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 Bellefontaine (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 Bellefontaine. 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 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.
Bellefontaine is located in Saint Louis County.
To see how the shape of Missouri's counties may have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.
The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Saint Louis County: Madison (IL), Monroe (IL), Saint Clair (IL), Franklin, Jefferson, Saint Charles & Saint Louis.
Below are the counties that are near Bellefontaine. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Bellefontaine:
- Saint Louis County (The home county of Bellefontaine)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bellefontaine, with the one closest to Bellefontaine listed first.
- Chesterfield
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Lake
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Lake is located in Saint Louis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake
- Clarkson Valley
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Clarkson Valley is located in Saint Louis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clarkson Valley
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,604 people
- Gumbo
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Gumbo is located in Saint Louis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gumbo
- Fernridge
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Fernridge is located in Saint Louis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fernridge
- Ballwin
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Winchester
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Town and Country
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Town and Country is located in Saint Louis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Town and Country
- Population from the 2020 Census: 11,140 people
- Ellisville
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Country Life Acres
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Country Life Acres is located in Saint Louis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Country Life Acres
- Population from the 2020 Census: 73 people
- Manchester
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Creve Coeur
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Creve Coeur is located in Saint Louis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Creve Coeur
- Population from the 2020 Census: 18,624 people
- Maryland Heights
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Maryland Heights is located in Saint Louis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maryland Heights
- Population from the 2020 Census: 26,895 people
- Franklin County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bellefontaine, with the one closest to Bellefontaine listed first.
- Port Royal ‑ Historic
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Port Royal is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Port Royal
- Saint Albans
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Pacific
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Pacific is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pacific
- Population from the 2020 Census: 7,097 people
- Former name for Pacific:
- Franklin
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Pacific <1>
- Gray Summit
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Labadie
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Boles
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Boles is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boles
- Catawissa
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Robertsville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Villa Ridge
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Gildehouse
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Gildehouse is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gildehouse
- Washington
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Moselle
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Moselle is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moselle
- Hemker
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Hemker is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hemker
- Jefferson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bellefontaine, with the one closest to Bellefontaine listed first.
- Murphy
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Murphy is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Murphy
- Parkdale
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Parkdale is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parkdale
- Population from the 2020 Census: 162 people
- High Ridge
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Peaceful Village
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Peaceful Village is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peaceful Village
- Population from the 2020 Census: 67 people
- Byrnes Mill
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- House Springs
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Maxville
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Maxville is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maxville
- Lake Tekakwitha
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Lake Tekakwitha is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Tekakwitha
- Population from the 2020 Census: 260 people
- Scotsdale
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Scotsdale is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Scotsdale
- Population from the 2020 Census: 216 people
- Arnold
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Otto
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Otto is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Otto
- Flamm City
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Flamm City is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flamm City
- Cedar Hill
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Lincoln County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bellefontaine, with the one closest to Bellefontaine listed first.
- Old Monroe
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Chain-of-Rocks
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Chain-of-Rocks is located in Lincoln County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chain-of-Rocks
- Population from the 2020 Census: 105 people
- Cap au Gris
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Cap au Gris is located in Lincoln County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cap au Gris
- Winfield
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Fountain N' Lakes
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Fountain N' Lakes is located in Lincoln County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fountain N' Lakes
- Population from the 2020 Census: 184 people
- Fountain N' Lakes has also been known as:
- Fountain N' Lakes village
- Foley
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Argentville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Argentville is located in Lincoln County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Argentville
- Moscow Mills
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Saint Charles County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bellefontaine, with the one closest to Bellefontaine listed first.
- Harvester
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Weldon Spring
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Weldon Spring Heights
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Weldon Spring Heights is located in Saint Charles County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weldon Spring Heights
- Population from the 2020 Census: 90 people
- Cottleville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Saint Charles
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- All Saints Village
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- All Saints Village is located in Saint Charles County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for All Saints Village
- Saint Peters
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Gardnerville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Gardnerville is located in Saint Charles County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gardnerville
- Dardenne Prairie
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Defiance
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- O'Fallon
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Lake Saint Louis
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Saint Paul
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Saint Paul is located in Saint Charles County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Paul
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,796 people
- Saint Louis City
- The following are listed by their distance from Bellefontaine, with the one closest to Bellefontaine listed first.
- University City
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- University City is located in Saint Louis City
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for University City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 34,049 people
- Cheltenham
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Cheltenham is located in Saint Louis City
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cheltenham
- Tower Grove
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Tower Grove is located in Saint Louis City
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tower Grove
- Baden
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Baden is located in Saint Louis City
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Baden
- Carondelet
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Carondelet is located in Saint Louis City
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carondelet
- Saint Louis
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Warren County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bellefontaine, with the one closest to Bellefontaine listed first.
- Dutzow
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Village of Three Creeks
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Village of Three Creeks is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Village of Three Creeks
- Population from the 2020 Census: 6 people
- Village of Three Creeks has also been known as:
- Three Creeks village
- Wright City
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Innsbrook
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Innsbrook is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Innsbrook
- Population from the 2020 Census: 597 people
- Innsbrook has also been known as:
- Innsbrook village
- Marthasville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Calhoun County (IL)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bellefontaine, with the one closest to Bellefontaine listed first.
