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 Beech (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 Beech. 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 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.
Beech is located in Warren 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 Warren County: Clarke, Dallas, Lucas, Madison, Marion & Polk.
Below are the counties that are near Beech. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Beech:
- Warren County (The home county of Beech)
- The following are listed by their distance from Beech, with the one closest to Beech listed first.
- Sandyville
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Sandyville is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sandyville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 54 people
- Clarkson ‑ Historic
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Clarkson is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clarkson
- Hartford
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Palmyra
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Palmyra is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Palmyra
- Ackworth
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Ackworth is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ackworth
- Population from the 2020 Census: 105 people
- Milo
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Indianola
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Lacona
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Liberty Center
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Liberty Center is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Liberty Center
- Cool
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Cool is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cool
- Spring Hill
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Spring Hill is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spring Hill
- Population from the 2020 Census: 65 people
- Lakewood
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Lakewood is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakewood
- Prole
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Prole is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prole
- Clarke County
- The following are listed by their distance from Beech, with the one closest to Beech listed first.
- Liberty
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Liberty is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Liberty
- Woodburn
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Dallas County
- Booneville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Jasper County
- The following are listed by their distance from Beech, with the one closest to Beech listed first.
- Vandalia
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Vandalia is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vandalia
- Prairie City
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Monroe
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Colfax
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Oswalt
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Oswalt is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oswalt
- Metz
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Metz is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Metz
- Reasnor
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Reasnor is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reasnor
- Population from the 2020 Census: 156 people
- Valeria
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Valeria is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Valeria
- Population from the 2020 Census: 58 people
- Galesburg
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Galesburg is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Galesburg
- Goddard
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Goddard is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goddard
- Green Castle
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Green Castle is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Green Castle
- Lambs Grove
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Lambs Grove is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lambs Grove
- Population from the 2020 Census: 165 people
- Mingo
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Lucas County
- The following are listed by their distance from Beech, with the one closest to Beech listed first.
- Williamson
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Olmitz
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Olmitz is located in Lucas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Olmitz
- Chariton
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Lucas
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Lucas is located in Lucas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lucas
- Population from the 2020 Census: 207 people
- Russell
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Zero
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Zero is located in Lucas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zero
- Madison County
- The following are listed by their distance from Beech, with the one closest to Beech listed first.
- Saint Charles
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Patterson
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Patterson is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Patterson
- Population from the 2020 Census: 163 people
- Truro
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Mahaska County
- The following are listed by their distance from Beech, with the one closest to Beech listed first.
- Olivet
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Olivet is located in Mahaska County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Olivet
- Leighton
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Peoria
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Peoria is located in Mahaska County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peoria
- Marion County
- The following are listed by their distance from Beech, with the one closest to Beech listed first.
- Pleasantville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Swan
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Swan is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Swan
- Population from the 2020 Census: 74 people
- Percy ‑ Historic
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Percy is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Percy
- Bauer
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Bauer is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bauer
- Melcher - Dallas
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Melcher - Dallas is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Melcher - Dallas
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,236 people
- Cordova
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Cordova is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cordova
- Knoxville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Newbern
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Newbern is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newbern
- Otley
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Columbia
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Columbia is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Columbia
- Howell ‑ Historic
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Howell is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Howell
- Pershing
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Pershing is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pershing
- Attica
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Attica is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Attica
- Monroe County
- The following are listed by their distance from Beech, with the one closest to Beech listed first.
- Lovilia
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Bluff Creek
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Bluff Creek is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bluff Creek
- Polk County
- The following are listed by their distance from Beech, with the one closest to Beech listed first.
- Runnells
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Adelphi
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Adelphi is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adelphi
- Carlisle
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Levey
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Levey is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Levey
- Rising Sun
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Rising Sun is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rising Sun
- Pleasant Hill
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Norwalk
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Altoona
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Mitchellville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Country Estate Village
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Des Moines
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Bondurant
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Berwick
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Berwick is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Berwick
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Beech, see our County-by-County Page for Beech.
Cemeteries Near Beech ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Beech.
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 Beech - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Beech covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Beech, with the one closest to Beech listed first.
- Sandyville Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Highland Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Highland Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Motor Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Pleasantville Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasantville Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Pleasantville Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the southwest of Pleasantville.
- The Pleasantville Cemetery has also been known as:
- Pleasant Grove Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2185925 <2>
- Wheeling Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Lacey Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Belmont Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belmont Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Belmont Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located 8 miles [12.9 km]<3> to the southeast of Indianola.
- The Belmont Cemetery has also been known as:
- Belmont Zion Cemetery
- Old Baptist Cemetery
- St. Augustine Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #94230 <2>
- Black Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Milo IOOF Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Hartford Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Spurgeon Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Continue List (331 more) ...
- Swan Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Murray Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Palmyra Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
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.<4>
While we didn't find Beech in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Beech.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Beech, with the one closest to Beech listed first.
- Sandyville
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Sandyville is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sandyville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 54 people
- Pleasantville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Clarkson ‑ Historic
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Clarkson is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clarkson
- Hartford
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Swan
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Swan is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Swan
- Population from the 2020 Census: 74 people
- Palmyra
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Palmyra is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Palmyra
- Ackworth
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Ackworth is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ackworth
- Population from the 2020 Census: 105 people
- Ford
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Ford is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ford
- Milo
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Caloma
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Caloma is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caloma
- Morgin Valley ‑ Historic
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Morgin Valley is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morgin Valley
- Runnells
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- Percy ‑ Historic
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Percy is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Percy
- Summerset
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Summerset is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Summerset
- Indianola
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Beech. See our List of 1890's Communities around Beech.
Newspapers Published in Beech ...
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 69 newspapers that have been published in the area around Beech.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Beech, there are papers which were published within 27 miles [43.5 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Beech.
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 professional and volunteer 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 Beech:
- Websites specific to Iowa
- Pages specific to Warren County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Clarke County
- Dallas County
- Jasper County
- Lucas County
- Madison County
- Mahaska County
- Marion County
- Monroe County
- Polk 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> | 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- Beech) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |
| <4> | 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 Beech, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |