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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 Festus (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 Festus. 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.

Festus is located in Jefferson 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 Jefferson County: Monroe (IL), Franklin, Saint Francois, Saint Louis, Sainte Genevieve & Washington.

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

  • Jefferson County     (The home county of Festus)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Festus, with the one closest to Festus listed first.
    • Crystal City
      (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
    • Herculaneum
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
    • Horine
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
      • Horine is located in Jefferson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Horine
    • Mapaville
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Mapaville is located in Jefferson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mapaville
    • Hematite
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
      • Hematite is located in Jefferson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hematite
    • Pevely
      (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
      • Pevely is located in Jefferson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pevely
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 6,001 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Pevely <1>
    • Olympian Village
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Olympian Village is located in Jefferson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Olympian Village
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 752 people
    • Flucom
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
    • Hillsboro
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
    • Barnhart
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
    • Knorpp
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
    • De Soto
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
  • Franklin County
  • Saint Francois County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Festus, with the one closest to Festus listed first.
    • French Village
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
    • Blackwell
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Silver Springs
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Settletown
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Bonne Terre
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
    • Cantwell
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
    • Desloge
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
      • Desloge is located in Saint Francois County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Desloge
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 4,900 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Desloge <1>
    • Esther
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
      • Esther is located in Saint Francois County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Esther
    • Flat River
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
      • Flat River is located in Saint Francois County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flat River
    • Elvins
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
      • Elvins is located in Saint Francois County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elvins
    • Leadington
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
    • Leadwood
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
      • Leadwood is located in Saint Francois County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leadwood
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,158 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Leadwood <1>
  • Saint Louis City
  • Saint Louis County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Festus, with the one closest to Festus listed first.
    • Oakville
      (18 miles [29 km] to the north)
    • Mattese
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
      • Mattese is located in Saint Louis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mattese
    • Fenton
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
    • Mehlville
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
      • Mehlville is located in Saint Louis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mehlville
    • Concord
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
      • Concord is located in Saint Louis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Concord
    • Green Park
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
      • Green Park is located in Saint Louis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Green Park
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,614 people
    • Sunset Hills
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
      • Sunset Hills is located in Saint Louis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sunset Hills
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 8,448 people
    • Ivory
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
      • Ivory is located in Saint Louis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ivory
    • Lakeshire
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
      • Lakeshire is located in Saint Louis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakeshire
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,385 people
    • Ranken
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
    • Saint George
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
      • Saint George is located in Saint Louis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint George
      • Estimated population in 2011: 1,336 people
    • Sappington
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
  • Sainte Genevieve County
  • Washington County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Festus, with the one closest to Festus listed first.
    • Tiff
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
      • Tiff is located in Washington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tiff
    • Cadet
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Theabeau Town
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Theabeau Town is located in Washington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Theabeau Town
    • Mud Town
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Mud Town is located in Washington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mud Town
    • French Town
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
      • French Town is located in Washington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for French Town
    • Old Mines
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
    • Richwoods
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
    • Mineral Point
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Mineral Point is located in Washington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mineral Point
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 353 people
    • Aptus
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Summit
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Potosi
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Fourche a Renault ‑ Historic
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Monroe County (IL)
  • Randolph County (IL)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Festus, with the one closest to Festus listed first.
    • Prairie du Rocher
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Prairie du Rocher is located in Randolph County (IL)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prairie du Rocher
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 548 people
      • Prairie du Rocher has also been known as:
      • Prairie du Rocher village
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Prairie du Rocher <1>
    • Red Bud
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
    • Ruma
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
    • Modoc
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Evansville
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
    • Baldwin
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
    • Preston
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
      • Preston is located in Randolph County (IL)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Preston
    • Ellis Grove
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Saint Clair County (IL)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Festus, with the one closest to Festus listed first.
    • East Carondelet
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
    • Dupo
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
    • Millstadt
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
    • Falling Spring
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Imbs
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Smithton
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Smithton is located in Saint Clair County (IL)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smithton
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,812 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Smithton <1>
    • Cahokia
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Centreville
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Centreville is located in Saint Clair County (IL)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Centreville
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 4,844 people
    • Sauget
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • 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>
    • New Athens
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
    • Lementon
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Alorton
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
      • 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>

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

Cemeteries Near Festus ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Festus.

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

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

The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Festus, with the one closest to Festus 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 Festus had a population of 1,335 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Festus had a population of 12,114 people.

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

  • Crystal City
    (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
  • Silica
    (Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
    • Silica is located in Jefferson County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Silica
  • Herculaneum
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
  • Mitchie
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
  • Hematite
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
    • Hematite is located in Jefferson County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hematite
  • Plattin
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
    • Plattin is located in Jefferson County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plattin
  • Harrisonville
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
    • Harrisonville is located in Monroe County (IL)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harrisonville
  • Riverside
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
    • Riverside is located in Jefferson County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riverside
  • Pevely
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
    • Pevely is located in Jefferson County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pevely
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 6,001 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Pevely <1>
  • Victoria
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
    • Victoria is located in Jefferson County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Victoria
  • Bushburg
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
    • Bushburg is located in Jefferson County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bushburg
  • Jarvis
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Jarvis is located in Jefferson County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jarvis
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...

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

Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Festus ...

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 72 newspapers that have been published in the area around Festus.

We have organized these newspapers into two lists:

  • A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Festus. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Festus and those printed in the larger area surrounding Festus.
  • An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 21 miles [33.8 km]<4> of Festus.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we begin with the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These websites either 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 Festus:

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 Festus, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.
<4>Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'point-to-point' distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Festus) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.