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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 Wathena (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 Wathena. 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.

Wathena is located in Doniphan 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 Doniphan County: Atchison, Brown, Andrew (MO), Buchanan (MO), Holt (MO) & Richardson (NE).

Below are the counties that are near Wathena. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Wathena:

  • Doniphan County     (The home county of Wathena)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Wathena, with the one closest to Wathena listed first.
    • Palermo
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Palermo is located in Doniphan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Palermo
    • Elwood
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
    • Blair
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Blair is located in Doniphan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blair
    • Troy
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
    • Brenner
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
    • Doniphan
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Petersburgh ‑ Historic
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Moray
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
      • Moray is located in Doniphan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moray
    • Fanning
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Fanning is located in Doniphan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fanning
    • Bendena
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
    • Sparks
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Sparks is located in Doniphan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sparks
    • Severance
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
    • Denton
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
  • Atchison County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Wathena, with the one closest to Wathena listed first.
    • Atchison
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Goodintent ‑ Historic
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
      • Goodintent is located in Atchison County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goodintent
    • Port Williams
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
    • Oak Mills
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
    • Lancaster
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
      • Lancaster is located in Atchison County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lancaster
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 282 people
    • Huron
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
    • Farmington
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Potter
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Cummings
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Cummings is located in Atchison County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cummings
    • Monrovia
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Effingham
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Brown County
  • Leavenworth County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Wathena, with the one closest to Wathena listed first.
    • Kickapoo
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
    • Lowemont
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
    • Easton
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
  • Andrew County (MO)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Wathena, with the one closest to Wathena listed first.
    • Country Club
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Country Club is located in Andrew County (MO)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Country Club
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,530 people
    • Amazonia
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
      • Amazonia is located in Andrew County (MO)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Amazonia
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 320 people
    • Nodaway
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
    • Avenue City ‑ Historic
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Avenue City is located in Andrew County (MO)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avenue City
    • Savannah
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Cosby
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Cosby is located in Andrew County (MO)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cosby
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 123 people
    • Rochester ‑ Historic
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Fillmore
      (18 miles [29 km] to the north)
    • Helena
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
      • Helena is located in Andrew County (MO)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Helena
    • Wyeth ‑ Historic
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
    • Rosendale
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
    • Rea
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Bolckow
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
  • Buchanan County (MO)
  • Clinton County (MO)
  • DeKalb County (MO)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Wathena, with the one closest to Wathena listed first.
    • Clarksdale
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
      • Clarksdale is located in DeKalb County (MO)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clarksdale
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 254 people
    • Stewartsville
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
    • Union Star
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
    • Amity
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
    • Winslow
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Gentry County (MO)
    • King City
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Holt County (MO)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Wathena, with the one closest to Wathena listed first.
    • Forbes
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Oregon
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
    • Forest City
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
    • New Point
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
    • Fortescue
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Fortescue is located in Holt County (MO)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fortescue
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 28 people
    • Bigelow
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Bigelow is located in Holt County (MO)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bigelow
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 23 people
    • Mound City
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Big Lake
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Nodaway County (MO)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Wathena, with the one closest to Wathena listed first.
    • Barnard
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
      • Barnard is located in Nodaway County (MO)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barnard
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 196 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Barnard <1>
    • Graham
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
    • Guilford
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
  • Platte County (MO)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Wathena, with the one closest to Wathena listed first.
    • Sugar Lake
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
    • Dearborn
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
    • Iatan
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
      • Iatan is located in Platte County (MO)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Iatan
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 56 people
    • Woodruff
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
    • Camden Point
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
    • Edgerton
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
    • Weston
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
      • Weston is located in Platte County (MO)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weston
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,834 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Weston <1>
    • West Platte
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
    • Ridgely
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Ridgely is located in Platte County (MO)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ridgely
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 112 people
    • Tracy
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
    • Platte City
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
    • Stillings
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)

For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Wathena, see our County-by-County Page for Wathena.

Cemeteries Near Wathena ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Wathena.

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 Wathena - one of the links might be able to help.

If not found below, our Cemetery List for Wathena covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.

The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Wathena, with the one closest to Wathena listed first.

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 Wathena had a population of 694 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Wathena had a population of 1,272 people.

These communities are listed based on their distance from Wathena, with the one closest to Wathena listed first.

  • Palermo
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Palermo is located in Doniphan County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Palermo
  • Elwood
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
  • Blair
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Blair is located in Doniphan County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blair
  • Saint Joseph
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
  • Kenmoor
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
    • Kenmoor is located in Buchanan County (MO)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kenmoor
  • Troy
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
  • Brenner
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
  • Halls
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
    • Halls is located in Buchanan County (MO)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Halls
  • Matney
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
  • Dean
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Dean is located in Andrew County (MO)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dean
  • Amazonia
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
    • Amazonia is located in Andrew County (MO)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Amazonia
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 320 people
  • Doniphan
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Saxton
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
    • Clair
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
      • Clair is located in Buchanan County (MO)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clair
    • Nodaway
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)

We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Wathena. See our List of 1890's Communities around Wathena.

Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Wathena ...

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 193 newspapers that have been published in the area around Wathena.

We have organized these newspapers into two lists:

  • A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Wathena. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Wathena and those printed in the larger area surrounding Wathena.
  • An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 29 miles [46.7 km]<3> of Wathena.

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 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 Wathena:

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 obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Wathena) 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 Wathena, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.