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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 Wardsville (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 Wardsville. 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 southwest 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 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 west 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.

Wardsville is located in Cole 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 Cole County: Boone, Callaway, Miller, Moniteau & Osage.

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

  • Cole County     (The home county of Wardsville)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Wardsville, with the one closest to Wardsville listed first.
    • Taos
      (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
      • Taos is located in Cole County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Taos
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,157 people
    • Jefferson City
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
      • Jefferson City is located in Cole County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jefferson City
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 41,972 people
      • Jefferson City has also been known as:
      • Jeff City
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Jefferson City <1>
    • Scruggs
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Scruggs is located in Cole County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Scruggs
    • Saint Thomas
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
      • Saint Thomas is located in Cole County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Thomas
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 273 people
    • Osage City
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Osage City is located in Cole County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Osage City
    • Teal ‑ Historic
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
      • Teal is located in Cole County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Teal
    • Lohman
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
    • Saint Martins
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Saint Martins is located in Cole County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Martins
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,204 people
    • Hickory Hill
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Hickory Hill is located in Cole County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hickory Hill
    • Henley
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Henley is located in Cole County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Henley
    • Decatur
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
      • Decatur is located in Cole County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Decatur
    • Russellville
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
  • Boone County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Wardsville, with the one closest to Wardsville listed first.
    • Hartsburg
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Oldham
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
      • Oldham is located in Boone County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oldham
    • Ashland
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
    • Pierpont
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
      • Pierpont is located in Boone County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pierpont
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 77 people
  • Callaway County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Wardsville, with the one closest to Wardsville listed first.
    • Cedar City
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
      • Cedar City is located in Callaway County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar City
    • Holts Summit
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
    • Lake Mykee Town
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
      • Lake Mykee Town is located in Callaway County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Mykee Town
      • Estimated population in 2018: 351 people
    • Tebbetts
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Tebbetts is located in Callaway County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tebbetts
    • New Bloomfield
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
    • Hord ‑ Historic
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Hord is located in Callaway County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hord
    • Folsom
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
      • Folsom is located in Callaway County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Folsom
    • Mokane
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Steedman
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Steedman is located in Callaway County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Steedman
    • Fulton
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Fulton is located in Callaway County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fulton
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 12,549 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Fulton <1>
    • Portland
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Gasconade County
    • Mount Sterling
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
      • Mount Sterling is located in Gasconade County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Sterling
  • Maries County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Wardsville, with the one closest to Wardsville listed first.
    • Vienna
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
    • Brinktown
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
      • Brinktown is located in Maries County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brinktown
    • Paydown
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Paydown is located in Maries County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Paydown
    • Belle
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Lindell
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Lindell is located in Maries County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lindell
  • Miller County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Wardsville, with the one closest to Wardsville listed first.
    • Marys Home
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Marys Home is located in Miller County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marys Home
    • Saint Elizabeth
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
    • Etterville
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Etterville is located in Miller County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Etterville
    • Olean
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
      • Olean is located in Miller County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Olean
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 128 people
    • Pleasant Mount
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Pleasant Mount is located in Miller County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Mount
    • Eldon
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
    • Tuscumbia
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
    • Aurora Springs
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Aurora Springs is located in Miller County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aurora Springs
    • Ulman
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Iberia
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
    • Bagnell
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Lakeland
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Lakeland is located in Miller County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakeland
  • Moniteau County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Wardsville, with the one closest to Wardsville listed first.
    • McGirk
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
      • McGirk is located in Moniteau County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McGirk
    • High Point
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
      • High Point is located in Moniteau County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for High Point
    • California
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
    • Jamestown
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Latham
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • Latham is located in Moniteau County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Latham
    • Clarksburg
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Clarksburg is located in Moniteau County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clarksburg
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 346 people
    • Lupus
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Lupus is located in Moniteau County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lupus
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 34 people
  • Morgan County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Wardsville, with the one closest to Wardsville listed first.
    • Barnett
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
    • Excelsior
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • Excelsior is located in Morgan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Excelsior
  • Osage County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Wardsville, with the one closest to Wardsville listed first.
    • Folk
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Folk is located in Osage County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Folk
    • Westphalia
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
    • Loose Creek
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
    • French Village ‑ Historic
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
      • French Village is located in Osage County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for French Village
    • Meta
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
    • Bonnots Mill
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Koeltztown
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Koeltztown is located in Osage County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Koeltztown
    • Argyle
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Argyle is located in Osage County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Argyle
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 157 people
    • Isbell ‑ Historic
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Isbell is located in Osage County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Isbell
    • Linn
      (18 miles [29 km] to the east)
      • Linn is located in Osage County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Linn
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,557 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Linn <1>
    • Freeburg
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
      • Freeburg is located in Osage County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Freeburg
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 420 people
    • Koenig
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
      • Koenig is located in Osage County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Koenig

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

Cemeteries Near Wardsville ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Wardsville.

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

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

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

  • St. Stanislaus Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
  • Lamkin Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
  • Rouschelback Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
  • Wolfrum Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • Islamic Cemetery of Mid Missouri
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
  • St. Xaviers Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • St. Xaviers Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • Jefferson City National Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Fairview Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Woodland - Old City Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Zion Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
  • Eberhardt Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
  • Continue List   (260 more) ...
    • St. Peters Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
    • St. Peters Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
    • Johnson Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)

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 in 1895, Wardsville had a post office and no railroad service. In 2020, Wardsville had a population of 1,570 people.

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

  • Honey Creek
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Honey Creek is located in Cole County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Honey Creek
  • Osage Bluff
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Osage Bluff is located in Cole County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Osage Bluff
  • Taos
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
    • Taos is located in Cole County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Taos
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,157 people
  • Jefferson City
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
    • Jefferson City is located in Cole County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jefferson City
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 41,972 people
    • Jefferson City has also been known as:
    • Jeff City
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Jefferson City <1>
  • Cedar City
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
    • Cedar City is located in Callaway County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar City
  • Scruggs
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Scruggs is located in Cole County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Scruggs
  • Bass
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Bass is located in Cole County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bass
  • Saint Thomas
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
    • Saint Thomas is located in Cole County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Thomas
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 273 people
  • Osage City
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Osage City is located in Cole County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Osage City
  • Teal ‑ Historic
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
    • Teal is located in Cole County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Teal
  • Babbtown
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
    • Babbtown is located in Osage County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Babbtown
  • Westphalia
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
  • Continue List   (16 more) ...
    • Lohman
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
    • Hickory Hill
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Hickory Hill is located in Cole County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hickory Hill
    • Holts Summit
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)

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

Newspapers Published in Wardsville ...

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 40 newspapers that have been published in the area around Wardsville.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Wardsville, there are papers which were published within 28 miles [45.1 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Wardsville.

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 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 Wardsville:

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 Wardsville, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.
<4>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- Wardsville) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.