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 Whitman (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 Whitman. 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 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.
Whitman is located in Sumner 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 Sumner County: Butler, Cowley, Harper, Kingman, Sedgwick, Grant (OK) & Kay (OK).
Below are the counties that are near Whitman. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Whitman:
- Sumner County (The home county of Whitman)
- The following are listed by their distance from Whitman, with the one closest to Whitman listed first.
- Oxford
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Oxford is located in Sumner County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oxford
- Population from the 2020 Census: 988 people
- Former name for Oxford:
- Hapawalla
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Oxford <1>
- Belle Plaine
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Paton
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Paton is located in Sumner County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Paton
- Cicero
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Cicero is located in Sumner County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cicero
- Wellington
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Geuda Springs
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Geuda Springs is located in Sumner County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Geuda Springs
- Population from the 2020 Census: 176 people
- Roland
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Roland is located in Sumner County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roland
- Portland
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Portland is located in Sumner County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Portland
- Anson
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Anson is located in Sumner County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Anson
- Perth
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Perth is located in Sumner County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Perth
- Mayfield
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Mayfield is located in Sumner County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mayfield
- Population from the 2020 Census: 104 people
- Millerton
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Millerton is located in Sumner County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millerton
- Butler County
- The following are listed by their distance from Whitman, with the one closest to Whitman listed first.
- Rose Hill
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Douglass
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Gordon
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Gordon is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gordon
- Salter
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Salter is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Salter
- Smileyville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Smileyville is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smileyville
- Bois d'Arc
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Bois d'Arc is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bois d'Arc
- Andover
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Andover is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Andover
- Population from the 2020 Census: 13,672 people
- Andover has also been known as:
- Cloud City
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Andover <1>
- Bloomington
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Bloomington is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bloomington
- Lorena
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Lorena is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lorena
- Prairie Village
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Prairie Village is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prairie Village
- Clay Center
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Clay Center is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clay Center
- Augusta
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Cowley County
- The following are listed by their distance from Whitman, with the one closest to Whitman listed first.
- Udall
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Kellogg
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Kellogg is located in Cowley County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kellogg
- Dale
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Dale is located in Cowley County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dale
- Akron
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Akron is located in Cowley County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Akron
- Hackney
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Hackney is located in Cowley County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hackney
- Rainbow Bend
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Rainbow Bend is located in Cowley County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rainbow Bend
- Rock
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Winfield
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Tresham
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Tresham is located in Cowley County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tresham
- Floral
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Floral is located in Cowley County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Floral
- New Salem
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- New Salem is located in Cowley County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Salem
- Moxham
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Moxham is located in Cowley County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moxham
- Sedgwick County
- The following are listed by their distance from Whitman, with the one closest to Whitman listed first.
- Mulvane
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Peck
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Waco
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Waco is located in Sedgwick County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waco
- Derby
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Wego-Waco
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Wego-Waco is located in Sedgwick County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wego-Waco
- Haysville
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Bayneville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Bayneville is located in Sedgwick County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bayneville
- Clearwater
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Murray Gill
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Murray Gill is located in Sedgwick County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Murray Gill
- Oatville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Oatville is located in Sedgwick County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oatville
- Eastborough
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Eastborough is located in Sedgwick County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eastborough
- Population from the 2020 Census: 730 people
- Clonmel
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Clonmel is located in Sedgwick County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clonmel
- Kay County (OK)
- The following are listed by their distance from Whitman, with the one closest to Whitman listed first.
- Chilocco
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Chilocco is located in Kay County (OK)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chilocco
- Braman
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Whitman, see our County-by-County Page for Whitman.
Cemeteries Near Whitman ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Whitman.
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 Whitman - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Whitman covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Whitman, with the one closest to Whitman listed first.
- Ninnescah Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Oxford Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Udall Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Belle Plaine Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Mt. Zion Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Mt. Vernon Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Littleton Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Yeager Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yeager Cemetery
- The Yeager Cemetery has also been known as:
- Yeager - Patterson Cemetery
- Akron Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Star Valley Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Red Bud Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Mulvane Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mulvane Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Mulvane Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #93165 <2>
- Continue List (130 more) ...
- Sumner Memorial Gardens
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Prairie Lawn Cemetery
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Brookshire Cemetery
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
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, Whitman had a post office and railroad service.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Whitman, with the one closest to Whitman listed first.
- Oxford
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Oxford is located in Sumner County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oxford
- Population from the 2020 Census: 988 people
- Former name for Oxford:
- Hapawalla
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Oxford <1>
- Udall
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Dalton
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Dalton is located in Sumner County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dalton
- Kellogg
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Kellogg is located in Cowley County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kellogg
- Belle Plaine
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Cicero
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Cicero is located in Sumner County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cicero
- Akron
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Akron is located in Cowley County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Akron
- Mulvane
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Riverdale
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Riverdale is located in Sumner County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riverdale
- Hackney
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Hackney is located in Cowley County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hackney
- Wellington
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Rome
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Rome is located in Sumner County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rome
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- Winfield
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Rock
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Tresham
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Tresham is located in Cowley County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tresham
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Whitman. See our List of 1890's Communities around Whitman.
Newspapers Published in Whitman ...
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 215 newspapers that have been published in the area around Whitman.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Whitman, 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 Whitman.
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 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 Whitman:
- Websites specific to Kansas
- Pages specific to Sumner County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Butler County
- Cowley County
- Sedgwick County
- Kay 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 Whitman, 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' distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Whitman) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |