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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 Bernie (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 Bernie. 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.

Bernie is located in Stoddard 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 Stoddard County: Bollinger, Butler, Cape Girardeau, Dunklin, New Madrid, Scott & Wayne.

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

  • Stoddard County     (The home county of Bernie)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bernie, with the one closest to Bernie listed first.
    • Dexter
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
    • LaValle
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
    • Dudley
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Dudley is located in Stoddard County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dudley
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 222 people
    • Essex
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Essex is located in Stoddard County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Essex
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 447 people
    • Penermon
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Penermon is located in Stoddard County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Penermon
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 61 people
    • Baker
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
      • Baker is located in Stoddard County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Baker
      • Population from the 2010 Census: 3 people
    • Grayridge
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Grayridge is located in Stoddard County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grayridge
    • Bloomfield
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
    • Circle City
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Circle City is located in Stoddard County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Circle City
    • Guam ‑ Historic
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Puxico
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Leora
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
  • Bollinger County
  • Butler County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bernie, with the one closest to Bernie listed first.
    • Fisk
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Broseley
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
    • Qulin
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
      • Qulin is located in Butler County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Qulin
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 459 people
    • Fagus
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Fagus is located in Butler County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fagus
    • Oglesville
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
    • Rombauer
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Kelly Town
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
      • Kelly Town is located in Butler County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kelly Town
    • Poplar Bluff
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
    • Harviell
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
  • Dunklin County
  • New Madrid County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bernie, with the one closest to Bernie listed first.
    • Parma
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Parma is located in New Madrid County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parma
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 602 people
    • Risco
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Risco is located in New Madrid County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Risco
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 303 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Risco <1>
    • Tallapoosa
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Tallapoosa is located in New Madrid County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tallapoosa
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 144 people
    • Catron
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
      • Catron is located in New Madrid County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Catron
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 60 people
    • Gideon
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
    • Canalou
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
      • Canalou is located in New Madrid County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Canalou
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 286 people
    • North Lilbourn
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
      • North Lilbourn is located in New Madrid County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Lilbourn
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 43 people
    • Morehouse
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
    • Lilbourn
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
    • Howardville
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
      • Howardville is located in New Madrid County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Howardville
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 329 people
    • Kewanee
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
    • Conran
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Conran is located in New Madrid County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Conran
  • Pemiscot County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bernie, with the one closest to Bernie listed first.
    • Peach Orchard
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
    • North Wardell
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
      • North Wardell is located in Pemiscot County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Wardell
    • Wardell
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
      • Wardell is located in Pemiscot County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wardell
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 354 people
    • Homestown
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
      • Homestown is located in Pemiscot County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Homestown
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 128 people
    • Hayward
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Hayward is located in Pemiscot County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hayward
    • Bragg City
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
      • Bragg City is located in Pemiscot County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bragg City
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 129 people
    • Pascola
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
      • Pascola is located in Pemiscot County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pascola
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 93 people
    • Netherlands
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Stewart
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Mid City
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
      • Mid City is located in Pemiscot County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mid City
  • Scott County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bernie, with the one closest to Bernie listed first.
    • Crowder
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Vanduser
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Vanduser is located in Scott County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vanduser
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 261 people
    • Miner
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Miner is located in Scott County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Miner
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 939 people
  • Wayne County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bernie, with the one closest to Bernie listed first.
    • Wappapello
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
    • McGee
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • McGee is located in Wayne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McGee
  • Clay County (AR)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bernie, with the one closest to Bernie listed first.
    • Saint Francis
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Piggott
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
    • Pollard
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
    • Nimmons
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
      • Nimmons is located in Clay County (AR)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nimmons
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 64 people
    • Greenway
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Greenway is located in Clay County (AR)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenway
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 188 people
    • Bell City
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
      • Bell City is located in Clay County (AR)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bell City
    • McDougal
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
      • McDougal is located in Clay County (AR)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McDougal
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 163 people

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

Cemeteries Near Bernie ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Bernie.

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

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

The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Bernie, with the one closest to Bernie 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 in 1895, Bernie had railroad service and no post office. In 2020, Bernie had a population of 1,875 people.

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

  • Malden
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
  • Dexter
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
  • Valley Ridge
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Valley Ridge is located in Dunklin County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Valley Ridge
  • Dudley
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Dudley is located in Stoddard County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dudley
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 222 people
  • Essex
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Essex is located in Stoddard County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Essex
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 447 people
  • Como
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
    • Como is located in New Madrid County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Como
  • Campbell
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
  • Wrightsville
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
  • Clarkton
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
  • Grayridge
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Grayridge is located in Stoddard County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grayridge
  • Idalia
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Idalia is located in Stoddard County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Idalia
  • Bloomfield
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
  • Continue List   (16 more) ...
    • Qulin
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
      • Qulin is located in Butler County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Qulin
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 459 people
    • Buffington
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Buffington is located in Stoddard County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buffington
    • Ash Hill
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Ash Hill is located in Butler County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ash Hill

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

Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Bernie ...

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 53 newspapers that have been published in the area around Bernie.

We have organized these newspapers into two lists:

  • A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Bernie. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Bernie and those printed in the larger area surrounding Bernie.
  • An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 22 miles [35.4 km]<3> of Bernie.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we like to start with 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 Bernie:

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 drawn from Point A (ie- Bernie) 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 Bernie, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.