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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 Orrick (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 Orrick. 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 northeast 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 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 east 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.

Orrick is located in Ray 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 Ray County: Caldwell, Carroll, Clay, Clinton, Jackson & Lafayette.

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

  • Ray County     (The home county of Orrick)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Orrick, with the one closest to Orrick listed first.
    • Albany
      (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
      • Albany is located in Ray County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Albany
    • Fleming
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
      • Fleming is located in Ray County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fleming
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 128 people
    • Camden
      (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
    • Woods Heights
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
    • Rayville
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
    • Wood Heights
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
      • Wood Heights is located in Ray County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wood Heights
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 700 people
    • Richmond
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Henrietta
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
      • Henrietta is located in Ray County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Henrietta
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 355 people
    • Crystal Lakes
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
      • Crystal Lakes is located in Ray County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crystal Lakes
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 352 people
    • Homestead
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
      • Homestead is located in Ray County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Homestead
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 184 people
    • Excelsior Estates
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
      • Excelsior Estates is located in Ray County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Excelsior Estates
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 146 people
    • Hardin
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
      • Hardin is located in Ray County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hardin
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 531 people
  • Caldwell County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Orrick, with the one closest to Orrick listed first.
    • Polo
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
    • Cowgill
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Bonanza ‑ Historic
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • Bonanza is located in Caldwell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bonanza
    • Kingston
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • Kingston is located in Caldwell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kingston
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 332 people
  • Carroll County
  • Cass County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Orrick, with the one closest to Orrick listed first.
    • Lee's Summit
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Baldwin Park
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
      • Baldwin Park is located in Cass County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Baldwin Park
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 96 people
    • Lake Winnebago
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Lake Winnebago is located in Cass County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Winnebago
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,370 people
    • Pleasant Hill
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
  • Clay County
  • Clinton County
  • Jackson County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Orrick, with the one closest to Orrick listed first.
    • Sibley
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Levasy
      (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
      • Levasy is located in Jackson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Levasy
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 82 people
    • Buckner
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Atherton
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
    • Lake City
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Lake City is located in Jackson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake City
    • Grain Valley
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
    • Oak Grove
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
    • Adams
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
    • River Bend
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
      • River Bend is located in Jackson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for River Bend
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 10 people
    • Blue Springs
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Lake Tapawingo
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Lake Tapawingo is located in Jackson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Tapawingo
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 719 people
    • Cement City
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
      • Cement City is located in Jackson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cement City
  • Johnson County
  • Lafayette County
  • Platte County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Orrick, with the one closest to Orrick listed first.
    • Northmoor
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
      • Northmoor is located in Platte County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Northmoor
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 362 people
    • Houston Lake
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
      • Houston Lake is located in Platte County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Houston Lake
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 248 people
    • Lake Waukomis
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • Lake Waukomis is located in Platte County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Waukomis
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 874 people
    • Riverside
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
    • Linkville ‑ Historic
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
    • Platte Woods
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
      • Platte Woods is located in Platte County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Platte Woods
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 406 people
    • Ferrelview
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • Ferrelview is located in Platte County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ferrelview
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 800 people
    • Parkville
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
    • Weatherby Lake
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
      • Weatherby Lake is located in Platte County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weatherby Lake
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,086 people
  • Johnson County (KS)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Orrick, with the one closest to Orrick listed first.
    • Westwood Hills
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Westwood Hills is located in Johnson County (KS)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westwood Hills
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 390 people
    • Westwood
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Westwood is located in Johnson County (KS)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westwood
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,642 people
    • Mission Hills
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Mission Hills is located in Johnson County (KS)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mission Hills
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,533 people
    • Mission Woods
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Mission Woods is located in Johnson County (KS)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mission Woods
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 195 people
    • Fairway
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Fairway is located in Johnson County (KS)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairway
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,963 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Fairway <1>
    • Roeland Park
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Wyandotte County (KS)

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

Cemeteries Near Orrick ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Orrick.

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

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

The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Orrick, with the one closest to Orrick listed first.

  • South Point Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
  • Barsher Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
  • Lewis Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
  • Smith - Jackson Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
  • Riffe Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
  • Gordan Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
  • Sibley Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Rowland Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
  • Dillen Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
  • Pettus Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Anderson Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
  • St. Paul Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Continue List   (284 more) ...
    • Cravens Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
    • Hamilton Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
    • Turner Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)

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 Orrick had a population of 370 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Orrick had a population of 800 people.

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

  • Floyd
    (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
    • Floyd is located in Ray County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Floyd
  • Fleming
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
    • Fleming is located in Ray County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fleming
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 128 people
  • Sibley
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Levasy
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
    • Levasy is located in Jackson County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Levasy
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 82 people
  • Camden
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • Buckner
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Napoleon
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
    • Napoleon is located in Lafayette County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Napoleon
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 214 people
  • Waterloo
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Wellington
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
  • Atherton
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
  • Richmond
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
  • Rayville
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
  • Continue List   (16 more) ...
    • Missouri City
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
    • Blue Mills
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Blue Mills is located in Jackson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blue Mills
    • Lake City
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Lake City is located in Jackson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake City

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

Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Orrick ...

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 80 newspapers that have been published in the area around Orrick.

We have organized these newspapers into two lists:

  • A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Orrick. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Orrick and those printed in the larger area surrounding Orrick.
  • An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 23 miles [37 km]<4> of Orrick.

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 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 Orrick:

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