- Golden Eagle
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Deer Plain
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Deer Plain is located in Calhoun County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deer Plain
- Brussels
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Batchtown
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Jersey County (IL)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bellefontaine, with the one closest to Bellefontaine listed first.
- Grafton
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Chautauqua
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Chautauqua is located in Jersey County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chautauqua
- Elsah
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Dow
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Otterville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Otterville is located in Jersey County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Otterville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 116 people
- Nutwood
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Nutwood is located in Jersey County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nutwood
- McClusky
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- McClusky is located in Jersey County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McClusky
- Madison County (IL)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bellefontaine, with the one closest to Bellefontaine listed first.
- Newport
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Newport is located in Madison County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newport
- Venice
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Granite City
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Madison
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Nameoki
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Nameoki is located in Madison County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nameoki
- Melville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Melville is located in Madison County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Melville
- Brooks
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Brooks is located in Madison County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brooks
- Mitchell
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Mitchell is located in Madison County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mitchell
- Altamont
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Alton
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Alton is located in Madison County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 26,049 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Alton <1>
- Pontoon Beach
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Godfrey
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Hartford
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Monroe County (IL)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bellefontaine, with the one closest to Bellefontaine listed first.
- Columbia
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Valmeyer
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Foster Pond ‑ Historic
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Foster Pond is located in Monroe County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Foster Pond
- Waterloo
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Saint Clair County (IL)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bellefontaine, with the one closest to Bellefontaine listed first.
- East Carondelet
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Brooklyn
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Brooklyn is located in Saint Clair County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brooklyn
- Population from the 2020 Census: 687 people
- Cahokia
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Cahokia is located in Saint Clair County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cahokia
- Population from the 2020 Census: 13,742 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Cahokia <1>
- Dupo
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Dupo is located in Saint Clair County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dupo
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,845 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Dupo <1>
- National City
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Sauget
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Sauget is located in Saint Clair County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sauget
- Population from the 2020 Census: 154 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Sauget <1>
- Falling Spring
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Falling Spring is located in Saint Clair County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Falling Spring
- East Saint Louis
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Alorton
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Alorton is located in Saint Clair County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alorton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,880 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Alorton <1>
- Centreville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Centreville is located in Saint Clair County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Centreville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 4,844 people
- Fairmont City
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Fairmont City is located in Saint Clair County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairmont City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,439 people
- Imbs
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Imbs is located in Saint Clair County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Imbs
- Washington Park
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Washington Park is located in Saint Clair County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Washington Park
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,831 people
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Bellefontaine, see our County-by-County Page for Bellefontaine.
Cemeteries Near Bellefontaine ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Bellefontaine.
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 Bellefontaine - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Bellefontaine covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Bellefontaine, with the one closest to Bellefontaine listed first.
- St. Johns UCC Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Everwine Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Conway Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- St. Johns Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- St. Joseph Parish Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Hibler - Fitzgerald Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Hiram Park Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- St. Monica Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Peterson Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Elm Lawn Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elm Lawn Cemetery
- The Elm Lawn Cemetery has also been known as:
- Parkway United Church of Christ Cemetery
- Zion Evangelical and Reformed Church Cemetery
- Zion Evangelical Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #212392 <2>
- Bates Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Tyler Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Continue List (303 more) ...
- Sacred Heart Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- St. Pauls Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Cottleville Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
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 Bellefontaine in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Bellefontaine.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Bellefontaine, with the one closest to Bellefontaine listed first.
- Lake
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Lake is located in Saint Louis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake
- Gumbo
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Gumbo is located in Saint Louis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gumbo
- Stevens
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Stevens is located in Saint Louis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stevens
- Ballwin
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Fernridge
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Fernridge is located in Saint Louis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fernridge
- Orrville
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Orrville is located in Saint Louis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orrville
- Ellisville
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Manchester
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Harvester
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Creve Coeur
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Creve Coeur is located in Saint Louis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Creve Coeur
- Population from the 2020 Census: 18,624 people
- Weldon Spring
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Pond
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Pond is located in Saint Louis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pond
- Continue List (19 more) ...
- Grover
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Valley Park
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Barretts
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Barretts is located in Saint Louis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barretts
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Bellefontaine. See our List of 1890's Communities around Bellefontaine.
Newspapers Published in Bellefontaine ...
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 74 newspapers that have been published in the area around Bellefontaine.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Bellefontaine, there are papers which were published within 13 miles [20.9 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Bellefontaine.
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 Bellefontaine:
- Websites specific to Missouri
- Pages specific to Saint Louis County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Franklin County
- Jefferson County
- Lincoln County
- Saint Charles County
- Saint Louis City
- Warren County
- Calhoun County
- Jersey County
- Madison County
- Monroe County
- Saint Clair County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Missouri
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 Bellefontaine, 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 drawn from Point A (ie- Bellefontaine) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |