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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 Woodruff (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 Woodruff. 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 hospitals and 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.

Woodruff is located in Platte 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 Platte County: Atchison (KS), Leavenworth (KS), Wyandotte (KS), Buchanan, Clay, Clinton & Jackson.

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

  • Platte County     (The home county of Woodruff)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Woodruff, with the one closest to Woodruff listed first.
    • West Platte
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
    • Camden Point
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
    • Tracy
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
    • Weston
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Dearborn
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Platte City
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Iatan
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
      • Iatan is located in Platte County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Iatan
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 56 people
    • Ridgely
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
      • Ridgely is located in Platte County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ridgely
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 112 people
    • East Leavenworth
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
    • Stillings
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
    • Farley
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
      • Farley is located in Platte County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Farley
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 304 people
    • Edgerton
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Andrew County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Woodruff, with the one closest to Woodruff listed first.
    • Country Club
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
      • Country Club is located in Andrew County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Country Club
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,530 people
    • Avenue City ‑ Historic
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
      • Avenue City is located in Andrew County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avenue City
    • Cosby
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • Cosby is located in Andrew County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cosby
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 123 people
  • Buchanan County
  • Clay County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Woodruff, with the one closest to Woodruff listed first.
    • Smithville
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
    • Nashua
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Barry
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Barry is located in Clay County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barry
    • Acme
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Acme is located in Clay County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Acme
    • Linden
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Oakview
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Oakview is located in Clay County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakview
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 393 people
    • Gladstone
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Oaks
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Oaks is located in Clay County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oaks
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 135 people
    • Oakwood Park
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Oakwood Park is located in Clay County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakwood Park
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 198 people
    • Oakwood
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Oakwood is located in Clay County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakwood
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 197 people
    • Roosterville
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Pleasant Valley
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
      • Pleasant Valley is located in Clay County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Valley
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,047 people
  • Clinton County
  • DeKalb County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Woodruff, with the one closest to Woodruff listed first.
    • Stewartsville
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Clarksdale
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Clarksdale is located in DeKalb County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clarksdale
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 254 people
  • Jackson County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Woodruff, with the one closest to Woodruff listed first.
    • Kansas City
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
    • River Bend
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
      • River Bend is located in Jackson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for River Bend
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 10 people
    • Cement City
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Cement City is located in Jackson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cement City
  • Atchison County (KS)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Woodruff, with the one closest to Woodruff listed first.
    • Oak Mills
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
    • Port Williams
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
    • Atchison
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Potter
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
    • Cummings
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
      • Cummings is located in Atchison County (KS)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cummings
    • Goodintent ‑ Historic
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
      • Goodintent is located in Atchison County (KS)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goodintent
    • Farmington
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
    • Lancaster
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • Lancaster is located in Atchison County (KS)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lancaster
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 282 people
    • Monrovia
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
  • Doniphan County (KS)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Woodruff, with the one closest to Woodruff listed first.
    • Doniphan
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
    • Petersburgh ‑ Historic
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
    • Elwood
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
    • Palermo
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Palermo is located in Doniphan County (KS)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Palermo
    • Wathena
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
    • Blair
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Blair is located in Doniphan County (KS)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blair
    • Brenner
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Troy
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Bendena
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Moray
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Moray is located in Doniphan County (KS)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moray
  • Jefferson County (KS)
  • Johnson County (KS)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Woodruff, with the one closest to Woodruff listed first.
    • Holliday
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
    • Wilder
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
    • Lake Quivira
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
      • Lake Quivira is located in Johnson County (KS)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Quivira
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 930 people
    • Merriam
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
    • Roeland Park
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
    • Shawnee
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
      • Shawnee is located in Johnson County (KS)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shawnee
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 66,298 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Shawnee <1>
    • Westwood
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
      • Westwood is located in Johnson County (KS)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westwood
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,642 people
    • Countryside
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
      • Countryside is located in Johnson County (KS)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Countryside
    • Fairway
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
      • Fairway is located in Johnson County (KS)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairway
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,963 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Fairway <1>
    • Mission Woods
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
      • Mission Woods is located in Johnson County (KS)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mission Woods
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 195 people
    • Mission
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
      • Mission is located in Johnson County (KS)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mission
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 9,873 people
      • Former name for Mission:
      • Mission Hill Acres
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Mission <1>
    • Monticello
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
  • Leavenworth County (KS)
  • Wyandotte County (KS)

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

Cemeteries Near Woodruff ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Woodruff.

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

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

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

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>

The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Woodruff had a population of 400 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service.

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

  • West Platte
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
  • Weston
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Tracy
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • Camden Point
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
  • New Market
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
    • New Market is located in Platte County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Market
  • Platte City
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Dearborn
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Dye
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Dye is located in Platte County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dye
  • Wallace
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
    • Wallace is located in Buchanan County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wallace
  • Kickapoo
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
  • Edgerton Junction
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
    • Edgerton Junction is located in Platte County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edgerton Junction
  • Iatan
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
    • Iatan is located in Platte County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Iatan
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 56 people
  • Continue List   (15 more) ...

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

Newspapers Published in Woodruff ...

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 103 newspapers that have been published in the area around Woodruff.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Woodruff, there are papers which were published within 22 miles [35.4 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Woodruff.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we first turn to 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 Woodruff:

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>Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Woodruff) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.
<3>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.
<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 Woodruff, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.