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 Prater (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 Prater. 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 northwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors and hospitals were in the next county to the west. 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 west 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.
Prater is located in Franklin 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 Franklin County: Crawford, Gasconade, Jefferson, Saint Charles, Saint Louis, Warren & Washington.
Below are the counties that are near Prater. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Prater:
- Franklin County (The home county of Prater)
- The following are listed by their distance from Prater, with the one closest to Prater listed first.
- Pacific
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Pacific is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pacific
- Population from the 2020 Census: 7,097 people
- Former name for Pacific:
- Franklin
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Pacific <1>
- Catawissa
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Robertsville
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Gray Summit
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Labadie
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Villa Ridge
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Saint Albans
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Moselle
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Moselle is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moselle
- Boles
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Boles is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boles
- Hemker
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Hemker is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hemker
- Gildehouse
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Gildehouse is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gildehouse
- Lonedell
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Lonedell is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lonedell
- Luebbering
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Luebbering is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Luebbering
- Crawford County
- West Sullivan
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- West Sullivan is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Sullivan
- Population from the 2020 Census: 112 people
- Jefferson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Prater, with the one closest to Prater listed first.
- Lake Tekakwitha
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Lake Tekakwitha is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Tekakwitha
- Population from the 2020 Census: 260 people
- Dittmer
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Oermann
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Oermann is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oermann
- Cedar Hill Lakes
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Cedar Hill Lakes is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar Hill Lakes
- Population from the 2020 Census: 227 people
- Cedar Hill
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Scotsdale
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Scotsdale is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Scotsdale
- Population from the 2020 Census: 216 people
- Byrnes Mill
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- House Springs
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Peaceful Village
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Peaceful Village is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peaceful Village
- Population from the 2020 Census: 67 people
- Grubville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Grubville is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grubville
- High Ridge
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Parkdale
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Parkdale is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parkdale
- Population from the 2020 Census: 162 people
- Morse Mill
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Morse Mill is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morse Mill
- Saint Charles County
- The following are listed by their distance from Prater, with the one closest to Prater listed first.
- Augusta
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Defiance
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Schluersburg
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Schluersburg is located in Saint Charles County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Schluersburg
- Weldon Spring Heights
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Weldon Spring Heights is located in Saint Charles County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weldon Spring Heights
- Population from the 2020 Census: 90 people
- New Melle
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Weldon Spring
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Cottleville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Dardenne Prairie
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- All Saints Village
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- All Saints Village is located in Saint Charles County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for All Saints Village
- Harvester
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Lake Saint Louis
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Saint Peters
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- O'Fallon
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Saint Francois County
- Blackwell
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Blackwell is located in Saint Francois County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blackwell
- Saint Louis City
- The following are listed by their distance from Prater, with the one closest to Prater listed first.
- University City
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- University City is located in Saint Louis City
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for University City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 34,049 people
- Carondelet
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Carondelet is located in Saint Louis City
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carondelet
- Cheltenham
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Cheltenham is located in Saint Louis City
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cheltenham
- Tower Grove
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Tower Grove is located in Saint Louis City
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tower Grove
- Saint Louis County
- The following are listed by their distance from Prater, with the one closest to Prater listed first.
- Allenton
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Allenton is located in Saint Louis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Allenton
- Hollow
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Hollow is located in Saint Louis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hollow
- Melrose
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Melrose is located in Saint Louis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Melrose
- Eureka
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Crescent
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Crescent is located in Saint Louis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crescent
- Glencoe
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Grover
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Wildwood
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Yeatman
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Yeatman is located in Saint Louis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yeatman
- Ellisville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Ranken
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Ranken is located in Saint Louis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ranken
- Ballwin
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Clarkson Valley
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Clarkson Valley is located in Saint Louis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clarkson Valley
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,604 people
- Warren County
- The following are listed by their distance from Prater, with the one closest to Prater listed first.
- Dutzow
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Village of Three Creeks
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Village of Three Creeks is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Village of Three Creeks
- Population from the 2020 Census: 6 people
- Village of Three Creeks has also been known as:
- Three Creeks village
- Marthasville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Innsbrook
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Innsbrook is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Innsbrook
- Population from the 2020 Census: 597 people
- Innsbrook has also been known as:
- Innsbrook village
- Treloar
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Wright City
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Washington County
- The following are listed by their distance from Prater, with the one closest to Prater listed first.
- Richwoods
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Richwoods is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Richwoods
- Aptus
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Aptus is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aptus
- Theabeau Town
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Theabeau Town is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Theabeau Town
- Mud Town
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Mud Town is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mud Town
- Old Mines
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Old Mines is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Old Mines
- Fourche a Renault ‑ Historic
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Fourche a Renault is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fourche a Renault
- Tiff
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Tiff is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tiff
- Monroe County (IL)
- The following are listed by their distance from Prater, with the one closest to Prater listed first.
- Valmeyer
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Mitchie
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Mitchie is located in Monroe County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mitchie
- Columbia
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Monroe City
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Monroe City is located in Monroe County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monroe City
- Foster Pond ‑ Historic
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Foster Pond is located in Monroe County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Foster Pond
- Madonnaville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Madonnaville is located in Monroe County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Madonnaville
- Saint Clair County (IL)
- The following are listed by their distance from Prater, with the one closest to Prater listed first.
- East Carondelet
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Dupo
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Dupo is located in Saint Clair County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dupo
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,845 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Dupo <1>
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Prater, see our County-by-County Page for Prater.
Cemeteries Near Prater ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Prater.
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 Prater - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Prater covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Prater, with the one closest to Prater listed first.
- Pacific Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- New St. Bridgets Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Old St. Bridgets Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Sunset Memorial Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Roberts Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Thompson Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Shiloh Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Mitchell Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Oak Ridge Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Roberts Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Good Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Brush Creek Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Continue List (262 more) ...
- North Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Tiler Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Allen Cemetery
(5 miles [8 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.<2>
While we didn't find Prater in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Prater.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Prater, with the one closest to Prater listed first.
- Catawissa
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Pacific
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Pacific is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pacific
- Population from the 2020 Census: 7,097 people
- Former name for Pacific:
- Franklin
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Pacific <1>
- Robertsville
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Gray Summit
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Allenton
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Allenton is located in Saint Louis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Allenton
- Byrnesville
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Byrnesville is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Byrnesville
- Hollow
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Hollow is located in Saint Louis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hollow
- Labadie
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Villa Ridge
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Moselle
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Moselle is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moselle
- Eureka
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Melrose
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Melrose is located in Saint Louis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Melrose
- Continue List (16 more) ...
- Saint Albans
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Hemker
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Hemker is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hemker
- Oermann
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Oermann is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oermann
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Prater. See our List of 1890's Communities around Prater.
Newspapers Published in Prater ...
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 39 newspapers that have been published in the area around Prater.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Prater, there are papers which were published within 18 miles [29 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Prater.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we start with the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These professional and volunteer 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 Prater:
- Websites specific to Missouri
- Pages specific to Franklin County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Crawford County
- Jefferson County
- Saint Charles County
- Saint Francois County
- Saint Louis City
- Saint Louis County
- Warren County
- Washington County
- Monroe 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 Prater, 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' (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- Prater) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |