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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 Bender (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 Bender. 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 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.

Bender is located in Kay County.

To see how the shape of Oklahoma's counties may have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.

The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Kay County: Cowley (KS), Garfield, Grant, Noble & Osage.

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

  • Kay County     (The home county of Bender)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bender, with the one closest to Bender listed first.
    • Chilocco
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
      • Chilocco is located in Kay County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chilocco
    • Newkirk
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
    • Kildare
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Kildare is located in Kay County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kildare
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 94 people
    • Braman
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
    • Blackwell
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Cross ‑ Historic
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
      • Cross is located in Kay County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cross
    • Ponca City
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
    • Kaw City
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
    • Nardin
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Tonkawa
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
    • White Eagle
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
      • White Eagle is located in Kay County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White Eagle
  • Grant County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bender, with the one closest to Bender listed first.
    • Deer Creek
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Lamont
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Renfrow
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
      • Renfrow is located in Grant County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Renfrow
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 12 people
  • Noble County
    • Marland
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
  • Osage County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bender, with the one closest to Bender listed first.
    • McCord
      (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
      • McCord is located in Osage County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McCord
    • Frankfort
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
      • Frankfort is located in Osage County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frankfort
    • Webb City
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
      • Webb City is located in Osage County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Webb City
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 61 people
    • Grainola
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
      • Grainola is located in Osage County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grainola
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 30 people
    • Burbank
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Shidler
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
  • Cowley County (KS)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bender, with the one closest to Bender listed first.
    • Arkansas City
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Parkerfield
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Parkerfield is located in Cowley County (KS)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parkerfield
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 412 people
    • Moxham
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
      • Moxham is located in Cowley County (KS)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moxham
    • Silverdale
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Silverdale is located in Cowley County (KS)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Silverdale
    • Hackney
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
      • Hackney is located in Cowley County (KS)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hackney
    • Rainbow Bend
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
      • Rainbow Bend is located in Cowley County (KS)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rainbow Bend
    • Tresham
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
      • Tresham is located in Cowley County (KS)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tresham
    • Cameron
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
      • Cameron is located in Cowley County (KS)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cameron
      • Cameron has also been known as:
      • Cameron City
    • Vinton
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Vinton is located in Cowley County (KS)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vinton
    • Kellogg
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
      • Kellogg is located in Cowley County (KS)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kellogg
    • Winfield
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
      • Winfield is located in Cowley County (KS)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winfield
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 11,807 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Winfield <1>
    • Maple City
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Maple City is located in Cowley County (KS)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maple City
  • Sumner County (KS)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bender, with the one closest to Bender listed first.
    • Geuda Springs
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
      • Geuda Springs is located in Sumner County (KS)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Geuda Springs
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 176 people
    • Portland
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Portland is located in Sumner County (KS)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Portland
    • Hunnewell
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
      • Hunnewell is located in Sumner County (KS)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hunnewell
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 59 people
    • South Haven
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Paton
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
      • Paton is located in Sumner County (KS)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Paton
    • Drury
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
      • Drury is located in Sumner County (KS)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Drury
    • Oxford
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
      • Oxford is located in Sumner County (KS)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oxford
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 988 people
      • Former name for Oxford:
      • Hapawalla
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Oxford <1>
    • Corbin
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Corbin is located in Sumner County (KS)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Corbin
    • Perth
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Perth is located in Sumner County (KS)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Perth
    • Caldwell
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
    • Wellington
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Roland
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Roland is located in Sumner County (KS)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roland

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

Cemeteries Near Bender ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Bender.

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

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

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

  • Chilocco Indian Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • Newkirk Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • Washunga Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • Plainview Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
  • Banner Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
  • Hope Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
  • St. Johns Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
  • Mt. Hope Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Wolf Creek Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
  • Prairie Chapel Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
  • Braman Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
  • Lolled Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
  • Continue List   (78 more) ...
    • Work Cemetery
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Cooper Cemetery
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
    • Spring side Cemetery
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)

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.<3>

While we didn't find Bender in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Bender.

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

  • Newkirk
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
  • Chilocco
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
    • Chilocco is located in Kay County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chilocco
  • Kildare
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Kildare is located in Kay County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kildare
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 94 people
  • Arkansas City
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
  • Blackwell
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Ashton
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Ashton is located in Sumner County (KS)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ashton
  • Geuda Springs
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
    • Geuda Springs is located in Sumner County (KS)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Geuda Springs
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 176 people
  • Portland
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Portland is located in Sumner County (KS)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Portland
  • Cross ‑ Historic
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
    • Cross is located in Kay County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cross
  • Silverdale
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Silverdale is located in Cowley County (KS)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Silverdale
  • Ponca City
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
  • Rome
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
    • Rome is located in Sumner County (KS)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rome
  • Continue List   (13 more) ...
    • Hunnewell
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
      • Hunnewell is located in Sumner County (KS)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hunnewell
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 59 people
    • Hackney
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
      • Hackney is located in Cowley County (KS)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hackney
    • South Haven
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)

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

Newspapers Published in Bender ...

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 65 newspapers that have been published in the area around Bender.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Bender, there are papers which were published within 28 miles [45.1 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Bender.

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 Bender:

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>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.
<3>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 Bender, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.
<4>Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' (or 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- Bender) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.