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 Seward (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 Seward. 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 northwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors and hospitals were in the next county to the west. 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 west 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.
Seward is located in Stafford 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 Stafford County: Barton, Edwards, Pawnee, Pratt, Reno & Rice.
Below are the counties that are near Seward. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Seward:
- Stafford County (The home county of Seward)
- The following are listed by their distance from Seward, with the one closest to Seward listed first.
- Radium
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Radium is located in Stafford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Radium
- Population from the 2020 Census: 23 people
- Hudson
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Hudson is located in Stafford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hudson
- Population from the 2020 Census: 122 people
- Saint John
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Macksville
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Stafford
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Stafford is located in Stafford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stafford
- Population from the 2020 Census: 920 people
- Stafford has also been known as:
- Stafford Center
- Stafford City
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Stafford <1>
- Neola
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Neola is located in Stafford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Neola
- Barton County
- The following are listed by their distance from Seward, with the one closest to Seward listed first.
- Dundee
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Dundee is located in Barton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dundee
- Anchorway
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Anchorway is located in Barton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Anchorway
- Pawnee Rock
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Great Bend
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Dartmouth
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Dartmouth is located in Barton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dartmouth
- Ellinwood
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Heizer
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Heizer is located in Barton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Heizer
- Kanbrick
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Kanbrick is located in Barton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kanbrick
- South Hoisington
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- South Hoisington is located in Barton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Hoisington
- Albert
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Boyd ‑ Historic
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Boyd is located in Barton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boyd
- Hoisington
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Edwards County
- The following are listed by their distance from Seward, with the one closest to Seward listed first.
- Belpre
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Belpre is located in Edwards County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belpre
- Population from the 2020 Census: 81 people
- Trousdale ‑ Historic
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Trousdale is located in Edwards County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trousdale
- Lewis
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Pawnee County
- The following are listed by their distance from Seward, with the one closest to Seward listed first.
- Ray ‑ Historic
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Ray is located in Pawnee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ray
- Larned
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Ash Valley
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Ash Valley is located in Pawnee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ash Valley
- Garfield
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Garfield is located in Pawnee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garfield
- Population from the 2020 Census: 168 people
- Pratt County
- Byers
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Byers is located in Pratt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Byers
- Population from the 2020 Census: 33 people
- Reno County
- The following are listed by their distance from Seward, with the one closest to Seward listed first.
- Kilbourns Corner
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Kilbourns Corner is located in Reno County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kilbourns Corner
- Sylvia
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Sylvia is located in Reno County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sylvia
- Population from the 2020 Census: 204 people
- Sylvia has also been known as:
- Anderson's Farm
- Huntsville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Huntsville is located in Reno County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Huntsville
- McVays Corner
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- McVays Corner is located in Reno County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McVays Corner
- Plevna
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Plevna is located in Reno County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plevna
- Population from the 2020 Census: 98 people
- Rice County
- The following are listed by their distance from Seward, with the one closest to Seward listed first.
- Raymond
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Raymond is located in Rice County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Raymond
- Population from the 2020 Census: 75 people
- Silica
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Silica is located in Rice County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Silica
- Alden
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Chase
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Chase is located in Rice County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chase
- Population from the 2020 Census: 429 people
- Rush County
- The following are listed by their distance from Seward, with the one closest to Seward listed first.
- Otis
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Timken
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Timken is located in Rush County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Timken
- Population from the 2020 Census: 62 people
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Seward, see our County-by-County Page for Seward.
Cemeteries Near Seward ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Seward.
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 Seward - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Seward covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Seward, with the one closest to Seward listed first.
- Eden Valley Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- St. Francis Xavier Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Pleasant Ridge Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Pt. View Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Peace Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peace Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Peace Cemetery is located 3 miles [4.8 km]<3> to the north of Hudson.
- The Peace Cemetery has also been known as:
- Peace UCC Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2154832 <2>
- Fertig Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Salem Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Trinity Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Dundee Valley Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Fairview Park Cemetery
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairview Park Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Fairview Park Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the northeast of Saint John.
- The Fairview Park Cemetery has also been known as:
- Fairview Memorial Park
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #1330177 <2>
- Feldhut Cemetery
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Pawnee Rock Cemetery
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Continue List (65 more) ...
- Great Bend Cemetery
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Rockville Cemetery
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Bergthal Mennonite Cemetery
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bergthal Mennonite Cemetery
- The Bergthal Mennonite Cemetery has also been known as:
- Bergtal Cemetery
- Bergthal Cemetery
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 Seward had a population of 100 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Seward had a population of 62 people.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Seward, with the one closest to Seward listed first.
- Hudson
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Hudson is located in Stafford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hudson
- Population from the 2020 Census: 122 people
- Ray ‑ Historic
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Ray is located in Pawnee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ray
- Dundee
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Dundee is located in Barton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dundee
- Pawnee Rock
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Saint John
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Great Bend
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Dillwyn
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Dillwyn is located in Stafford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dillwyn
- Dartmouth
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Dartmouth is located in Barton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dartmouth
- Ellinwood
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Larned
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Macksville
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Heizer
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Heizer is located in Barton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Heizer
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- Stafford
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Stafford is located in Stafford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stafford
- Population from the 2020 Census: 920 people
- Stafford has also been known as:
- Stafford Center
- Stafford City
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Stafford <1>
- Raymond
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Raymond is located in Rice County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Raymond
- Population from the 2020 Census: 75 people
- Belpre
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Belpre is located in Edwards County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belpre
- Population from the 2020 Census: 81 people
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Seward. See our List of 1890's Communities around Seward.
Newspapers Published in Seward ...
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 100 newspapers that have been published in the area around Seward.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Seward, there are papers which were published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Seward.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we first turn to 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 Seward:
- Websites specific to Kansas
- Pages specific to Stafford County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Barton County
- Edwards County
- Pawnee County
- Pratt County
- Reno County
- Rice County
- Rush 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> | 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- Seward) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |
| <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 Seward, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |