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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 Peculiar (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 Peculiar. 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.

A Few Details for Peculiar ...

While it's still very early in our research, we found that:

  • The naming (or the toponymy) of Peculiar:

    • The story goes that several names proposed by the first postmaster (Edgar Thomson) were rejected. In frustration, he wrote that "We don't care what name you give us so long as it is sort of 'peculiar'". In his response, the Postmaster General suggested that they name their town 'Peculiar'.

  • Peculiar was established in 1868.
  • It was incorporated in 1953.

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.

Peculiar is located in Cass 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 Cass County: Johnson (KS), Miami (KS), Bates, Henry, Jackson & Johnson.

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

  • Cass County     (The home county of Peculiar)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Peculiar, with the one closest to Peculiar listed first.
    • Harrelson
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Harrelson is located in Cass County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harrelson
    • Coleman
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Riverview Estates
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Riverview Estates is located in Cass County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riverview Estates
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 84 people
      • Riverview Estates has also been known as:
      • Riverview Estates village
    • Raymore
      (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
    • Lake Annette
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
      • Lake Annette is located in Cass County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Annette
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 102 people
    • Belton
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Freeman
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
    • Harrisonville
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Cleveland
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
    • Lake Winnebago
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
      • Lake Winnebago is located in Cass County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Winnebago
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,370 people
    • West Line
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Loch Lloyd
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Loch Lloyd is located in Cass County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Loch Lloyd
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 835 people
      • Loch Lloyd has also been known as:
      • Loch Lloyd village
  • Bates County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Peculiar, with the one closest to Peculiar listed first.
    • Drexel
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Burdett
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
    • Adrian
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
    • Merwin
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
    • Amsterdam
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
    • Passaic
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
      • Passaic is located in Bates County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Passaic
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 32 people
    • Mayesburg
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Clay County
  • Henry County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Peculiar, with the one closest to Peculiar listed first.
    • Blairstown
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
    • Urich
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Jackson County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Peculiar, with the one closest to Peculiar listed first.
    • Belvidere
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
      • Belvidere is located in Jackson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belvidere
    • Grandview
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
    • Greenwood
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Martin City
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Martin City is located in Jackson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Martin City
    • New Santa Fe
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
      • New Santa Fe is located in Jackson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Santa Fe
    • Holmes Park
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
    • Unity Village
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
      • Unity Village is located in Jackson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Unity Village
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 72 people
    • Cockrell
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Little Blue
      (18 miles [29 km] to the north)
    • Lake Lotawana
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
    • Lone Jack
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
    • Indian Village
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
      • Indian Village is located in Jackson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Indian Village
  • Johnson County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Peculiar, with the one closest to Peculiar listed first.
    • La Tour
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
      • La Tour is located in Johnson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for La Tour
    • Latour
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
    • Kingsville
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
    • Holden
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
    • Quick City
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
      • Quick City is located in Johnson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Quick City
  • Lafayette County
  • Johnson County (KS)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Peculiar, with the one closest to Peculiar listed first.
    • Stilwell
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
    • Overland Park
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
    • Leawood
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
    • Spring Hill
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
      • Spring Hill is located in Johnson County (KS)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spring Hill
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 7,871 people
      • Spring Hill has also been known as:
      • Spring Hill Station
      • Springfield
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Spring Hill <1>
    • Prairie Village
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Lenexa
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Mission Hills
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Mission Hills is located in Johnson County (KS)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mission Hills
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,533 people
    • Olathe
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Mission Woods
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
      • Mission Woods is located in Johnson County (KS)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mission Woods
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 195 people
    • Countryside
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
      • Countryside is located in Johnson County (KS)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Countryside
    • Fairway
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
      • 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>
    • Clare
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
  • Linn County (KS)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Peculiar, with the one closest to Peculiar listed first.
    • Linn Valley
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
    • La Cygne
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Miami County (KS)
  • Wyandotte County (KS)

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

Cemeteries Near Peculiar ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Peculiar.

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

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

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

  • Peculiar Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the east)
  • Wills Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
  • Brown Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Harris Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • Raymore Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Frazee Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
  • Cleveland Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
  • Freeman Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Glenn Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Belton Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Corinth Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
  • Cornith Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
  • Continue List   (257 more) ...
    • Glenwild Cemetery
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Burford Cemetery
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Orient Cemetery
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)

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 Peculiar had a population of 104 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Peculiar had a population of 5,660 people.

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

  • Harrelson
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Harrelson is located in Cass County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harrelson
  • Coleman
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • Raymore
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Ore
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
    • Ore is located in Cass County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ore
  • Freeman
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
  • Harrisonville
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Belton
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Jaudon
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
    • Jaudon is located in Cass County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jaudon
  • West Line
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
  • Gowdy
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
    • Gowdy is located in Cass County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gowdy
  • Belvidere
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
    • Belvidere is located in Jackson County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belvidere
  • Avon
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Avon is located in Cass County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avon
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...

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

Newspapers Published in Peculiar ...

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 45 newspapers that have been published in the area around Peculiar.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Peculiar, there are papers which were published within 25 miles [40.2 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Peculiar.

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 Peculiar:

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>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- Peculiar) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.
<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 Peculiar, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.