Our Genealogy Helper
Introduction ...
So far, we found very little information about Surprise. The little that we've found leads us believe that the community is historic.<1>
We've added Surprise to our Gazetteer with the hope that we can develop more information. If you can help us with Surprise, 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 Surprise (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 Surprise. 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 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 Surprise is historic, it would have been located within present day Morrow 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 Morrow County: Crawford, Delaware, Knox, Marion & Richland.
Below are the counties that are near Surprise. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Surprise:
- Morrow County (The home county of Surprise)
- The following are listed by their distance from Surprise, with the one closest to Surprise listed first.
- West Point
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- West Point is located in Morrow County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Point
- Edison
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Iberia
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Iberia is located in Morrow County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Iberia
- Mount Gilead
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Cardington
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Blooming Grove
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Blooming Grove is located in Morrow County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blooming Grove
- Fulton
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Shawtown
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Shawtown is located in Morrow County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shawtown
- Chesterville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Marengo
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Westfield
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Westfield is located in Morrow County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westfield
- West Liberty
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- West Liberty is located in Morrow County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Liberty
- Sparta
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Ashland County
- The following are listed by their distance from Surprise, with the one closest to Surprise listed first.
- Mifflin
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Mifflin is located in Ashland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mifflin
- Population from the 2020 Census: 135 people
- Perrysville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Crawford County
- The following are listed by their distance from Surprise, with the one closest to Surprise listed first.
- Galion
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- North Robinson
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- North Robinson is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Robinson
- Population from the 2020 Census: 198 people
- Leesville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Leesville is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leesville
- Crestline
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Bucyrus
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Tiro
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Oceola
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Oceola is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oceola
- Broken Sword
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Broken Sword is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Broken Sword
- Broken Sword has also been known as:
- Bloody Corners
- Porterville
- Wingarts Corners
- Wingert Corners
- Wingerts Corners
- Lemert
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Lemert is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lemert
- Chatfield
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Chatfield is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chatfield
- Population from the 2020 Census: 178 people
- New Washington
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- North Auburn
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- North Auburn is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Auburn
- Benton
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Benton is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Benton
- Delaware County
- The following are listed by their distance from Surprise, with the one closest to Surprise listed first.
- Ashley
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Windsor Corners ‑ Historic
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Windsor Corners is located in Delaware County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Windsor Corners
- Norton
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Norton is located in Delaware County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Norton
- Peerless ‑ Historic
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Peerless is located in Delaware County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peerless
- Peerless has also been known as:
- Peerless Station
- East Liberty
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- East Liberty is located in Delaware County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Liberty
- Kingston Center ‑ Historic
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Kingston Center is located in Delaware County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kingston Center
- Inskeep Corners ‑ Historic
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Inskeep Corners is located in Delaware County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Inskeep Corners
- Leonardsburg
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Leonardsburg is located in Delaware County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leonardsburg
- Leonardsburg has also been known as:
- Eden Station
- Troyton ‑ Historic
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Troyton is located in Delaware County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Troyton
- Olive Green
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Olive Green is located in Delaware County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Olive Green
- Stark's Corners ‑ Historic
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Stark's Corners is located in Delaware County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stark's Corners
- Coles Mills ‑ Historic
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Coles Mills is located in Delaware County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coles Mills
- Meredith
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Meredith is located in Delaware County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meredith
- Huron County
- The following are listed by their distance from Surprise, with the one closest to Surprise listed first.
- Celeryville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Celeryville is located in Huron County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Celeryville
- Coble Village
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Coble Village is located in Huron County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coble Village
- New Haven
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- New Haven is located in Huron County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Haven
- Knox County
- The following are listed by their distance from Surprise, with the one closest to Surprise listed first.
- Batemantown
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Batemantown is located in Knox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Batemantown
- Lucerne ‑ Historic
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Lucerne is located in Knox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lucerne
- Palmyra
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Palmyra is located in Knox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Palmyra
- Dorema
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Dorema is located in Knox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dorema
- Fredericktown
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Green Valley
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Green Valley is located in Knox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Green Valley
- Mount Liberty
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Mount Liberty is located in Knox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Liberty
- Centerburg
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- North Liberty
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- North Liberty is located in Knox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Liberty
- Bangs
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Bangs is located in Knox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bangs
- Five Corners
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Five Corners is located in Knox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Five Corners
- Fleaville ‑ Historic
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Fleaville is located in Knox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fleaville
- Fleaville has also been known as:
- Fleaville City
- Milfordton
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Milfordton is located in Knox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Milfordton
- Licking County
- The following are listed by their distance from Surprise, with the one closest to Surprise listed first.
- Hartford
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Hartford is located in Licking County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hartford
- Population from the 2020 Census: 413 people
- Lock
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Lock is located in Licking County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lock
- Green ‑ Historic
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Green is located in Licking County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Green
- Marion County
- The following are listed by their distance from Surprise, with the one closest to Surprise listed first.
- Martel
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Martel is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Martel
- Caledonia
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Logan ‑ Historic
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Logan is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Logan
- Marion
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Waldo
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Ruth
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Ruth is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ruth
- Green Camp
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Green Camp is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Green Camp
- Population from the 2020 Census: 356 people
- Morral
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Morral is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morral
- Population from the 2020 Census: 382 people
- Newmans
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Newmans is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newmans
- Prospect
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Gurley ‑ Historic
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Gurley is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gurley
- New Bloomington
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- New Bloomington is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Bloomington
- Population from the 2020 Census: 511 people
- La Rue
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- La Rue is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for La Rue
- Population from the 2020 Census: 711 people
- Richland County
- The following are listed by their distance from Surprise, with the one closest to Surprise listed first.
- Lexington
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Hanley Village
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Hanley Village is located in Richland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hanley Village
- Bethlehem
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Bethlehem is located in Richland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bethlehem
- Alta
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Alta is located in Richland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alta
- Maybee
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Maybee is located in Richland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maybee
- Ontario
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Bellville
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Bellville is located in Richland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bellville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,935 people
- Bellville has also been known as:
- McClures Settlement
- McClure
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Bellville <2>
- Vernon Junction
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Vernon Junction is located in Richland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vernon Junction
- Mansfield
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Butler
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Shelby
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Lucas
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Forest ‑ Historic
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Forest is located in Richland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest
- Seneca County
- The following are listed by their distance from Surprise, with the one closest to Surprise listed first.
- Carrothers
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Carrothers is located in Seneca County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carrothers
- Caroline
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Caroline is located in Seneca County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caroline
- Union County
- The following are listed by their distance from Surprise, with the one closest to Surprise listed first.
- Richwood
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Magnetic Springs
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Magnetic Springs is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Magnetic Springs
- Population from the 2020 Census: 304 people
- Pharisburg
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Pharisburg is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pharisburg
- Wyandot County
- The following are listed by their distance from Surprise, with the one closest to Surprise listed first.
- Wyandot
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Wyandot is located in Wyandot County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wyandot
- Nevada
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Harpster
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Duenquat
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Duenquat is located in Wyandot County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Duenquat
- Upper Sandusky
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Upper Sandusky is located in Wyandot County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Upper Sandusky
- Population from the 2020 Census: 6,436 people
- Belle Vernon
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Belle Vernon is located in Wyandot County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belle Vernon
- Sycamore
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Sycamore is located in Wyandot County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sycamore
- Population from the 2020 Census: 811 people
- Marseilles
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Marseilles is located in Wyandot County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marseilles
- Population from the 2020 Census: 106 people
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Surprise, see our County-by-County Page for Surprise.
Cemeteries Near Surprise ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Surprise.
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 Surprise - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Surprise covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Surprise, with the one closest to Surprise listed first.
- Montgomery Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Armstrong Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Moffit Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Worden Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Bingham Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- County Home Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Sunfish Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- West Point Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- North Canaan Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- River Cliff Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Mt. Tabor Methodist Episcopal Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Garverick Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Continue List (515 more) ...
- Iberia Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Purvis Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Bryn Zion Cemetery
(5 miles [8 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.
Surprise itself is historic and was described in the Rand McNally Atlas as having a post office and no railroad service.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Surprise, with the one closest to Surprise listed first.
- Climax
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Climax is located in Morrow County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Climax
- Edison
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Saint James
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Saint James is located in Morrow County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint James
- Iberia
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Iberia is located in Morrow County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Iberia
- Mount Gilead
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Martel
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Martel is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Martel
- Caledonia
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Cardington
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Pulaskiville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Pulaskiville is located in Morrow County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pulaskiville
- New Winchester
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- New Winchester is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Winchester
- Galion
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Fulton
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Continue List (17 more) ...
- Steam Corners
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Steam Corners is located in Morrow County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Steam Corners
- Kirkpatrick
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Kirkpatrick is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kirkpatrick
- Chesterville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Surprise. See our List of 1890's Communities around Surprise.
Newspapers Published in Surprise ...
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 77 newspapers that have been published in the area around Surprise.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Surprise, there are papers which were published within 21 miles [33.8 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Surprise.
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 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 Surprise:
- Websites specific to Ohio
- Pages specific to Morrow County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Ashland County
- Crawford County
- Delaware County
- Huron County
- Knox County
- Licking County
- Marion County
- Richland County
- Seneca County
- Union County
- Wyandot 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 Surprise, 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 'straight-line' (or 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- Surprise) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |