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 Mecca (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 Mecca. 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 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.
Mecca is located in Clinton 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 Clinton County: Buchanan, Caldwell, Clay, DeKalb, Platte & Ray.
Below are the counties that are near Mecca. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Mecca:
- Clinton County (The home county of Mecca)
- The following are listed by their distance from Mecca, with the one closest to Mecca listed first.
- Trimble
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Lilly
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Lilly is located in Clinton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lilly
- Plattsburg
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Gower
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Starfield
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Starfield is located in Clinton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Starfield
- Lathrop
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Converse
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Converse is located in Clinton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Converse
- Turney
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Keystone ‑ Historic
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Keystone is located in Clinton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keystone
- Cameron
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Andrew County
- The following are listed by their distance from Mecca, with the one closest to Mecca listed first.
- Cosby
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Cosby is located in Andrew County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cosby
- Population from the 2020 Census: 123 people
- Avenue City ‑ Historic
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Avenue City is located in Andrew County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avenue City
- Country Club
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Country Club is located in Andrew County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Country Club
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,530 people
- Helena
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Helena is located in Andrew County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Helena
- Rochester ‑ Historic
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Rochester is located in Andrew County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rochester
- Buchanan County
- The following are listed by their distance from Mecca, with the one closest to Mecca listed first.
- Agency
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Faucett
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Easton
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Easton is located in Buchanan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Easton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 233 people
- Willow Brook
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Willow Brook is located in Buchanan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willow Brook
- Matney
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Matney is located in Buchanan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Matney
- Saxton
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Saxton is located in Buchanan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saxton
- De Kalb
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- De Kalb is located in Buchanan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for De Kalb
- Population from the 2020 Census: 222 people
- Saint Joseph
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Rushville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Lewis and Clark Village
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Lewis and Clark Village is located in Buchanan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lewis and Clark Village
- Population from the 2020 Census: 127 people
- Caldwell County
- The following are listed by their distance from Mecca, with the one closest to Mecca listed first.
- Polo
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Kingston
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Kingston is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kingston
- Population from the 2020 Census: 332 people
- Kidder
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Clay County
- The following are listed by their distance from Mecca, with the one closest to Mecca listed first.
- Smithville
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Holt
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Kearney
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Nashua
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Nashua is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nashua
- Roosterville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Roosterville is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roosterville
- Chandler
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Chandler is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chandler
- Barry
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Barry is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barry
- Mosby
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Mosby is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mosby
- Population from the 2020 Census: 199 people
- Stockdale ‑ Historic
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Stockdale is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stockdale
- Acme
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Acme is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Acme
- Liberty
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Prathersville
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Prathersville is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prathersville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 135 people
- Excelsior Springs
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Daviess County
- Mabel
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Mabel is located in Daviess County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mabel
- DeKalb County
- The following are listed by their distance from Mecca, with the one closest to Mecca listed first.
- Stewartsville
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Osborn
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Clarksdale
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Clarksdale is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clarksdale
- Population from the 2020 Census: 254 people
- Amity
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Amity is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Amity
- Population from the 2020 Census: 53 people
- Maysville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Jackson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Mecca, with the one closest to Mecca listed first.
- River Bend
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- River Bend is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for River Bend
- Population from the 2020 Census: 10 people
- Atherton
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Atherton is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Atherton
- Cement City
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Cement City is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cement City
- Kansas City
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Independence
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Maywood
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Maywood is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maywood
- Sibley
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Adams
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Adams is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adams
- Leeds
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Leeds is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leeds
- Buckner
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Lake City
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Lake City is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake City
- Platte County
- The following are listed by their distance from Mecca, with the one closest to Mecca listed first.
- Edgerton
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Ridgely
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Ridgely is located in Platte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ridgely
- Population from the 2020 Census: 112 people
- Camden Point
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Ferrelview
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Ferrelview is located in Platte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ferrelview
- Population from the 2020 Census: 800 people
- Linkville ‑ Historic
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Linkville is located in Platte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Linkville
- Dearborn
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Platte City
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Tracy
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Tracy is located in Platte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tracy
- Population from the 2020 Census: 362 people
- Woodruff
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Woodruff is located in Platte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodruff
- Lake Waukomis
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Lake Waukomis is located in Platte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Waukomis
- Population from the 2020 Census: 874 people
- Platte Woods
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Platte Woods is located in Platte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Platte Woods
- Population from the 2020 Census: 406 people
- West Platte
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- West Platte is located in Platte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Platte
- Weatherby Lake
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Weatherby Lake is located in Platte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weatherby Lake
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,086 people
- Ray County
- The following are listed by their distance from Mecca, with the one closest to Mecca listed first.
- Lawson
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Excelsior Estates
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Excelsior Estates is located in Ray County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Excelsior Estates
- Population from the 2020 Census: 146 people
- Elmira
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Elmira is located in Ray County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elmira
- Population from the 2020 Census: 52 people
- Crystal Lakes
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Crystal Lakes is located in Ray County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crystal Lakes
- Population from the 2020 Census: 352 people
- Homestead
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Homestead is located in Ray County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Homestead
- Population from the 2020 Census: 184 people
- Wood Heights
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Wood Heights is located in Ray County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wood Heights
- Population from the 2020 Census: 700 people
- Woods Heights
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Woods Heights is located in Ray County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woods Heights
- Rayville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Knoxville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Knoxville is located in Ray County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Knoxville
- Albany
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Albany is located in Ray County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Albany
- Orrick
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Atchison County (KS)
- The following are listed by their distance from Mecca, with the one closest to Mecca listed first.
- Oak Mills
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Oak Mills is located in Atchison County (KS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Mills
- Port Williams
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Port Williams is located in Atchison County (KS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Port Williams
- Port Williams has also been known as:
- Williamsport
- Doniphan County (KS)
- The following are listed by their distance from Mecca, with the one closest to Mecca listed first.
- Elwood
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Elwood is located in Doniphan County (KS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elwood
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,176 people
- Palermo
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Palermo is located in Doniphan County (KS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Palermo
- Wathena
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Leavenworth County (KS)
- The following are listed by their distance from Mecca, with the one closest to Mecca listed first.
- Bain City
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Bain City is located in Leavenworth County (KS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bain City
- Highland
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Highland is located in Leavenworth County (KS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Highland
- Leavenworth
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Kickapoo
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Kickapoo is located in Leavenworth County (KS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kickapoo
- Lansing
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Lansing is located in Leavenworth County (KS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lansing
- Population from the 2020 Census: 11,954 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Lansing <1>
- Fairmount
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Fairmount is located in Leavenworth County (KS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairmount
- Fairmount has also been known as:
- Fairmont Village
- Lowemont
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Lowemont is located in Leavenworth County (KS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lowemont
- Wyandotte County (KS)
- The following are listed by their distance from Mecca, with the one closest to Mecca listed first.
- Quindaro ‑ Historic
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Quindaro is located in Wyandotte County (KS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Quindaro
- Kansas City
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Turner
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Turner is located in Wyandotte County (KS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Turner
- Piper
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Piper is located in Wyandotte County (KS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Piper
- Wallula
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Wallula is located in Wyandotte County (KS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wallula
- Argentine
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Argentine is located in Wyandotte County (KS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Argentine
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Mecca, see our County-by-County Page for Mecca.
Cemeteries Near Mecca ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Mecca.
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 Mecca - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Mecca covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Mecca, with the one closest to Mecca listed first.
- Mecca Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Davenport Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Grayson Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Reed Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Paradise Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Eberts Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Fairview Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Cook Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Hanks Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Mt. Zion Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Standiford Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Ridgeley Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Continue List (346 more) ...
- Gaus Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Mt. Washington Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Calvary Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 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.<4>
While we didn't find Mecca in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Mecca.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Mecca, with the one closest to Mecca listed first.
- Paradise
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Paradise is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Paradise
- Lilly
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Lilly is located in Clinton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lilly
- Grayson
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Grayson is located in Clinton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grayson
- Ridgely
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Ridgely is located in Platte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ridgely
- Population from the 2020 Census: 112 people
- Plattsburg
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Scearces
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Scearces is located in Clinton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Scearces
- Smithville
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Edgerton Junction
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Edgerton Junction is located in Platte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edgerton Junction
- Gower
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Holt
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Platte River
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Platte River is located in Buchanan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Platte River
- Kearney
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Continue List (19 more) ...
- Lathrop
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Starfield
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Starfield is located in Clinton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Starfield
- Frazier
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Frazier is located in Buchanan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frazier
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Mecca. See our List of 1890's Communities around Mecca.
Newspapers Published in Mecca ...
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 134 newspapers that have been published in the area around Mecca.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Mecca, there are papers which were published within 22 miles [35.4 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Mecca.
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 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 Mecca:
- Websites specific to Missouri
- Pages specific to Clinton County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Andrew County
- Buchanan County
- Caldwell County
- Clay County
- Daviess County
- DeKalb County
- Jackson County
- Platte County
- Ray County
- Atchison County
- Doniphan County
- Leavenworth County
- Wyandotte 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> | 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> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Mecca) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |
| <4> | 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 Mecca, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |