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 Salem (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 Salem. 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 hospitals and doctors 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.
Salem is located in Lewis 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 Lewis County: Adams (IL), Hancock (IL), Clark, Knox, Marion & Shelby.
Below are the counties that are near Salem. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Salem:
- Lewis County (The home county of Salem)
- The following are listed by their distance from Salem, with the one closest to Salem listed first.
- La Belle
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Lewistown
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Argola
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Argola is located in Lewis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Argola
- New Court Village
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- New Court Village is located in Lewis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Court Village
- Ewing
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Gilead
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Gilead is located in Lewis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gilead
- Sellers
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Sellers is located in Lewis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sellers
- Monticello
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Monticello is located in Lewis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monticello
- Population from the 2020 Census: 92 people
- Durham
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Williamstown
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Williamstown is located in Lewis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Williamstown
- Weber
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Weber is located in Lewis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weber
- Maywood
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Maywood is located in Lewis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maywood
- Canton
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Adair County
- The following are listed by their distance from Salem, with the one closest to Salem listed first.
- Wilson
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Wilson is located in Adair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilson
- Brashear
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Brashear is located in Adair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brashear
- Population from the 2020 Census: 259 people
- Gibbs
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Clark County
- The following are listed by their distance from Salem, with the one closest to Salem listed first.
- Neeper
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Neeper is located in Clark County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Neeper
- Saint Patrick
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Saint Patrick is located in Clark County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Patrick
- Wyaconda
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Wyaconda is located in Clark County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wyaconda
- Population from the 2020 Census: 211 people
- Medill
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Medill is located in Clark County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Medill
- Kahoka
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Luray
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Luray is located in Clark County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Luray
- Population from the 2020 Census: 94 people
- Clark City
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Clark City is located in Clark County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clark City
- Wayland
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Wayland is located in Clark County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wayland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 506 people
- Knox County
- The following are listed by their distance from Salem, with the one closest to Salem listed first.
- Newark
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Jeddo
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Jeddo is located in Knox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jeddo
- Knox City
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Plevna
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Plevna is located in Knox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plevna
- Forest Springs
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Forest Springs is located in Knox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest Springs
- Hedge City
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Hedge City is located in Knox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hedge City
- Colony
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Colony is located in Knox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colony
- Novelty
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Edina
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Baring
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Rutledge
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Kenwood
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Kenwood is located in Knox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kenwood
- Hurdland
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Hurdland is located in Knox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hurdland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 153 people
- Macon County
- The following are listed by their distance from Salem, with the one closest to Salem listed first.
- Sue City
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Sue City is located in Macon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sue City
- Economy
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Economy is located in Macon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Economy
- Anabel
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Anabel is located in Macon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Anabel
- La Plata
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Love Lake
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Love Lake is located in Macon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Love Lake
- Marion County
- The following are listed by their distance from Salem, with the one closest to Salem listed first.
- Nelsonville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Nelsonville is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nelsonville
- Philadelphia
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Philadelphia is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Philadelphia
- Taylor
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Dodge City
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Dodge City is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dodge City
- Palmyra
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Monroe County
- The following are listed by their distance from Salem, with the one closest to Salem listed first.
- Monroe City
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- North Fork
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- North Fork is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Fork
- Scotland County
- The following are listed by their distance from Salem, with the one closest to Salem listed first.
- Gorin
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Gorin is located in Scotland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gorin
- South Gorin
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- South Gorin is located in Scotland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Gorin
- Population from the 2020 Census: 93 people
- Pleasant Retreat
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Pleasant Retreat is located in Scotland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Retreat
- Arbela
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Granger
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Granger is located in Scotland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Granger
- Population from the 2020 Census: 34 people
- Unity
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Unity is located in Scotland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Unity
- Shelby County
- The following are listed by their distance from Salem, with the one closest to Salem listed first.
- Bethel
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Emden
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Emden is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Emden
- Kirby
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Kirby is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kirby
- Leonard
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Shelbyville
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Shelbyville is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shelbyville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 512 people
- Kendall
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Kendall is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kendall
- Lakenan
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Lakenan is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakenan
- Shelbina
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Lentner
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Lentner is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lentner
- Hunnewell
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Hunnewell is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hunnewell
- Population from the 2020 Census: 172 people
- Clarence
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Adams County (IL)
- The following are listed by their distance from Salem, with the one closest to Salem listed first.
- Meyer
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Meyer is located in Adams County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meyer
- Quincy
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Marcelline
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Marcelline is located in Adams County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marcelline
- Ursa
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Lima
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Salem, see our County-by-County Page for Salem.
Cemeteries Near Salem ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Salem.
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 Salem - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Salem covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Salem, with the one closest to Salem listed first.
- Glover Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Withers Family Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Washburn Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Newark Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newark Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Newark Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located less than 2 miles<3> to the west of Newark.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #30509 <2>
- Nelson Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Mt. Pleasant Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- LaBelle Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Prim Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Anderson Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Bancert Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Coe Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Hickman Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Continue List (200 more) ...
- Methodist Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Wagner Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Knox City Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 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.<4>
While we didn't find Salem in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Salem.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Salem, with the one closest to Salem listed first.
- Newark
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Steffenville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Steffenville is located in Lewis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Steffenville
- La Belle
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Lewistown
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Elgin
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Elgin is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elgin
- Argola
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Argola is located in Lewis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Argola
- Tolona
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Tolona is located in Lewis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tolona
- Plevna
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Plevna is located in Knox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plevna
- Nelsonville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Nelsonville is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nelsonville
- Knox City
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Cherry Dell ‑ Historic
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Cherry Dell is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cherry Dell
- Forest Springs
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Forest Springs is located in Knox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest Springs
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- Bethel
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Benbow
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Benbow is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Benbow
- Hedge City
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Hedge City is located in Knox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hedge City
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Salem. See our List of 1890's Communities around Salem.
Newspapers Published in Salem ...
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 98 newspapers that have been published in the area around Salem.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Salem, there are papers which were published within 29 miles [46.7 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Salem.
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 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 Salem:
- Websites specific to Missouri
- Pages specific to Lewis County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Adair County
- Clark County
- Knox County
- Macon County
- Marion County
- Monroe County
- Scotland County
- Shelby County
- Adams 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> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' (or point-to-point) distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Salem) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |
| <4> | 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 Salem, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |