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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 Butler (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 Butler. 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.

Name Variations for Butler ...

When searching records, keep in mind that names and their spelling can change over time. Our sources include documents like maps, railroad schedules, Travel, Express and Shipping Guides. Many of these documents date from the 1800's and it's common to find spelling differences.

In past government published Postal Guides, Butler was referred to as Butler Courthouse.

You might be interested in other communities that are also named Butler. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Butler.

If you have information about these names (such as the reason for the change, date of change, the origin of the name), please Contact Us.

For more information about how community names might have been affected by the Board of Geographic Names (BGN), see our page about Placename Rules.

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.

Butler is located in Bates County and is the County Seat.

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 Bates County: Linn (KS), Miami (KS), Cass, Henry, Saint Clair & Vernon.

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

  • Bates County     (The home county of Butler)
  • Cass County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Butler, with the one closest to Butler listed first.
    • Archie
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
    • Austin
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
    • Main City
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
      • Main City is located in Cass County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Main City
    • Creighton
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Garden City
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
    • Freeman
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
    • Harrisonville
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
    • East Lynne
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
    • Lake Annette
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
      • Lake Annette is located in Cass County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Annette
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 102 people
    • Gunn City
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
    • West Line
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Henry County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Butler, with the one closest to Butler listed first.
    • Montrose
      (18 miles [29 km] to the east)
    • Urich
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
    • La Due
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
      • La Due is located in Henry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for La Due
      • Population from the 2010 Census: 28 people
    • Hartwell
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Hartwell is located in Henry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hartwell
    • Maurine
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Maurine is located in Henry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maurine
    • Blairstown
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Norris
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Deepwater
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
  • Johnson County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Butler, with the one closest to Butler listed first.
    • Quick City
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Quick City is located in Johnson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Quick City
    • La Tour
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • La Tour is located in Johnson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for La Tour
    • Latour
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
  • Saint Clair County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Butler, with the one closest to Butler listed first.
    • Appleton City
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
    • Johnson City
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Johnson City is located in Saint Clair County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Johnson City
    • Monegaw Springs
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Vernon County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Butler, with the one closest to Butler listed first.
    • Metz
      (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
    • Horton
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
      • Horton is located in Vernon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Horton
    • Schell City
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Harwood
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Harwood is located in Vernon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harwood
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 45 people
    • Stotesbury
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
      • Stotesbury is located in Vernon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stotesbury
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 17 people
    • Temple ‑ Historic
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
      • Temple is located in Vernon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Temple
    • Walker
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
      • Walker is located in Vernon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walker
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 253 people
    • Richards
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Richards is located in Vernon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Richards
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 94 people
    • Nevada
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
    • Deerfield
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
      • Deerfield is located in Vernon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deerfield
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 77 people
  • Bourbon County (KS)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Butler, with the one closest to Butler listed first.
    • Barnesville ‑ Historic
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Fulton
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Fulton is located in Bourbon County (KS)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fulton
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 154 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Fulton <1>
    • Hammond
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Linn County (KS)
  • Miami County (KS)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Butler, with the one closest to Butler listed first.
    • Jingo
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
    • New Lancaster
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Fontana
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • Fontana is located in Miami County (KS)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fontana
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 242 people
    • Block
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)

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

Cemeteries Near Butler ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Butler.

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

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

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

  • Oak Hill Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the east)
  • Glass Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
  • Morris Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Fairview Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • Elizabeth Chapel Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
  • Park Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Virginia Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
  • Rogers Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
  • Smith Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
  • White Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
  • Nichols Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
  • Thomas Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
  • Continue List   (200 more) ...
    • Radford Cemetery
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
    • Howell Cemetery
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Myers Cemetery
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)

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.<2>

The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Butler had a population of 2,812 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Butler had a population of 4,001 people.

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

  • Passaic
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
    • Passaic is located in Bates County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Passaic
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 32 people
  • Nyhart
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Cornland ‑ Historic
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Cornland is located in Bates County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cornland
  • Athol
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
    • Athol is located in Bates County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Athol
  • Virginia
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
    • Virginia is located in Bates County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Virginia
  • Adrian
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
  • New Home
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
  • Pleasant Gap
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Pleasant Gap is located in Bates County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Gap
  • Spruce
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
    • Spruce is located in Bates County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spruce
  • Foster
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Rich Hill
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
  • Altona
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Altona is located in Bates County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Altona
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Rucker
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Rucker is located in Bates County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rucker
    • Ballard ‑ Historic
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Ballard is located in Bates County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ballard
    • Mulberry
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
      • Mulberry is located in Bates County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mulberry

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

Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Butler ...

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 152 newspapers that have been published in the area around Butler.

We have organized these newspapers into two lists:

  • A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Butler. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Butler and those printed in the larger area surrounding Butler.
  • An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<3> of Butler.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we first turn to 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 Butler:

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>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 Butler, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.
<3>Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Butler) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.