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 Balfour (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 Balfour. 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 southwest 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 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 west 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.
Balfour is located in Mills County.
To see how the shape of Iowa's counties may have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.
The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Mills County: Fremont, Montgomery, Pottawattamie, Cass (NE) & Sarpy (NE).
Below are the counties that are near Balfour. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Balfour:
- Mills County (The home county of Balfour)
- The following are listed by their distance from Balfour, with the one closest to Balfour listed first.
- Silver City
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Silver City is located in Mills County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Silver City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 246 people
- Glenwood
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Malvern
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Mills
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Mills is located in Mills County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mills
- Mineola
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Pacific City
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Pacific City is located in Mills County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pacific City
- Pacific Junction
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Folsom
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Folsom is located in Mills County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Folsom
- Hastings
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Hastings is located in Mills County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hastings
- Population from the 2020 Census: 149 people
- Clark
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Clark is located in Mills County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clark
- Hentons ‑ Historic
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Hentons is located in Mills County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hentons
- Emerson
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Henderson
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Cass County
- Griswold
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Fremont County
- The following are listed by their distance from Balfour, with the one closest to Balfour listed first.
- Tabor
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Randolph
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Randolph is located in Fremont County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Randolph
- Population from the 2020 Census: 145 people
- Bartlett
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Bartlett is located in Fremont County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bartlett
- Thurman
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Thurman is located in Fremont County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thurman
- Population from the 2020 Census: 210 people
- Anderson
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Anderson is located in Fremont County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Anderson
- Imogene
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- McPaul
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- McPaul is located in Fremont County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McPaul
- Sidney
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Percival
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Farragut
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Riverton
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Payne
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Payne is located in Fremont County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Payne
- Hamburg
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Montgomery County
- The following are listed by their distance from Balfour, with the one closest to Balfour listed first.
- Coburg
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Coburg is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coburg
- Population from the 2020 Census: 39 people
- Red Oak
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Elliott
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Stanton
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Page County
- The following are listed by their distance from Balfour, with the one closest to Balfour listed first.
- Essex
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Shenandoah
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Nyman
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Nyman is located in Page County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nyman
- Pottawattamie County
- The following are listed by their distance from Balfour, with the one closest to Balfour listed first.
- Dumfries
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Dumfries is located in Pottawattamie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dumfries
- Treynor
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Macedonia
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Chautauqua
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Chautauqua is located in Pottawattamie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chautauqua
- Carson
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Council Bluffs
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- McClelland
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Weston
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Weston is located in Pottawattamie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weston
- Carter Lake
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Oakland
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Underwood
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Crescent
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Neola
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Cass County (NE)
- The following are listed by their distance from Balfour, with the one closest to Balfour listed first.
- Rock Bluff
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Rock Bluff is located in Cass County (NE)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock Bluff
- Plattsmouth
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Mynard
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Mynard is located in Cass County (NE)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mynard
- Murray
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Cullom
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Cullom is located in Cass County (NE)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cullom
- Union
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Nehawka
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Cedar Creek
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Louisville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Weeping Water
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Manley
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Avoca
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- South Bend
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Douglas County (NE)
- The following are listed by their distance from Balfour, with the one closest to Balfour listed first.
- Ralston
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Home Park
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Home Park is located in Douglas County (NE)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Home Park
- Omaha
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Omaha is located in Douglas County (NE)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Omaha
- Population from the 2020 Census: 478,393 people
- Omaha has also been known as:
- Omaha City
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Omaha <1>
- Briggs
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Briggs is located in Douglas County (NE)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Briggs
- Irvington
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Irvington is located in Douglas County (NE)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Irvington
- Millard
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Boys Town
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Otoe County (NE)
- The following are listed by their distance from Balfour, with the one closest to Balfour listed first.
- Wyoming
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Wyoming is located in Otoe County (NE)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wyoming
- Nebraska City
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Sarpy County (NE)
- The following are listed by their distance from Balfour, with the one closest to Balfour listed first.
- La Platte
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- La Platte is located in Sarpy County (NE)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for La Platte
- Bellevue
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Avery
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Avery is located in Sarpy County (NE)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avery
- Gilmore
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Gilmore is located in Sarpy County (NE)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gilmore
- Papillion
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- La Vista
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Richfield
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Portal
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Portal is located in Sarpy County (NE)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Portal
- Springfield
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Chalco
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Gretna
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Balfour, see our County-by-County Page for Balfour.
Cemeteries Near Balfour ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Balfour.
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 Balfour - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Balfour covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Balfour, with the one closest to Balfour listed first.
- County Farm Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Somar Family on Wright Farm Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Hillsdale Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Glenwood Resource Center Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glenwood Resource Center Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Glenwood Resource Center Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the southeast of Glenwood.
- The Glenwood Resource Center Cemetery has also been known as:
- Glenwood State School Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2435128 <2>
- State Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- East Liberty Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Silver City Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Glenwood Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glenwood Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Glenwood Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the north of Glenwood.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #152225 <2>
- West Liberty Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Mineola Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Malvern Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Pacific City Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Continue List (243 more) ...
- Waubonsie Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Linville Farm Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Estes Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 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.<3>
While we didn't find Balfour in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Balfour.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Balfour, with the one closest to Balfour listed first.
- Hillsdale
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Hillsdale is located in Mills County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hillsdale
- Silver City
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Silver City is located in Mills County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Silver City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 246 people
- Glenwood
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Mills
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Mills is located in Mills County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mills
- Malvern
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Mineola
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Pacific City
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Pacific City is located in Mills County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pacific City
- Pacific Junction
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- White Cloud
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- White Cloud is located in Mills County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White Cloud
- Folsom
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Folsom is located in Mills County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Folsom
- Clark
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Clark is located in Mills County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clark
- Hastings
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Hastings is located in Mills County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hastings
- Population from the 2020 Census: 149 people
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Hentons ‑ Historic
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Hentons is located in Mills County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hentons
- Tabor
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Strahan
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Strahan is located in Mills County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Strahan
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Balfour. See our List of 1890's Communities around Balfour.
Newspapers Published in Balfour ...
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 100 newspapers that have been published in the area around Balfour.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Balfour, there are papers which were published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Balfour.
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 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 Balfour:
- Websites specific to Iowa
- Pages specific to Mills County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Cass County
- Fremont County
- Montgomery County
- Page County
- Pottawattamie County
- Cass County
- Douglas County
- Otoe County
- Sarpy County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Iowa
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 Balfour, 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 things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Balfour) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |