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 Fern (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 Fern. 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 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.
Fern is located in Labette 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 Labette County: Cherokee, Crawford, Montgomery, Neosho, Craig (OK) & Nowata (OK).
Below are the counties that are near Fern. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Fern:
- Labette County (The home county of Fern)
- The following are listed by their distance from Fern, with the one closest to Fern listed first.
- Dennis
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Parsons
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Morehead
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Morehead is located in Labette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morehead
- Mound Valley
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Mound Valley is located in Labette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mound Valley
- Population from the 2020 Census: 378 people
- Altamont
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Penfield
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Penfield is located in Labette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Penfield
- Labette
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Labette is located in Labette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Labette
- Population from the 2020 Census: 66 people
- Labette has also been known as:
- Labette City
- Strauss
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Strauss is located in Labette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Strauss
- Edna
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Oswego
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Valeda
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Valeda is located in Labette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Valeda
- Bartlett
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Bartlett is located in Labette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bartlett
- Population from the 2020 Census: 73 people
- Chetopa
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Allen County
- The following are listed by their distance from Fern, with the one closest to Fern listed first.
- Leanna
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Leanna is located in Allen County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leanna
- Octagon City ‑ Historic
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Octagon City is located in Allen County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Octagon City
- Petrolia
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Petrolia is located in Allen County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Petrolia
- Savonburg
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Savonburg is located in Allen County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Savonburg
- Population from the 2020 Census: 103 people
- Bourbon County
- Porterville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Porterville is located in Bourbon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Porterville
- Cherokee County
- The following are listed by their distance from Fern, with the one closest to Fern listed first.
- Sherman
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Sherman is located in Cherokee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sherman
- Hoag
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Hoag is located in Cherokee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hoag
- Hallowell
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Hallowell is located in Cherokee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hallowell
- West Mineral
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- East Mineral ‑ Historic
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- East Mineral is located in Cherokee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Mineral
- Hamilton Camp ‑ Historic
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Hamilton Camp is located in Cherokee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hamilton Camp
- Mayer ‑ Historic
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Mayer is located in Cherokee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mayer
- Stone City ‑ Historic
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Stone City is located in Cherokee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stone City
- Faulkner
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Faulkner is located in Cherokee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Faulkner
- Sherwin
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Sherwin is located in Cherokee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sherwin
- Cokedale
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Cokedale is located in Cherokee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cokedale
- Monte Carlo ‑ Historic
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Monte Carlo is located in Cherokee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monte Carlo
- Carona
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Carona is located in Cherokee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carona
- Crawford County
- The following are listed by their distance from Fern, with the one closest to Fern listed first.
- McCune
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Monmouth
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Monmouth is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monmouth
- Greenbush
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Greenbush is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenbush
- Walnut
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Walnut is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walnut
- Population from the 2020 Census: 228 people
- Brazilton
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Brazilton is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brazilton
- Beulah
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Beulah is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beulah
- Cherokee
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Montgomery County
- The following are listed by their distance from Fern, with the one closest to Fern listed first.
- Cherryvale
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Liberty
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Liberty is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Liberty
- Population from the 2020 Census: 110 people
- Sycamore
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Sycamore is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sycamore
- Independence
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Avian ‑ Historic
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Avian is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avian
- Kalloch ‑ Historic
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Kalloch is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kalloch
- Kalloch has also been known as:
- Kallocki
- Coffeyville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Dearing
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Elk City
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Elk City is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elk City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 289 people
- Neosho County
- The following are listed by their distance from Fern, with the one closest to Fern listed first.
- Galesburg
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Galesburg is located in Neosho County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Galesburg
- Population from the 2020 Census: 120 people
- Thayer
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Erie
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Saint Paul
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Earlton
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Earlton is located in Neosho County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Earlton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 52 people
- Rollin
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Rollin is located in Neosho County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rollin
- Chanute
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Odense
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Odense is located in Neosho County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Odense
- Stark
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Stark is located in Neosho County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stark
- Population from the 2020 Census: 66 people
- Wilson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Fern, with the one closest to Fern listed first.
- Brooks
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Brooks is located in Wilson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brooks
- Hilford
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Hilford is located in Wilson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hilford
- Neodesha
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Altoona
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Altoona is located in Wilson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Altoona
- Population from the 2020 Census: 371 people
- Vilas
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Vilas is located in Wilson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vilas
- Guilford
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Guilford is located in Wilson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Guilford
- Lafontaine
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Lafontaine is located in Wilson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lafontaine
- Rest
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Rest is located in Wilson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rest
- Benedict
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Fredonia
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Benedict Junction
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Benedict Junction is located in Wilson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Benedict Junction
- South Ridge ‑ Historic
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- South Ridge is located in Wilson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Ridge
- Roper
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Roper is located in Wilson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roper
- Woodson County
- North Ridge ‑ Historic
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- North Ridge is located in Woodson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Ridge
- Nowata County (OK)
- South Coffeyville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- South Coffeyville is located in Nowata County (OK)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Coffeyville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 730 people
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Fern, see our County-by-County Page for Fern.
Cemeteries Near Fern ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Fern.
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 Fern - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Fern covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Fern, with the one closest to Fern listed first.
- Pleasant Hill Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Valley Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Harmony Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Mt. Calvary Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Memorial Lawn Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Ladore Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Wilsonton Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Bethany Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- West Bethany Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Hopewell Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Oakwood Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakwood Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Oakwood Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the east of Parsons.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #93225 <2>
- Mt. Hope Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mt. Hope Cemetery
- The Mt. Hope Cemetery has also been known as:
- Galesburg Cemetery
- Continue List (164 more) ...
- South Center Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Spring Hill Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Morehead Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
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 Fern in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Fern.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Fern, with the one closest to Fern listed first.
- Dennis
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Parsons
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Morehead
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Morehead is located in Labette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morehead
- Galesburg
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Galesburg is located in Neosho County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Galesburg
- Population from the 2020 Census: 120 people
- Mound Valley
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Mound Valley is located in Labette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mound Valley
- Population from the 2020 Census: 378 people
- South Mound
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- South Mound is located in Neosho County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Mound
- Cherryvale
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Altamont
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Thayer
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Penfield
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Penfield is located in Labette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Penfield
- Brooks
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Brooks is located in Wilson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brooks
- Labette
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Labette is located in Labette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Labette
- Population from the 2020 Census: 66 people
- Labette has also been known as:
- Labette City
- Continue List (17 more) ...
- Laneville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Laneville is located in Labette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Laneville
- Montana
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Montana is located in Labette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Montana
- Urbana
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Urbana is located in Neosho County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Urbana
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Fern. See our List of 1890's Communities around Fern.
Newspapers Published in Fern ...
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 110 newspapers that have been published in the area around Fern.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Fern, 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 Fern.
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 professional and volunteer 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 Fern:
- Websites specific to Kansas
- Pages specific to Labette County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Allen County
- Bourbon County
- Cherokee County
- Crawford County
- Montgomery County
- Neosho County
- Wilson County
- Woodson County
- Nowata 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 Fern, 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- Fern) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |