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 West Hartford (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 West Hartford. 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.
Name Variations for West Hartford ...
When searching records, keep in mind that names and their spelling can change over time. Our sources include documents like maps, railroad schedules, Travel, Express and Shipping Guides. Many of these documents date from the 1800's and it's common to find spelling differences.
For example, a typical abbreviation for West Hartford: W. Hartford
You might be interested in other communities that are also named West Hartford. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for West Hartford.
If you have information about these names (such as the reason for the change, date of change, the origin of the name), please Contact Us.
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 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.
West Hartford is located in Ralls 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 Ralls County: Pike (IL), Audrain, Marion, Monroe & Pike.
Below are the counties that are near West Hartford. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to West Hartford:
- Ralls County (The home county of West Hartford)
- The following are listed by their distance from West Hartford, with the one closest to West Hartford listed first.
- Perry
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Madisonville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Madisonville is located in Ralls County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Madisonville
- Greenlawn
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Greenlawn is located in Ralls County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenlawn
- Center
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Shaver Ford ‑ Historic
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Shaver Ford is located in Ralls County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shaver Ford
- The Landing
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- The Landing is located in Ralls County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for The Landing
- New London
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Rensselaer
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Rensselaer is located in Ralls County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rensselaer
- Population from the 2020 Census: 229 people
- Saverton
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Saverton is located in Ralls County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saverton
- Audrain County
- The following are listed by their distance from West Hartford, with the one closest to West Hartford listed first.
- Farber
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Farber is located in Audrain County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Farber
- Population from the 2020 Census: 310 people
- Vandalia
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Laddonia
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Rush Hill
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Rush Hill is located in Audrain County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rush Hill
- Population from the 2020 Census: 143 people
- Benton City
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Benton City is located in Audrain County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Benton City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 103 people
- Martinsburg
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Vandiver
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Vandiver is located in Audrain County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vandiver
- Population from the 2020 Census: 69 people
- Mexico
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Thompson
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Thompson is located in Audrain County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thompson
- Tulip
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Tulip is located in Audrain County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tulip
- Saling ‑ Historic
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Saling is located in Audrain County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saling
- Lincoln County
- The following are listed by their distance from West Hartford, with the one closest to West Hartford listed first.
- Louisville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Louisville is located in Lincoln County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Louisville
- Corso
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Corso is located in Lincoln County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Corso
- Olney
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Olney is located in Lincoln County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Olney
- Marion County
- The following are listed by their distance from West Hartford, with the one closest to West Hartford listed first.
- Oakwood
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Oakwood is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakwood
- Hannibal
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Cave City
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Cave City is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cave City
- Dodge City
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Dodge City is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dodge City
- Helton
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Helton is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Helton
- Palmyra
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Philadelphia
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Philadelphia is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Philadelphia
- Monroe County
- The following are listed by their distance from West Hartford, with the one closest to West Hartford listed first.
- Florida
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Santa Fe
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Santa Fe is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Santa Fe
- Stoutsville
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Monroe City
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Goss
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Goss is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goss
- North Fork
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- North Fork is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Fork
- Paris
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Granville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Granville is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Granville
- Holliday
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Holliday is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holliday
- Population from the 2020 Census: 133 people
- Montgomery County
- The following are listed by their distance from West Hartford, with the one closest to West Hartford listed first.
- Middletown
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Middletown is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Middletown
- Population from the 2020 Census: 150 people
- Wellsville
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Gamma
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Gamma is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gamma
- Montgomery City
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Pike County
- The following are listed by their distance from West Hartford, with the one closest to West Hartford listed first.
- Curryville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Curryville is located in Pike County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Curryville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 225 people
- New Harmony
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- New Harmony is located in Pike County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Harmony
- Frankford
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Bowling Green
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Tarrants
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Tarrants is located in Pike County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tarrants
- Population from the 2010 Census: 22 people
- Ashley
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Ashley is located in Pike County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ashley
- Ashburn
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Ashburn is located in Pike County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ashburn
- Population from the 2010 Census: 52 people
- Cyrene
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Cyrene is located in Pike County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cyrene
- Louisiana
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Shelby County
- The following are listed by their distance from West Hartford, with the one closest to West Hartford listed first.
- Hunnewell
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Hunnewell is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hunnewell
- Population from the 2020 Census: 172 people
- Lakenan
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Lakenan is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakenan
- Kendall
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Kendall is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kendall
- Emden
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Emden is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Emden
- Shelbina
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Adams County (IL)
- Fall Creek
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Fall Creek is located in Adams County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fall Creek
- Pike County (IL)
- The following are listed by their distance from West Hartford, with the one closest to West Hartford listed first.
- Shepherd
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Shepherd is located in Pike County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shepherd
- Spencer
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Spencer is located in Pike County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spencer
- Hull
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Pike
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Pike is located in Pike County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pike
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to West Hartford, see our County-by-County Page for West Hartford.
Cemeteries Near West Hartford ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of West Hartford.
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 West Hartford - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for West Hartford covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from West Hartford, with the one closest to West Hartford listed first.
- Muldrow Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Lick Creek Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Wolf Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Corinth Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Madisonville Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Greenlawn Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Adiel Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Scobee Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Old Mt. Prairie Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Vandalia Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Vandalia Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Olivet Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Continue List (214 more) ...
- Utterback Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Unity Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Evergreen Memorial Gardens Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 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>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that in 1895, West Hartford had a post office and no railroad service.
These communities are listed based on their distance from West Hartford, with the one closest to West Hartford listed first.
- Perry
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Hutchison
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Hutchison is located in Ralls County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hutchison
- Madisonville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Madisonville is located in Ralls County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Madisonville
- Greenlawn
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Greenlawn is located in Ralls County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenlawn
- Center
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Farber
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Farber is located in Audrain County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Farber
- Population from the 2020 Census: 310 people
- Vandalia
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Santa Fe
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Santa Fe is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Santa Fe
- Laddonia
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Spencerburg
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Spencerburg is located in Pike County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spencerburg
- Florida
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Worcester ‑ Historic
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Worcester is located in Audrain County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Worcester
- Continue List (16 more) ...
- Hatch
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Hatch is located in Ralls County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hatch
- Victor
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Victor is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Victor
- New Harmony
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- New Harmony is located in Pike County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Harmony
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around West Hartford. See our List of 1890's Communities around West Hartford.
Newspapers Published in West Hartford ...
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 35 newspapers that have been published in the area around West Hartford.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of West Hartford, 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 West Hartford.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we first visit 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 West Hartford:
- Websites specific to Missouri
- Pages specific to Ralls County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Audrain County
- Lincoln County
- Marion County
- Monroe County
- Montgomery County
- Pike County
- Shelby County
- Adams County
- Pike 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 West Hartford, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <3> | 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- West Hartford) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |