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 Colfax (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 Colfax. 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.
Colfax is located in Fairfield 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 Fairfield County: Franklin, Hocking, Licking, Perry & Pickaway.
Below are the counties that are near Colfax. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Colfax:
- Fairfield County (The home county of Colfax)
- The following are listed by their distance from Colfax, with the one closest to Colfax listed first.
- West Rushville
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- West Rushville is located in Fairfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Rushville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 144 people
- Pleasantville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Rushville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Tarhe Town ‑ Historic
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Tarhe Town is located in Fairfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tarhe Town
- Lancaster
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Thurston
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Thurston is located in Fairfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thurston
- Population from the 2020 Census: 607 people
- Sugar Grove
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Baltimore
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Delmont ‑ Historic
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Delmont is located in Fairfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Delmont
- Millersport
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Carroll
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Fairfield Beach
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Fairfield Beach is located in Fairfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairfield Beach
- Lakeside
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Lakeside is located in Fairfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakeside
- Athens County
- The following are listed by their distance from Colfax, with the one closest to Colfax listed first.
- Bessemer
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Bessemer is located in Athens County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bessemer
- Nelsonville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Buchtel
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Buchtel is located in Athens County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buchtel
- Population from the 2020 Census: 568 people
- Hartleyville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Hartleyville is located in Athens County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hartleyville
- Carbondale
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Carbondale is located in Athens County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carbondale
- Glouster
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Greens Run
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Greens Run is located in Athens County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greens Run
- Jacksonville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Jacksonville is located in Athens County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jacksonville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 481 people
- Trimble
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Truetown
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Truetown is located in Athens County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Truetown
- Chauncey
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Chauncey is located in Athens County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chauncey
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,038 people
- Delaware County
- The following are listed by their distance from Colfax, with the one closest to Colfax listed first.
- Ralph ‑ Historic
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Ralph is located in Delaware County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ralph
- Snipetown ‑ Historic
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Snipetown is located in Delaware County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Snipetown
- Franklin County
- The following are listed by their distance from Colfax, with the one closest to Colfax listed first.
- Canal Winchester
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Brice
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Groveport
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Blacklick Estates
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Blacklick Estates is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blacklick Estates
- Reynoldsburg
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Edgewater Park
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Edgewater Park is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edgewater Park
- Hibernia ‑ Historic
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Hibernia is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hibernia
- Bright ‑ Historic
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Bright is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bright
- Blacklick
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Edward ‑ Historic
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Edward is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edward
- Edward has also been known as:
- Edwards Station
- Truro ‑ Historic
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Truro is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Truro
- Zimmer ‑ Historic
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Zimmer is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zimmer
- Big Walnut ‑ Historic
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Big Walnut is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Big Walnut
- Hocking County
- The following are listed by their distance from Colfax, with the one closest to Colfax listed first.
- Rockbridge
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Logan
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- West Logan
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- West Logan is located in Hocking County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Logan
- Gibisonville
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Gibisonville is located in Hocking County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gibisonville
- Rockhouse ‑ Historic
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Rockhouse is located in Hocking County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rockhouse
- Sand Run Junction
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Sand Run Junction is located in Hocking County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sand Run Junction
- Sand Run
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Sand Run is located in Hocking County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sand Run
- Union Furnace
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Union Furnace is located in Hocking County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union Furnace
- Carbon Hill
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Carbon Hill is located in Hocking County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carbon Hill
- South Bloomingville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- New Pittsburg
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- New Pittsburg is located in Hocking County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Pittsburg
- Laurelville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Candy Town
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Candy Town is located in Hocking County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Candy Town
- Licking County
- The following are listed by their distance from Colfax, with the one closest to Colfax listed first.
- Buckeye Lake
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Harbor Hills
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Harbor Hills is located in Licking County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harbor Hills
- Reservoir ‑ Historic
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Reservoir is located in Licking County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reservoir
- Atherton ‑ Historic
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Atherton is located in Licking County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Atherton
- Hebron
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Kirkersville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Kirkersville is located in Licking County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kirkersville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 557 people
- Moscow ‑ Historic
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Moscow is located in Licking County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moscow
- Etna
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Outville
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Outville is located in Licking County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Outville
- Union Station
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Union Station is located in Licking County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union Station
- Brownsville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Central City ‑ Historic
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Central City is located in Licking County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Central City
- Heath
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Morgan County
- The following are listed by their distance from Colfax, with the one closest to Colfax listed first.
- Deavertown
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Deavertown is located in Morgan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deavertown
- Morganville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Morganville is located in Morgan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morganville
- Morganville has also been known as:
- Morgan
- Wolf Creek
- Muskingum County
- The following are listed by their distance from Colfax, with the one closest to Colfax listed first.
- Fultonham
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Fultonham is located in Muskingum County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fultonham
- Population from the 2020 Census: 160 people
- Darlington
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Darlington is located in Muskingum County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Darlington
- Cannelville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Cannelville is located in Muskingum County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cannelville
- South Zanesville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- South Zanesville is located in Muskingum County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Zanesville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,095 people
- Buckeye
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Buckeye is located in Muskingum County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buckeye
- Nashport
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Zanesville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Black Run
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Black Run is located in Muskingum County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Black Run
- Perry County
- The following are listed by their distance from Colfax, with the one closest to Colfax listed first.
- Avalon
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Avalon is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avalon
- Carthon
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Carthon is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carthon
- Junction City
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Somerset
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Thornville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Glenford
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Chalfants
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Chalfants is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chalfants
- New Lexington
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Rehoboth
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Rehoboth is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rehoboth
- Mount Perry
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Mount Perry is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Perry
- Clover Hill
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Clover Hill is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clover Hill
- Redfield
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Redfield is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Redfield
- New Straitsville
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Pickaway County
- The following are listed by their distance from Colfax, with the one closest to Colfax listed first.
- Huntsville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Huntsville is located in Pickaway County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Huntsville
- Tarlton
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- East Ringgold
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- East Ringgold is located in Pickaway County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Ringgold
- Saint Paul
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Saint Paul is located in Pickaway County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Paul
- Knollwood Village
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Knollwood Village is located in Pickaway County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Knollwood Village
- Thacher
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Thacher is located in Pickaway County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thacher
- Thacher has also been known as:
- Livington
- Thatcher Corners
- Ashville
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Circleville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Duvall
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Duvall is located in Pickaway County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Duvall
- Logan Elm Village
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Logan Elm Village is located in Pickaway County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Logan Elm Village
- South Bloomfield
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- South Bloomfield is located in Pickaway County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Bloomfield
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,977 people
- Fox
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Fox is located in Pickaway County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fox
- Elmwood
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Elmwood is located in Pickaway County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elmwood
- Ross County
- The following are listed by their distance from Colfax, with the one closest to Colfax listed first.
- Adelphi
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Kingston
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Vinton County
- The following are listed by their distance from Colfax, with the one closest to Colfax listed first.
- Stella
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Stella is located in Vinton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stella
- Hope ‑ Historic
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Hope is located in Vinton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hope
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Colfax, see our County-by-County Page for Colfax.
Cemeteries Near Colfax ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Colfax.
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 Colfax - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Colfax covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Colfax, with the one closest to Colfax listed first.
- St. Mathews Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Freisner Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Maple Grove Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Mt. Tabor Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Bibler Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Amish Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Grace Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Pleasant Hill Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Applegate Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Colins Chapel Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Mt. Zion Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Driver Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Continue List (626 more) ...
- Ruffner Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Baptist Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Emanuel Lutheran Church Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 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.<2>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Colfax had a population of 261 people in 1895 with a post office and no railroad service.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Colfax, with the one closest to Colfax listed first.
- Sandstone ‑ Historic
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Sandstone is located in Fairfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sandstone
- North Berne
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- North Berne is located in Fairfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Berne
- West Rushville
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- West Rushville is located in Fairfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Rushville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 144 people
- Pleasantville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Rushville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Lancaster
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Avalon
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Avalon is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avalon
- Dumontville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Dumontville is located in Fairfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dumontville
- Thurston
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Thurston is located in Fairfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thurston
- Population from the 2020 Census: 607 people
- New Salem
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- New Salem is located in Fairfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Salem
- Sugar Grove
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Joe ‑ Historic
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Joe is located in Hocking County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Joe
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- Crossenville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Crossenville is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crossenville
- Hooker
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Hooker is located in Fairfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hooker
- Carthon
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Carthon is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carthon
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Colfax. See our List of 1890's Communities around Colfax.
Newspapers Published in Colfax ...
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 149 newspapers that have been published in the area around Colfax.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Colfax, there are papers which were published within 18 miles [29 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Colfax.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we begin with 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 Colfax:
- Websites specific to Ohio
- Pages specific to Fairfield County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Athens County
- Delaware County
- Franklin County
- Hocking County
- Licking County
- Morgan County
- Muskingum County
- Perry County
- Pickaway County
- Ross County
- Vinton County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Ohio
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 Colfax, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <3> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' (or point-to-point) distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Colfax) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |