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 Grays Valley (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 Grays Valley. 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 Grays Valley ...
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.
Although we can't give a definitive list, hopefully the following will give you a feel for the variations that might occur.
- A typical abbreviation for Grays Valley: Grays Vly. (or less commonly used: Grays Vally. or Grays Vlly.)
- While the name of this community is Grays Valley, be aware that it's the common practice of mapmakers to remove the apostrophe from possessive names<1>. So Grays Valley may originally have been Gray's Valley.
Sometimes the trailing 's' might be dropped altogether, in which case Grays Valley might be written as Gray Valley.
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.
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 southwest 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 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 west 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.
Grays Valley is located in Dade 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 Dade County: Barton, Cedar, Greene, Jasper, Lawrence & Polk.
Below are the counties that are near Grays Valley. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Grays Valley:
- Dade County (The home county of Grays Valley)
- The following are listed by their distance from Grays Valley, with the one closest to Grays Valley listed first.
- Lockwood
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Lockwood is located in Dade County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lockwood
- Population from the 2020 Census: 897 people
- Greenfield
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Arcola
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Arcola is located in Dade County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arcola
- Population from the 2020 Census: 53 people
- South Greenfield
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- South Greenfield is located in Dade County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Greenfield
- Population from the 2020 Census: 86 people
- Glen Town
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Glen Town is located in Dade County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glen Town
- Pilgrim
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Pilgrim is located in Dade County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pilgrim
- Corry
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Corry is located in Dade County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Corry
- Dadeville
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Everton
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Bona
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Bona is located in Dade County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bona
- Barton County
- The following are listed by their distance from Grays Valley, with the one closest to Grays Valley listed first.
- Layneville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Layneville is located in Barton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Layneville
- Golden City
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Newport
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Newport is located in Barton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newport
- Bushnell
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Bushnell is located in Barton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bushnell
- Kenoma
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Kenoma is located in Barton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kenoma
- Milford
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Milford is located in Barton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Milford
- Population from the 2020 Census: 23 people
- Lamar
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Lamar Heights
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Lamar Heights is located in Barton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lamar Heights
- Population from the 2020 Census: 173 people
- Irwin
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Irwin is located in Barton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Irwin
- Oakton
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Oakton is located in Barton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakton
- Nashville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Nashville is located in Barton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nashville
- Liberal
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Liberal is located in Barton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Liberal
- Population from the 2020 Census: 702 people
- Cedar County
- The following are listed by their distance from Grays Valley, with the one closest to Grays Valley listed first.
- Jerico Springs
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Jerico Springs is located in Cedar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jerico Springs
- Population from the 2020 Census: 232 people
- Umber View Heights
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Umber View Heights is located in Cedar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Umber View Heights
- Population from the 2020 Census: 49 people
- Stockton
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Virgil City
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Virgil City is located in Cedar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Virgil City
- Caplinger Mills
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Caplinger Mills is located in Cedar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caplinger Mills
- Willowville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Willowville is located in Cedar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willowville
- El Dorado Springs
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Lebeck
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Lebeck is located in Cedar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lebeck
- Greene County
- The following are listed by their distance from Grays Valley, with the one closest to Grays Valley listed first.
- Walnut Grove
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Ash Grove
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Phenix ‑ Historic
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Phenix is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Phenix
- Phenix has also been known as:
- Phenix Quarry
- Bois D'Arc
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Jasper County
- The following are listed by their distance from Grays Valley, with the one closest to Grays Valley listed first.
- Maple Grove
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Maple Grove is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maple Grove
- Avilla
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Avilla is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avilla
- Population from the 2020 Census: 131 people
- Jasper
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- La Russell
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- La Russell is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for La Russell
- Population from the 2020 Census: 117 people
- Forest Mills
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Forest Mills is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest Mills
- Carytown
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Carytown is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carytown
- Population from the 2020 Census: 283 people
- Reeds
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Reeds is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reeds
- Population from the 2020 Census: 99 people
- Carthage
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Sarcoxie
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Alba
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Alba is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alba
- Population from the 2020 Census: 537 people
- Neck City
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Neck City is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Neck City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 196 people
- Motley
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Motley is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Motley
- Brooklyn Heights
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Brooklyn Heights is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brooklyn Heights
- Population from the 2020 Census: 105 people
- Lawrence County
- The following are listed by their distance from Grays Valley, with the one closest to Grays Valley listed first.
- Round Grove
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Round Grove is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Round Grove
- Red Oak
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Red Oak is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Oak
- Miller
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Stinson
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Stinson is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stinson
- Heatonville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Heatonville is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Heatonville
- Stotts City
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Stotts City is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stotts City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 215 people
- Mount Vernon
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Halltown
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Hoberg
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Hoberg is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hoberg
- Population from the 2020 Census: 57 people
- Freistatt
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Freistatt is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Freistatt
- Population from the 2020 Census: 160 people
- Polk County
- The following are listed by their distance from Grays Valley, with the one closest to Grays Valley listed first.
- Aldrich
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Aldrich is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aldrich
- Population from the 2020 Census: 81 people
- Eudora
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Eudora is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eudora
- Graydon Springs
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Graydon Springs is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Graydon Springs
- Fair Play
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Wishart
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Wishart is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wishart
- Dunnegan
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Dunnegan is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunnegan
- Morrisville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Vernon County
- The following are listed by their distance from Grays Valley, with the one closest to Grays Valley listed first.
- Bellamy
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Bellamy is located in Vernon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bellamy
- Montevallo
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Montevallo is located in Vernon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Montevallo
- Sheldon
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Milo
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Milo is located in Vernon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Milo
- Population from the 2020 Census: 86 people
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Grays Valley, see our County-by-County Page for Grays Valley.
Cemeteries Near Grays Valley ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Grays Valley.
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 Grays Valley - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Grays Valley covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Grays Valley, with the one closest to Grays Valley listed first.
- Edgar Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Collins Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Pippenger Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Immanuel Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Amos Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Lockwood Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Montgomery Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Messick Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Pleasant Grove Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- IOOF Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Worthen Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Wetzel Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Continue List (249 more) ...
- Harlow - Wright Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Kistler Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Hickory Grove Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
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.<5>
While we didn't find Grays Valley in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Grays Valley.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Grays Valley, with the one closest to Grays Valley listed first.
- Lockwood
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Lockwood is located in Dade County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lockwood
- Population from the 2020 Census: 897 people
- Sylvania ‑ Historic
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Sylvania is located in Dade County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sylvania
- Golden City
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Greenfield
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Meinert
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Meinert is located in Dade County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meinert
- Cedarville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Cedarville is located in Dade County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedarville
- Arcola
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Arcola is located in Dade County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arcola
- Population from the 2020 Census: 53 people
- Newport
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Newport is located in Barton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newport
- Kings Point
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Kings Point is located in Dade County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kings Point
- South Greenfield
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- South Greenfield is located in Dade County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Greenfield
- Population from the 2020 Census: 86 people
- Bushnell
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Bushnell is located in Barton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bushnell
- Dudenville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Dudenville is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dudenville
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- Kenoma
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Kenoma is located in Barton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kenoma
- Seybert
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Seybert is located in Dade County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seybert
- Malty
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Malty is located in Barton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Malty
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Grays Valley. See our List of 1890's Communities around Grays Valley.
Newspapers Published in Grays Valley ...
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 111 newspapers that have been published in the area around Grays Valley.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Grays Valley, there are papers which were published within 28 miles [45.1 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Grays Valley.
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 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 Grays Valley:
- Websites specific to Missouri
- Pages specific to Dade County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Barton County
- Cedar County
- Greene County
- Jasper County
- Lawrence County
- Polk County
- Vernon County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Missouri
Footnotes ...
| <1> | It's generally believed that possessive apostrophes are removed to prevent confusion on maps where the apostrophe may be confused with a cartographic symbol. While this is generally true, it's not uncommon to find possessive apostrophes in administrative names (such as towns or counties). |
| <2> | While we're fans and frequent users of TripAdvisor, you should know that we're also members of the TripAdvisor affiliate program. |
| <3> | 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 from Point A (ie- Grays Valley) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |
| <4> | 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. |
| <5> | 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 Grays Valley, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |