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 Portia (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 Portia. 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 hospitals and 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.
Portia 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 Portia. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Portia:
- Vernon County (The home county of Portia)
- The following are listed by their distance from Portia, with the one closest to Portia listed first.
- Harwood
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Harwood is located in Vernon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harwood
- Population from the 2020 Census: 45 people
- Schell City
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Walker
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Walker is located in Vernon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walker
- Population from the 2020 Census: 253 people
- Montevallo
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Montevallo is located in Vernon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Montevallo
- Bellamy
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Bellamy is located in Vernon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bellamy
- Milo
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Milo is located in Vernon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Milo
- Population from the 2020 Census: 86 people
- Horton
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Horton is located in Vernon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Horton
- Nevada
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Metz
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Metz is located in Vernon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Metz
- Population from the 2020 Census: 47 people
- Temple ‑ Historic
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Temple is located in Vernon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Temple
- Sheldon
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Moundville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Deerfield
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Deerfield is located in Vernon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deerfield
- Population from the 2020 Census: 77 people
- Barton County
- The following are listed by their distance from Portia, with the one closest to Portia listed first.
- Milford
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Milford is located in Barton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Milford
- Population from the 2020 Census: 23 people
- Irwin
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Irwin is located in Barton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Irwin
- Newport
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Newport is located in Barton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newport
- Bushnell
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Bushnell is located in Barton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bushnell
- Layneville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Layneville is located in Barton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Layneville
- Lamar
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Bates County
- The following are listed by their distance from Portia, with the one closest to Portia listed first.
- Rockville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Rockville is located in Bates County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rockville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 159 people
- Prairie City
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Prairie City is located in Bates County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prairie City
- Rich Hill
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Butler
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- New Home
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- New Home is located in Bates County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Home
- Nyhart
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Nyhart is located in Bates County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nyhart
- Foster
(29 miles [46.7 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
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Hume is located in Bates County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hume
- Population from the 2020 Census: 315 people
- Cedar County
- The following are listed by their distance from Portia, with the one closest to Portia listed first.
- El Dorado Springs
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Lebeck
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Lebeck is located in Cedar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lebeck
- Willowville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Willowville is located in Cedar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willowville
- Virgil City
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Virgil City is located in Cedar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Virgil City
- Caplinger Mills
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Caplinger Mills is located in Cedar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caplinger Mills
- Jerico Springs
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Jerico Springs is located in Cedar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jerico Springs
- Population from the 2020 Census: 232 people
- Stockton
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Umber View Heights
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Umber View Heights is located in Cedar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Umber View Heights
- Population from the 2020 Census: 49 people
- Dade County
- Arcola
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Arcola is located in Dade County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arcola
- Population from the 2020 Census: 53 people
- Henry County
- The following are listed by their distance from Portia, with the one closest to Portia listed first.
- Montrose
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- La Due
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- La Due is located in Henry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for La Due
- Population from the 2010 Census: 28 people
- Deepwater
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Brownington
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Brownington is located in Henry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brownington
- Population from the 2020 Census: 107 people
- Hickory County
- Weaubleau
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Polk County
- The following are listed by their distance from Portia, with the one closest to Portia listed first.
- Humansville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Dunnegan
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Dunnegan is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunnegan
- Saint Clair County
- The following are listed by their distance from Portia, with the one closest to Portia listed first.
- Roscoe
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Monegaw Springs
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Monegaw Springs is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monegaw Springs
- Johnson City
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Johnson City is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Johnson City
- Cobb
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Cobb is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cobb
- Appleton City
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Osceola
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Vista
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Vista is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vista
- Population from the 2020 Census: 47 people
- Collins
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Lowry City
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Gerster
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Gerster is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gerster
- Population from the 2020 Census: 24 people
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Portia, see our County-by-County Page for Portia.
Cemeteries Near Portia ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Portia.
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 Portia - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Portia covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Portia, with the one closest to Portia listed first.
- Martin Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Lefler Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Mt. Vernon Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- El Dorado Springs Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Mt. Pleasant Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Clintonville Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- French Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Vandenburg Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Warkins Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Green Mound Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Living Faith Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Robinson Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Continue List (215 more) ...
- Butler Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Reece Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Pleasant Ridge 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.<2>
While we didn't find Portia in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Portia.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Portia, with the one closest to Portia listed first.
- Pashaw ‑ Historic
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Pashaw is located in Vernon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pashaw
- El Dorado Springs
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Harwood
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Harwood is located in Vernon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harwood
- Population from the 2020 Census: 45 people
- Schell City
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Fair Haven
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Fair Haven is located in Vernon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fair Haven
- Greene Springs ‑ Historic
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Greene Springs is located in Vernon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greene Springs
- Lebeck
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Lebeck is located in Cedar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lebeck
- Tiffin
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Tiffin is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tiffin
- Pape
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Pape is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pape
- Taberville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Taberville is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Taberville
- Walker
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Walker is located in Vernon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walker
- Population from the 2020 Census: 253 people
- Virgil City
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Virgil City is located in Cedar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Virgil City
- Continue List (18 more) ...
- Rockville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Rockville is located in Bates County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rockville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 159 people
- Oyer
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Oyer is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oyer
- Ketterman
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Ketterman is located in Vernon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ketterman
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Portia. See our List of 1890's Communities around Portia.
Newspapers Published in Portia ...
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 Portia.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Portia, there are papers which were published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Portia.
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 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 Portia:
- Websites specific to Missouri
- Pages specific to Vernon County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Barton County
- Bates County
- Cedar County
- Dade County
- Henry County
- Hickory County
- Polk County
- Saint Clair 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 Portia, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <3> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Portia) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |