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 Elmer (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 Elmer. 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.
Elmer is located in Reno 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 Reno County: Harvey, Kingman, McPherson, Pratt, Rice, Sedgwick & Stafford.
Below are the counties that are near Elmer. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Elmer:
- Reno County (The home county of Elmer)
- The following are listed by their distance from Elmer, with the one closest to Elmer listed first.
- Cruppers Corner
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Cruppers Corner is located in Reno County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cruppers Corner
- Darlow
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Darlow is located in Reno County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Darlow
- Yoder
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- South Hutchinson
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Whiteside
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Whiteside is located in Reno County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whiteside
- Hutchinson
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Obeeville
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Obeeville is located in Reno County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Obeeville
- Castleton
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Castleton is located in Reno County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Castleton
- Punkin Center ‑ Historic
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Punkin Center is located in Reno County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Punkin Center
- Partridge
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Partridge is located in Reno County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Partridge
- Population from the 2020 Census: 242 people
- Willowbrook
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Willowbrook is located in Reno County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willowbrook
- Population from the 2020 Census: 85 people
- Yaggy
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Yaggy is located in Reno County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yaggy
- Haven
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Harvey County
- The following are listed by their distance from Elmer, with the one closest to Elmer listed first.
- Burrton
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Burrton is located in Harvey County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burrton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 854 people
- Patterson
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Patterson is located in Harvey County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Patterson
- Paxton
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Paxton is located in Harvey County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Paxton
- Alta Mills ‑ Historic
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Alta Mills is located in Harvey County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alta Mills
- Halstead
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Sedgwick
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Van Arsdale
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Van Arsdale is located in Harvey County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Van Arsdale
- Putnam
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Putnam is located in Harvey County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Putnam
- Hesston
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- McGraw
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- McGraw is located in Harvey County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McGraw
- Zimmerdale
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Zimmerdale is located in Harvey County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zimmerdale
- Kingman County
- The following are listed by their distance from Elmer, with the one closest to Elmer listed first.
- Murdock
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Murdock is located in Kingman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Murdock
- Kingman
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Penalosa
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Penalosa is located in Kingman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Penalosa
- Population from the 2020 Census: 18 people
- Alameda
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Alameda is located in Kingman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alameda
- McPherson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Elmer, with the one closest to Elmer listed first.
- Inman
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Groveland
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Groveland is located in McPherson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Groveland
- Elyria
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Elyria is located in McPherson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elyria
- Moundridge
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Conway
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Conway is located in McPherson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Conway
- Windom
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Windom is located in McPherson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Windom
- Population from the 2020 Census: 125 people
- Rice County
- The following are listed by their distance from Elmer, with the one closest to Elmer listed first.
- Sterling
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Saxman
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Saxman is located in Rice County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saxman
- Alden
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Little River
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Lyons
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Mitchell
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Mitchell is located in Rice County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mitchell
- Sedgwick County
- The following are listed by their distance from Elmer, with the one closest to Elmer listed first.
- Mount Hope
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Andale
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Bentley
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Cheney
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Colwich
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Garden Plain
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Garden Plain is located in Sedgwick County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garden Plain
- Population from the 2020 Census: 912 people
- Coleman
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Coleman is located in Sedgwick County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coleman
- Goddard
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Maize
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Elmer, see our County-by-County Page for Elmer.
Cemeteries Near Elmer ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Elmer.
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 Elmer - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Elmer covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Elmer, with the one closest to Elmer listed first.
- Fairview Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Plainview Mennonite Church Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Laurel Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Mennonite Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Fairlawn Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Eastside Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Memorial Park
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Center Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- West Center Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Center Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the West Center Cemetery is located outside and to the northeast of Partridge.
- Partridge Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- St. Agnes Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Mitchell Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Continue List (88 more) ...
- Valley Twp. Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Baker Cemetery
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Baker Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Baker Cemetery is located 6 miles [9.7 km]<2> to the southeast of Arlington.
- The Baker Cemetery has also been known as:
- Township Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2236531 <3>
- Lone Star Cemetery
(11 miles [17.7 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.<4>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that in 1895, Elmer had railroad service and no post office.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Elmer, with the one closest to Elmer listed first.
- Darlow
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Darlow is located in Reno County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Darlow
- Yoder
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- South Hutchinson
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Hutchinson
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Castleton
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Castleton is located in Reno County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Castleton
- Partridge
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Partridge is located in Reno County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Partridge
- Population from the 2020 Census: 242 people
- Haven
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Medora
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Medora is located in Reno County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Medora
- Arlington
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Pretty Prairie
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Burrton
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Burrton is located in Harvey County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burrton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 854 people
- Buhler
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- 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>
- Continue List (16 more) ...
- Nickerson
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Abbyville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Abbyville is located in Reno County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Abbyville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 86 people
- Patterson
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Patterson is located in Harvey County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Patterson
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Elmer. See our List of 1890's Communities around Elmer.
Newspapers Published in Elmer ...
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 216 newspapers that have been published in the area around Elmer.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Elmer, there are papers which were published within 29 miles [46.7 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Elmer.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we first visit 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 Elmer:
- Websites specific to Kansas
- Pages specific to Reno County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Harvey County
- Kingman County
- McPherson County
- Rice County
- Sedgwick 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> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Elmer) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |
| <3> | 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. |
| <4> | 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 Elmer, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |