Our Genealogy Helper
Introduction ...
So far, we found very little information about Buena Vista. The little that we've found leads us believe that the community is historic.<1>
We've added Buena Vista to our Gazetteer with the hope that we can develop more information. If you can help us with Buena Vista, please Contact Us.
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 Buena Vista (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 Buena Vista. 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 doctors and hospitals 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.
Although our information shows that the community of Buena Vista is historic, it would have been located within present day Van Wert County.
To see how the shape of Ohio's counties may have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.
The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Van Wert County: Adams (IN), Allen (IN), Allen, Auglaize, Mercer, Paulding & Putnam.
Below are the counties that are near Buena Vista. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Buena Vista:
- Van Wert County (The home county of Buena Vista)
- The following are listed by their distance from Buena Vista, with the one closest to Buena Vista listed first.
- Ohio City
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Elgin
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Elgin is located in Van Wert County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elgin
- Population from the 2020 Census: 55 people
- Venedocia
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Venedocia is located in Van Wert County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Venedocia
- Population from the 2020 Census: 118 people
- Van Wert
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Converse
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Converse is located in Van Wert County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Converse
- Middle Point
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Converse Station
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Converse Station is located in Van Wert County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Converse Station
- Abanaka
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Abanaka is located in Van Wert County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Abanaka
- Glenmore
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Glenmore is located in Van Wert County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glenmore
- Monticello
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Monticello is located in Van Wert County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monticello
- Schumm
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Schumm is located in Van Wert County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Schumm
- Hoaglin
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Hoaglin is located in Van Wert County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hoaglin
- Allen County
- The following are listed by their distance from Buena Vista, with the one closest to Buena Vista listed first.
- Landeck
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Landeck is located in Allen County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Landeck
- Southworth
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Southworth is located in Allen County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Southworth
- Delphos
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Spencerville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Conant
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Conant is located in Allen County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Conant
- Scotts Crossing
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Scotts Crossing is located in Allen County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Scotts Crossing
- Elida
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Elida is located in Allen County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elida
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,810 people
- Gomer
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Fort Shawnee
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Fort Shawnee is located in Allen County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fort Shawnee
- Estimated population in 2012: 3,643 people
- Lima
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Cairo
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Cairo is located in Allen County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cairo
- Population from the 2020 Census: 520 people
- West Cairo
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- West Cairo is located in Allen County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Cairo
- Auglaize County
- The following are listed by their distance from Buena Vista, with the one closest to Buena Vista listed first.
- Buckland
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Buckland is located in Auglaize County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buckland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 221 people
- Saint Marys
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Moulton
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Moulton is located in Auglaize County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moulton
- Cridersville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Pusheta Town ‑ Historic
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Pusheta Town is located in Auglaize County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pusheta Town
- New Knoxville
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- New Knoxville is located in Auglaize County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Knoxville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 862 people
- Wapakoneta
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- New Bremen
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Fryburg
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Fryburg is located in Auglaize County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fryburg
- Uniopolis
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Uniopolis is located in Auglaize County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Uniopolis
- Estimated population in 2016: 220 people
- Minster
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Saint Johns
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Saint Johns is located in Auglaize County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Johns
- Darke County
- The following are listed by their distance from Buena Vista, with the one closest to Buena Vista listed first.
- New Weston
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Osgood
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Mercer County
- The following are listed by their distance from Buena Vista, with the one closest to Buena Vista listed first.
- Mendon
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Rockford
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Mercer
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Mercer is located in Mercer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mercer
- Tama
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Tama is located in Mercer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tama
- Earley ‑ Historic
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Earley is located in Mercer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Earley
- Celina
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Scudder
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Scudder is located in Mercer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Scudder
- Skeels Crossroads
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Skeels Crossroads is located in Mercer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Skeels Crossroads
- Montezuma
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Montezuma is located in Mercer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Montezuma
- Population from the 2020 Census: 158 people
- Wabash
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Wabash is located in Mercer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wabash
- Coldwater
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Chickasaw
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Paulding County
- The following are listed by their distance from Buena Vista, with the one closest to Buena Vista listed first.
- Haviland
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Haviland is located in Paulding County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Haviland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 202 people
- Folmer ‑ Historic
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Folmer is located in Paulding County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Folmer
- Grover Hill
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Grover Hill is located in Paulding County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grover Hill
- Population from the 2020 Census: 377 people
- Tipton ‑ Historic
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Tipton is located in Paulding County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tipton
- Dague ‑ Historic
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Dague is located in Paulding County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dague
- Mandale
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Mandale is located in Paulding County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mandale
- Batson ‑ Historic
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Batson is located in Paulding County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Batson
- Murat ‑ Historic
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Murat is located in Paulding County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Murat
- Former names for Murat:
- Hipp's Lock
- Timberville
- McGill ‑ Historic
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- McGill is located in Paulding County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McGill
- Broughton
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Broughton is located in Paulding County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Broughton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 115 people
- Hedges
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Hedges is located in Paulding County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hedges
- Latty
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Latty is located in Paulding County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Latty
- Population from the 2020 Census: 180 people
- Putnam County
- The following are listed by their distance from Buena Vista, with the one closest to Buena Vista listed first.
- Fort Jennings
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Ottoville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Muntanna
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Muntanna is located in Putnam County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Muntanna
- Rimer
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Rimer is located in Putnam County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rimer
- Jones City
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Jones City is located in Putnam County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jones City
- Cloverdale
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Cloverdale is located in Putnam County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cloverdale
- Population from the 2020 Census: 159 people
- Dupont
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Kalida
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Hartsburg
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Hartsburg is located in Putnam County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hartsburg
- Continental
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Columbus Grove
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Kieferville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Kieferville is located in Putnam County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kieferville
- Shelby County
- The following are listed by their distance from Buena Vista, with the one closest to Buena Vista listed first.
- Botkins
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Kettlersville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Filburns Island
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Filburns Island is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Filburns Island
- Lehmkuhl Landing
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Lehmkuhl Landing is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lehmkuhl Landing
- Adams County (IN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Buena Vista, with the one closest to Buena Vista listed first.
- Pleasant Mills
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Decatur
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Monroe
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Coppess Corner
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Coppess Corner is located in Adams County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coppess Corner
- Berne
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Geneva
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Preble
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Honduras
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Honduras is located in Adams County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Honduras
- Linn Grove
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Linn Grove is located in Adams County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Linn Grove
- Magley
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Magley is located in Adams County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Magley
- Allen County (IN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Buena Vista, with the one closest to Buena Vista listed first.
- Dixon
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Dixon is located in Allen County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dixon
- Monroeville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Edgerton
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Edgerton is located in Allen County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edgerton
- Hoagland
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Zulu
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Zulu is located in Allen County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zulu
- Woodburn
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Jay County (IN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Buena Vista, with the one closest to Buena Vista listed first.
- Jay City
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Jay City is located in Jay County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jay City
- Trinity
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Trinity is located in Jay County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trinity
- Bryant
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Bloomfield
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Bloomfield is located in Jay County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bloomfield
- Antiville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Antiville is located in Jay County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Antiville
- Wells County (IN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Buena Vista, with the one closest to Buena Vista listed first.
- Craigville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Craigville is located in Wells County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Craigville
- Vera Cruz
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Vera Cruz is located in Wells County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vera Cruz
- Population from the 2020 Census: 85 people
- Tocsin
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Tocsin is located in Wells County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tocsin
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Buena Vista, see our County-by-County Page for Buena Vista.
Cemeteries Near Buena Vista ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Buena Vista.
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 Buena Vista - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Buena Vista covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Buena Vista, with the one closest to Buena Vista listed first.
- Wallick Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Walnut Grove Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Tomlinson Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tomlinson Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Tomlinson Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located 5 miles [8 km]<3> to the northeast of Rockford.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #43755 <4>
- Woodlawn Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Frisinger Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Venedocia Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Mt. Olive Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Coil Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Goodwin Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Ridge Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Ridge Slater Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ridge Slater Cemetery
- The Ridge Slater Cemetery has also been known as:
- Liberty Cemetery
- Mt. Zion Cemetery
- Slater Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2183792 <4>
- Shindeldecker Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Continue List (393 more) ...
- Roebuck Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Fryer Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Mendon Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
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.
While we didn't find Buena Vista in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Buena Vista.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Buena Vista, with the one closest to Buena Vista listed first.
- Shasta ‑ Historic
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Shasta is located in Van Wert County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shasta
- Jonestown
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Jonestown is located in Van Wert County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jonestown
- Ohio City
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Elgin
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Elgin is located in Van Wert County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elgin
- Population from the 2020 Census: 55 people
- Venedocia
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Venedocia is located in Van Wert County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Venedocia
- Population from the 2020 Census: 118 people
- Van Wert
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Dull
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Dull is located in Van Wert County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dull
- Rockford
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Mendon
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Converse
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Converse is located in Van Wert County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Converse
- Middle Point
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Glenmore
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Glenmore is located in Van Wert County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glenmore
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Abanaka
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Abanaka is located in Van Wert County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Abanaka
- Mercer
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Mercer is located in Mercer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mercer
- Monticello
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Monticello is located in Van Wert County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monticello
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Buena Vista. See our List of 1890's Communities around Buena Vista.
Newspapers Published in Buena Vista ...
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 80 newspapers that have been published in the area around Buena Vista.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Buena Vista, there are papers which were published within 23 miles [37 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Buena Vista.
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 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 Buena Vista:
- Websites specific to Ohio
- Pages specific to Van Wert County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Allen County
- Auglaize County
- Darke County
- Mercer County
- Paulding County
- Putnam County
- Shelby County
- Adams County
- Allen County
- Jay County
- Wells County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Ohio
Footnotes ...
| <1> | 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 Buena Vista, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <2> | While we're fans and frequent users of TripAdvisor, you should know that we're also members of the TripAdvisor affiliate program. |
| <3> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'point-to-point' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Buena Vista) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |
| <4> | 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. |