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 Panama (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 Panama. 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 hospitals 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.
Panama is located in Vernon 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 Vernon County: Bourbon (KS), Crawford (KS), Linn (KS), Barton, Bates, Cedar & Saint Clair.
Below are the counties that are near Panama. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Panama:
- Vernon County (The home county of Panama)
- The following are listed by their distance from Panama, with the one closest to Panama listed first.
- Horton
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Horton is located in Vernon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Horton
- Metz
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Metz is located in Vernon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Metz
- Population from the 2020 Census: 47 people
- Temple ‑ Historic
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Temple is located in Vernon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Temple
- Harwood
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Harwood is located in Vernon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harwood
- Population from the 2020 Census: 45 people
- Walker
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Walker is located in Vernon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walker
- Population from the 2020 Census: 253 people
- Stotesbury
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Stotesbury is located in Vernon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stotesbury
- Population from the 2020 Census: 17 people
- Schell City
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Nevada
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Richards
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Richards is located in Vernon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Richards
- Population from the 2020 Census: 94 people
- Deerfield
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Deerfield is located in Vernon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deerfield
- Population from the 2020 Census: 77 people
- Milo
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Milo is located in Vernon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Milo
- Population from the 2020 Census: 86 people
- Moundville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Bates County
- The following are listed by their distance from Panama, with the one closest to Panama listed first.
- Rich Hill
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- New Home
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- New Home is located in Bates County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Home
- Prairie City
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Prairie City is located in Bates County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prairie City
- Nyhart
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Nyhart is located in Bates County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nyhart
- Foster
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Foster is located in Bates County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Foster
- Population from the 2020 Census: 111 people
- Hume
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Hume is located in Bates County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hume
- Population from the 2020 Census: 315 people
- Butler
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Rockville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Rockville is located in Bates County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rockville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 159 people
- Worland
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Worland is located in Bates County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Worland
- Passaic
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Passaic is located in Bates County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Passaic
- Population from the 2020 Census: 32 people
- Amoret
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Amoret is located in Bates County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Amoret
- Population from the 2020 Census: 181 people
- Adrian
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Cass County
- Archie
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Cedar County
- The following are listed by their distance from Panama, with the one closest to Panama listed first.
- El Dorado Springs
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Virgil City
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Virgil City is located in Cedar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Virgil City
- Willowville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Willowville is located in Cedar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willowville
- Lebeck
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Lebeck is located in Cedar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lebeck
- Henry County
- Montrose
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Saint Clair County
- The following are listed by their distance from Panama, with the one closest to Panama listed first.
- Appleton City
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Johnson City
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Johnson City is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Johnson City
- Monegaw Springs
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Monegaw Springs is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monegaw Springs
- Roscoe
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Bourbon County (KS)
- The following are listed by their distance from Panama, with the one closest to Panama listed first.
- Barnesville ‑ Historic
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Barnesville is located in Bourbon County (KS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barnesville
- Hammond
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Hammond is located in Bourbon County (KS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hammond
- Fulton
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Bell Town ‑ Historic
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Bell Town is located in Bourbon County (KS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bell Town
- Fort Scott
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Fort Scott is located in Bourbon County (KS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fort Scott
- Population from the 2020 Census: 7,648 people
- Fort Scott has also been known as:
- Fort Scott City
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Fort Scott <1>
- Edward
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Edward is located in Bourbon County (KS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edward
- Garland
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Garland is located in Bourbon County (KS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garland
- Devon
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Devon is located in Bourbon County (KS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Devon
- Godfrey
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Godfrey is located in Bourbon County (KS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Godfrey
- Mapleton
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Mapleton is located in Bourbon County (KS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mapleton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 80 people
- Marmaton
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Marmaton is located in Bourbon County (KS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marmaton
- Berlin
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Berlin is located in Bourbon County (KS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Berlin
- Linn County (KS)
- The following are listed by their distance from Panama, with the one closest to Panama listed first.
- Prescott
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Prescott is located in Linn County (KS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prescott
- Population from the 2020 Census: 268 people
- Pleasanton
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Boicourt
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Boicourt is located in Linn County (KS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boicourt
- Mound City
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Linn Valley
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Linn Valley is located in Linn County (KS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Linn Valley
- Population from the 2020 Census: 876 people
- La Cygne
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Critzer
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Critzer is located in Linn County (KS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Critzer
- Miami County (KS)
- Jingo
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Jingo is located in Miami County (KS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jingo
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Panama, see our County-by-County Page for Panama.
Cemeteries Near Panama ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Panama.
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 Panama - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Panama covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Panama, with the one closest to Panama listed first.
- Carbon Center Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Greenlawn Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Balltown Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Fairview Rider Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Summers Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Pryor Creek Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Rhea Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Berea Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Berea Cemetery
- The Berea Cemetery has also been known as:
- Berea Christian Church Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2173814 <2>
- Flat Rock Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Clark Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Rinehart Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Bethany Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Continue List (218 more) ...
- Garrison & Westfall Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Ellis Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Antioch Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
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>
While we didn't find Panama in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Panama.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Panama, with the one closest to Panama listed first.
- Carbon Center
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Carbon Center is located in Vernon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carbon Center
- Arthur
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Arthur is located in Vernon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arthur
- Rich Hill
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Metz
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Metz is located in Vernon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Metz
- Population from the 2020 Census: 47 people
- Horton
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Horton is located in Vernon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Horton
- Sprague
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Sprague is located in Bates County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sprague
- Ketterman
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Ketterman is located in Vernon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ketterman
- Athol
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Athol is located in Bates County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Athol
- Wolfe ‑ Historic
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Wolfe is located in Vernon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wolfe
- New Home
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- New Home is located in Bates County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Home
- Cornland ‑ Historic
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Cornland is located in Bates County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cornland
- Rinehart
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Rinehart is located in Vernon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rinehart
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Prairie City
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Prairie City is located in Bates County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prairie City
- Temple ‑ Historic
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Temple is located in Vernon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Temple
- Nyhart
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Nyhart is located in Bates County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nyhart
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Panama. See our List of 1890's Communities around Panama.
Newspapers Published in Panama ...
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 112 newspapers that have been published in the area around Panama.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Panama, there are papers which were published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Panama.
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 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 Panama:
- Websites specific to Missouri
- Pages specific to Vernon County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Bates County
- Cass County
- Cedar County
- Henry County
- Saint Clair County
- Bourbon County
- Linn County
- Miami 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> | 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 Panama, 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 from Point A (ie- Panama) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |