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 Shoal (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 Shoal. 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 doctors 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.
Shoal is located in Caldwell 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 Caldwell County: Carroll, Clinton, Daviess, DeKalb, Livingston & Ray.
Below are the counties that are near Shoal. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Shoal:
- Caldwell County (The home county of Shoal)
- The following are listed by their distance from Shoal, with the one closest to Shoal listed first.
- Gould Farm
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Gould Farm is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gould Farm
- Bonanza ‑ Historic
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Bonanza is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bonanza
- Kingston
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Kingston is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kingston
- Population from the 2020 Census: 332 people
- Cowgill
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Cowgill is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cowgill
- Population from the 2020 Census: 182 people
- Nettleton
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Nettleton is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nettleton
- Hamilton
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Proctorville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Proctorville is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Proctorville
- Braymer
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Polo
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Breckenridge
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Breckenridge is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Breckenridge
- Population from the 2020 Census: 351 people
- Kidder
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Carroll County
- The following are listed by their distance from Shoal, with the one closest to Shoal listed first.
- Latoh ‑ Historic
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Latoh is located in Carroll County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Latoh
- Stet
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Stet is located in Carroll County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stet
- Mandeville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Mandeville is located in Carroll County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mandeville
- Asper ‑ Historic
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Asper is located in Carroll County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Asper
- Bogard
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Tina
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Tina is located in Carroll County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tina
- Population from the 2020 Census: 142 people
- Norborne
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Norborne is located in Carroll County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Norborne
- Population from the 2020 Census: 638 people
- Palemon
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Palemon is located in Carroll County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Palemon
- Carrollton
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Clay County
- The following are listed by their distance from Shoal, with the one closest to Shoal listed first.
- Holt
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Excelsior Springs
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Prathersville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Prathersville is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prathersville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 135 people
- Kearney
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Mosby
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Mosby is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mosby
- Population from the 2020 Census: 199 people
- Clinton County
- The following are listed by their distance from Shoal, with the one closest to Shoal listed first.
- Cameron
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Keystone ‑ Historic
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Keystone is located in Clinton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keystone
- Turney
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Converse
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Converse is located in Clinton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Converse
- Lathrop
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Plattsburg
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Lilly
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Lilly is located in Clinton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lilly
- Daviess County
- The following are listed by their distance from Shoal, with the one closest to Shoal listed first.
- Lock Springs
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Lock Springs is located in Daviess County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lock Springs
- Population from the 2020 Census: 56 people
- Gallatin
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Altamont
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Altamont is located in Daviess County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Altamont
- Population from the 2020 Census: 201 people
- Mabel
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Mabel is located in Daviess County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mabel
- Winston
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Winston is located in Daviess County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winston
- Population from the 2020 Census: 253 people
- Alta Vista ‑ Historic
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Alta Vista is located in Daviess County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alta Vista
- Jamesport
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Jameson
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Pattonsburg
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- DeKalb County
- The following are listed by their distance from Shoal, with the one closest to Shoal listed first.
- Osborn
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Weatherby
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Weatherby is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weatherby
- Population from the 2020 Census: 103 people
- Santa Rosa
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Santa Rosa is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Santa Rosa
- Maysville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Amity
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Amity is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Amity
- Population from the 2020 Census: 53 people
- Stewartsville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Grundy County
- Hickory Creek
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Hickory Creek is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hickory Creek
- Livingston County
- The following are listed by their distance from Shoal, with the one closest to Shoal listed first.
- Ludlow
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Ludlow is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ludlow
- Population from the 2020 Census: 126 people
- Mooresville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Mooresville is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mooresville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 92 people
- Dawn
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Utica
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Utica is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Utica
- Population from the 2020 Census: 250 people
- Chillicothe
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Avalon
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Avalon is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avalon
- Bedford
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Bedford is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bedford
- Farmersville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Farmersville is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Farmersville
- Wheeling
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Wheeling is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wheeling
- Population from the 2020 Census: 263 people
- Chula
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Ray County
- The following are listed by their distance from Shoal, with the one closest to Shoal listed first.
- Georgeville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Georgeville is located in Ray County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Georgeville
- Ovid ‑ Historic
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Ovid is located in Ray County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ovid
- Knoxville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Knoxville is located in Ray County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Knoxville
- Elmira
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Elmira is located in Ray County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elmira
- Population from the 2020 Census: 52 people
- Lawson
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Morton
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Morton is located in Ray County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morton
- Rayville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Rockingham
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Rockingham is located in Ray County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rockingham
- Excelsior Estates
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Excelsior Estates is located in Ray County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Excelsior Estates
- Population from the 2020 Census: 146 people
- Lakeview
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Lakeview is located in Ray County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakeview
- Crystal Lakes
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Crystal Lakes is located in Ray County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crystal Lakes
- Population from the 2020 Census: 352 people
- Homestead
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Homestead is located in Ray County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Homestead
- Population from the 2020 Census: 184 people
- Wood Heights
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Wood Heights is located in Ray County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wood Heights
- Population from the 2020 Census: 700 people
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Shoal, see our County-by-County Page for Shoal.
Cemeteries Near Shoal ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Shoal.
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 Shoal - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Shoal covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Shoal, with the one closest to Shoal listed first.
- Hopewell Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Dustin Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Kingston Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Cowgill Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Guffey Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Brown Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Phares Family Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Braymer Evergreen Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Highland Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Dunkard Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Estes Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Wiley Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Continue List (215 more) ...
- McVeigh Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Bowman Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Rose Hill Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 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.<3>
While we didn't find Shoal in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Shoal.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Shoal, with the one closest to Shoal listed first.
- Gould Farm
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Gould Farm is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gould Farm
- Bonanza ‑ Historic
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Bonanza is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bonanza
- Catawba
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Catawba is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Catawba
- Kingston
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Kingston is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kingston
- Population from the 2020 Census: 332 people
- Cowgill
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Cowgill is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cowgill
- Population from the 2020 Census: 182 people
- Hamilton
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Nettleton
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Nettleton is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nettleton
- Polo
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Black Oak
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Black Oak is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Black Oak
- Braymer
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Proctorville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Proctorville is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Proctorville
- Georgeville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Georgeville is located in Ray County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Georgeville
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- Breckenridge
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Breckenridge is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Breckenridge
- Population from the 2020 Census: 351 people
- Kerr
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Kerr is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kerr
- Mirabile
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Mirabile is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mirabile
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Shoal. See our List of 1890's Communities around Shoal.
Newspapers Published in Shoal ...
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 158 newspapers that have been published in the area around Shoal.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Shoal, 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 Shoal.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we like to 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 Shoal:
- Websites specific to Missouri
- Pages specific to Caldwell County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Carroll County
- Clay County
- Clinton County
- Daviess County
- DeKalb County
- Grundy County
- Livingston County
- Ray 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 Shoal, 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- Shoal) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |