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 Ionia (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 Ionia. 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 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.
Ionia is primarily located in Benton County. A portion of Ionia extends into Pettis 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 Benton County: Camden, Henry, Hickory, Morgan, Pettis & Saint Clair.
Below are the counties that are near Ionia. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Ionia:
- Benton County (The home county of Ionia)
- The following are listed by their distance from Ionia, with the one closest to Ionia listed first.
- Mora
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Mora is located in Benton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mora
- Lincoln
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Cole Camp
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Palo Pinto
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Palo Pinto is located in Benton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Palo Pinto
- Edmonson
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Edmonson is located in Benton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edmonson
- Racket
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Racket is located in Benton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Racket
- Warsaw
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Tackner
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Tackner is located in Benton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tackner
- Zora
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Zora is located in Benton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zora
- Edwards
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Cooper County
- The following are listed by their distance from Ionia, with the one closest to Ionia listed first.
- Otterville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Clifton City
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Clifton City is located in Cooper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clifton City
- Harriston
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Harriston is located in Cooper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harriston
- Henry County
- The following are listed by their distance from Ionia, with the one closest to Ionia listed first.
- Windsor
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Yolo
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Yolo is located in Henry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yolo
- Bowen
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Bowen is located in Henry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bowen
- Calhoun
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Calhoun is located in Henry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Calhoun
- Population from the 2020 Census: 456 people
- Tightwad
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Tightwad is located in Henry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tightwad
- Population from the 2020 Census: 61 people
- Alberta
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Alberta is located in Henry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alberta
- Clinton
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Brownington
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Brownington is located in Henry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brownington
- Population from the 2020 Census: 107 people
- Deepwater
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Norris
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Norris is located in Henry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Norris
- Hickory County
- Avery
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Avery is located in Hickory County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avery
- Johnson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Ionia, with the one closest to Ionia listed first.
- Henrietta
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Henrietta is located in Johnson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Henrietta
- Leeton
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Leeton is located in Johnson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leeton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 557 people
- Knob Noster
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Cornelia
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Cornelia is located in Johnson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cornelia
- Dunksburg
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Dunksburg is located in Johnson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunksburg
- Warrensburg
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Valley City
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Valley City is located in Johnson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Valley City
- Chilhowee
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Chilhowee is located in Johnson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chilhowee
- Population from the 2020 Census: 322 people
- Moniteau County
- Fortuna
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Fortuna is located in Moniteau County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fortuna
- Morgan County
- The following are listed by their distance from Ionia, with the one closest to Ionia listed first.
- Stover
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Florence
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Florence is located in Morgan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Florence
- Glensted
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Glensted is located in Morgan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glensted
- Versailles
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Syracuse
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Gravois Mills
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Pettis County
- The following are listed by their distance from Ionia, with the one closest to Ionia listed first.
- Spring Fork
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Spring Fork is located in Pettis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spring Fork
- Green Ridge
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Green Ridge is located in Pettis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Green Ridge
- Population from the 2020 Census: 495 people
- Sedalia
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Smithton
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Smithton is located in Pettis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smithton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 570 people
- Georgetown
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Georgetown is located in Pettis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Georgetown
- La Monte
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Hughesville
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Hughesville is located in Pettis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hughesville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 190 people
- Houstonia
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Houstonia is located in Pettis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Houstonia
- Population from the 2020 Census: 223 people
- Longwood
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Longwood is located in Pettis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Longwood
- Tedieville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Tedieville is located in Pettis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tedieville
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Ionia, see our County-by-County Page for Ionia.
Cemeteries Near Ionia ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Ionia.
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 Ionia - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Ionia covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Ionia, with the one closest to Ionia listed first.
- Christian Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Methodist Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Prairie Chapel Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Immanuel Lutheran Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Mt. Olivet Church Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- St. Johns Lutheran Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for St. Johns Lutheran Cemetery
- The St. Johns Lutheran Cemetery has also been known as:
- Cheese Creek Cemetery
- Pt. Pleasant Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Clover Dale Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Lincoln Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Cole Camp Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Eickhoff Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Trinity Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Continue List (227 more) ...
- Union Williams Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- St.s Peter & Paul Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- St. Pauls Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 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 Ionia had a population of 41 people in 1895 with a post office and no railroad service. In 2020, Ionia had a population of 88 people.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Ionia, with the one closest to Ionia listed first.
- Mora
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Mora is located in Benton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mora
- Spring Fork
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Spring Fork is located in Pettis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spring Fork
- Lincoln
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Cole Camp
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Green Ridge
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Green Ridge is located in Pettis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Green Ridge
- Population from the 2020 Census: 495 people
- Palo Pinto
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Palo Pinto is located in Benton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Palo Pinto
- Lake Creek
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Lake Creek is located in Benton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Creek
- Windsor
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Bahner
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Bahner is located in Pettis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bahner
- Edmonson
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Edmonson is located in Benton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edmonson
- Sedalia
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Owsley
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Owsley is located in Johnson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Owsley
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- Leesville
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Leesville is located in Henry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leesville
- Pyrmont
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Pyrmont is located in Morgan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pyrmont
- Calhoun
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Calhoun is located in Henry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Calhoun
- Population from the 2020 Census: 456 people
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Ionia. See our List of 1890's Communities around Ionia.
Newspapers Published in Ionia ...
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 34 newspapers that have been published in the area around Ionia.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Ionia, there are papers which were published within 29 miles [46.7 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Ionia.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we start 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 Ionia:
- Websites specific to Missouri
- Pages specific to Benton County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Cooper County
- Henry County
- Hickory County
- Johnson County
- Moniteau County
- Morgan County
- Pettis County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Missouri
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 Ionia, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <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- Ionia) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |