 212 people in 1895 with a post office and no railroad service. In 2020, Colwich had a population of 1,492 people.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Colwich, with the one closest to Colwich listed first.
- Maize
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Andale
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Bentley
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Goddard
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Mount Hope
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Wichita Heights
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Wichita Heights is located in Sedgwick County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wichita Heights
- Valley Center
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Garden Plain
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Garden Plain is located in Sedgwick County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garden Plain
- Population from the 2020 Census: 912 people
- Sedgwick
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Wichita
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Patterson
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Patterson is located in Harvey County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Patterson
- Oatville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Oatville is located in Sedgwick County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oatville
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Tolerville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Tolerville is located in Sedgwick County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tolerville
- Kechi
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Sunnydale
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Sunnydale is located in Sedgwick County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sunnydale
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Colwich. See our List of 1890's Communities around Colwich.
Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Colwich ...
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 91 newspapers that have been published in the area around Colwich.
We have organized these newspapers into two lists:
- A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Colwich. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Colwich and those printed in the larger area surrounding Colwich.
- An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<4> of Colwich.
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 Colwich:
- Websites specific to Kansas
- Pages specific to Sedgwick County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Butler County
- Harvey County
- Kingman County
- McPherson County
- Reno County
- Sumner 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 Colwich, 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 from Point A (ie- Colwich) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |