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 Spence (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 Spence. 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 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 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.
Spence is located in Washington 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 Washington County: Clay, Cloud, Marshall, Republic, Riley, Gage (NE), Jefferson (NE) & Thayer (NE).
Below are the counties that are near Spence. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Spence:
- Washington County (The home county of Spence)
- The following are listed by their distance from Spence, with the one closest to Spence listed first.
- Hollenberg
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Hollenberg is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hollenberg
- Population from the 2020 Census: 20 people
- Hanover
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Lanham
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Lanham is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lanham
- Washington
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Morrowville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Morrowville is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morrowville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 147 people
- Greenleaf
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Barnes
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Blocker ‑ Historic
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Blocker is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blocker
- Linn
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Haddam
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Haddam is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Haddam
- Population from the 2020 Census: 97 people
- Haddam has also been known as:
- Haddam City
- West Haddam
- Chepstow
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Chepstow is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chepstow
- Mahaska
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Mahaska is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mahaska
- Population from the 2020 Census: 77 people
- Clay County
- The following are listed by their distance from Spence, with the one closest to Spence listed first.
- Garfield Center
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Garfield Center is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garfield Center
- Oscar ‑ Historic
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Oscar is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oscar
- Marshall County
- The following are listed by their distance from Spence, with the one closest to Spence listed first.
- Bremen
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Bremen is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bremen
- Marysville
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Marietta
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Marietta is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marietta
- Oketo
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Oketo is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oketo
- Population from the 2020 Census: 70 people
- Alcove Spring ‑ Historic
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Alcove Spring is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alcove Spring
- Waterville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Carden
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Carden is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carden
- Home
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Blue Rapids
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Winifred
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Winifred is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winifred
- Beattie
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Beattie is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beattie
- Population from the 2020 Census: 188 people
- Irving ‑ Historic
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Irving is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Irving
- Republic County
- The following are listed by their distance from Spence, with the one closest to Spence listed first.
- Narka
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Narka is located in Republic County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Narka
- Population from the 2020 Census: 84 people
- Cuba
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Agenda
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Agenda is located in Republic County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Agenda
- Population from the 2020 Census: 64 people
- Riley County
- May Day
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- May Day is located in Riley County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for May Day
- Gage County (NE)
- The following are listed by their distance from Spence, with the one closest to Spence listed first.
- Lanham
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Lanham is located in Gage County (NE)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lanham
- Odell
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Wymore
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Ellis
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Ellis is located in Gage County (NE)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ellis
- Barneston
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Blue Springs
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Holmesville
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Beatrice
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Liberty
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Rockford
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Rockford is located in Gage County (NE)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rockford
- Jefferson County (NE)
- The following are listed by their distance from Spence, with the one closest to Spence listed first.
- Steele City
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Diller
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Endicott
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Harbine
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Harbine is located in Jefferson County (NE)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harbine
- Population from the 2020 Census: 44 people
- Fairbury
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Jansen
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Thompson
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Thompson is located in Jefferson County (NE)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thompson
- Reynolds
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Plymouth
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Powell
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Powell is located in Jefferson County (NE)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Powell
- Thayer County (NE)
- The following are listed by their distance from Spence, with the one closest to Spence listed first.
- Gilead
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Hubbell
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Spence, see our County-by-County Page for Spence.
Cemeteries Near Spence ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Spence.
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 Spence - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Spence covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Spence, with the one closest to Spence listed first.
- Spenceville Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Prall Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- State Line Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for State Line Cemetery
- The State Line Cemetery has also been known as:
- Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2149233 <2>
- St. Johns Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Hollenberg Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Hanover Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Trinity Lutheran Church Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Evangelical Lutheran St. Johns Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Evangelical Lutheran St. Johns Cemetery
- The Evangelical Lutheran St. Johns Cemetery has also been known as:
- Lanham Cemetery
- St. Aloysius Catholic Cemetery
- St. Johns Cemetery
- St. Johns Evangelical Lutheran Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #93622 <2>
- Joy Creek Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Silver Cliff Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Emmons Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- St. Paul Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for St. Paul Cemetery
- The St. Paul Cemetery has also been known as:
- St. Pauls Evangelical Lutheran Church Cemetery
- St. Pauls Lutheran Church Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #1959629 <2>
- Continue List (166 more) ...
- Pecenka Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Steele City Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Brethren Merkey Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brethren Merkey Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Brethren Merkey Cemetery is located outside and to the east of Washington.
- The Brethren Merkey Cemetery has also been known as:
- Markey Cemetery
- Merkey Cemetery
- Merkley Brethren Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2197481 <2>
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 in 1895, Spence had railroad service and no post office.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Spence, with the one closest to Spence listed first.
- Hanover
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Hollenberg
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Hollenberg is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hollenberg
- Population from the 2020 Census: 20 people
- Lanham
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Lanham is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lanham
- Lanham
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Lanham is located in Gage County (NE)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lanham
- Bremen
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Bremen is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bremen
- Steele City
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Washington
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Odell
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Diller
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Herkimer
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Herkimer is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Herkimer
- Morrowville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Morrowville is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morrowville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 147 people
- Endicott
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- Greenleaf
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Barnes
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Enosdale
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Enosdale is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Enosdale
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Spence. See our List of 1890's Communities around Spence.
Newspapers Published in Spence ...
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 80 newspapers that have been published in the area around Spence.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Spence, there are papers which were published within 29 miles [46.7 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Spence.
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 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 Spence:
- Websites specific to Kansas
- Pages specific to Washington County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Clay County
- Marshall County
- Republic County
- Riley County
- Gage County
- Jefferson County
- Thayer 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 Spence, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <4> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a '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- Spence) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |