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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 Charleston (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 Charleston. 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 Charleston ...

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, Charleston was referred to as Charleston Courthouse.

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

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 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.

Charleston is located in Mississippi 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 Mississippi County: Alexander (IL), Ballard (KY), Carlisle (KY), Fulton (KY), Hickman (KY), New Madrid & Scott.

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

  • Mississippi County     (The home county of Charleston)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Charleston, with the one closest to Charleston listed first.
    • Bertrand
      (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
      • Bertrand is located in Mississippi County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bertrand
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 747 people
    • Anniston
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
      • Anniston is located in Mississippi County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Anniston
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 207 people
    • Wilson City
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
      • Wilson City is located in Mississippi County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilson City
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 110 people
    • East Prairie
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
    • Whiting
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
    • Greenfield
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
      • Greenfield is located in Mississippi County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenfield
    • Wyatt
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
      • Wyatt is located in Mississippi County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wyatt
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 281 people
    • Thirtyfour Corner
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Pinhook
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
      • Pinhook is located in Mississippi County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pinhook
      • Estimated population in 2012: 30 people
    • Wolf Island
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Wolf Island is located in Mississippi County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wolf Island
  • Cape Girardeau County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Charleston, with the one closest to Charleston listed first.
    • Randles
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Cape Girardeau
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
    • Delta
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Delta is located in Cape Girardeau County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Delta
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 421 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Delta <1>
    • Dutchtown
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Cliff ‑ Historic
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Allenville
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Allenville is located in Cape Girardeau County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Allenville
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 118 people
    • Green Cox
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Green Cox is located in Cape Girardeau County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Green Cox
  • New Madrid County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Charleston, with the one closest to Charleston listed first.
    • Sikeston
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
    • Matthews
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Ogden
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Ogden is located in New Madrid County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ogden
    • La Forge
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Morehouse
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
    • Canalou
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Canalou is located in New Madrid County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Canalou
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 286 people
    • Kewanee
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
    • New Madrid
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
    • North Lilbourn
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
      • North Lilbourn is located in New Madrid County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Lilbourn
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 43 people
    • Howardville
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Howardville is located in New Madrid County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Howardville
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 329 people
    • Lilbourn
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Catron
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Catron is located in New Madrid County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Catron
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 60 people
  • Scott County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Charleston, with the one closest to Charleston listed first.
    • Diehlstadt
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
      • Diehlstadt is located in Scott County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Diehlstadt
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 152 people
    • Miner
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
      • Miner is located in Scott County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Miner
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 939 people
    • Blodgett
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Blodgett is located in Scott County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blodgett
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 203 people
    • Haywood City
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Haywood City is located in Scott County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Haywood City
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 199 people
    • Benton
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Lambert
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Lambert is located in Scott County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lambert
      • Population from the 2010 Census: 34 people
    • Morley
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Morley is located in Scott County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morley
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 682 people
    • Commerce
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
    • Crowder
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
    • New Hamburg
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
    • Vanduser
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
      • Vanduser is located in Scott County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vanduser
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 261 people
    • Oran
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Oran is located in Scott County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oran
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,211 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Oran <1>
  • Stoddard County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Charleston, with the one closest to Charleston listed first.
    • Baker
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Baker is located in Stoddard County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Baker
      • Population from the 2010 Census: 3 people
    • Grayridge
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
      • Grayridge is located in Stoddard County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grayridge
    • Circle City
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
      • Circle City is located in Stoddard County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Circle City
    • Painton
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Painton is located in Stoddard County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Painton
    • Bell City
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
    • Guam ‑ Historic
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
    • Penermon
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • Penermon is located in Stoddard County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Penermon
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 61 people
    • LaValle
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Essex
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • Essex is located in Stoddard County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Essex
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 447 people
    • Tillman
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
  • Alexander County (IL)
  • Pulaski County (IL)
  • Union County (IL)
  • Ballard County (KY)
  • Carlisle County (KY)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Charleston, with the one closest to Charleston listed first.
    • Bardwell
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
    • Arlington
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Arlington is located in Carlisle County (KY)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arlington
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 296 people
    • Cunningham
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
    • Milburn
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
    • Kirbyton
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
  • Fulton County (KY)
  • Hickman County (KY)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Charleston, with the one closest to Charleston listed first.
    • Columbus
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Spring Hill
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
    • Clinton
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Clinton is located in Hickman County (KY)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clinton
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,244 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Clinton <1>
    • Moscow
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
  • McCracken County (KY)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Charleston, with the one closest to Charleston listed first.
    • Woodville
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Cimota City
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Cimota City is located in McCracken County (KY)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cimota City
    • Ragland
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)

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

Cemeteries Near Charleston ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Charleston.

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

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

The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Charleston, with the one closest to Charleston 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.<3>

The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Charleston had a population of 1,381 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Charleston had a population of 5,015 people.

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

  • Samos
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
    • Samos is located in Mississippi County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Samos
  • Diehlstadt
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
    • Diehlstadt is located in Scott County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Diehlstadt
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 152 people
  • Bertrand
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
    • Bertrand is located in Mississippi County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bertrand
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 747 people
  • Henson
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Henson is located in Mississippi County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Henson
  • East Prairie
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
  • Whiting
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
  • Willard
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
    • Willard is located in Alexander County (IL)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willard
  • Birds Point
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
    • Birds Point is located in Mississippi County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Birds Point
    • Former names for Birds Point:
    • Birdsville
    • Greenville
  • Cairo
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Blodgett
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Blodgett is located in Scott County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blodgett
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 203 people
  • Crosno
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Crosno is located in Mississippi County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crosno
  • Sikeston
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
  • Continue List   (17 more) ...
    • Wolf Island
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Wolf Island is located in Mississippi County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wolf Island
    • Laketon
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
      • Laketon is located in Carlisle County (KY)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Laketon
    • Wickliffe
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)

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

Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Charleston ...

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 115 newspapers that have been published in the area around Charleston.

We have organized these newspapers into two lists:

  • A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Charleston. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Charleston and those printed in the larger area surrounding Charleston.
  • An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 24 miles [38.6 km]<4> of Charleston.

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 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 Charleston:

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 Charleston, 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' (or 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- Charleston) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.