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 Bellefountain (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 Bellefountain. 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 and 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.
Bellefountain is located in Mahaska 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 Mahaska County: Jasper, Keokuk, Marion, Monroe, Poweshiek & Wapello.
Below are the counties that are near Bellefountain. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Bellefountain:
- Mahaska County (The home county of Bellefountain)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bellefountain, with the one closest to Bellefountain listed first.
- Olivet
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Olivet is located in Mahaska County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Olivet
- Leighton
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Fishville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Fishville is located in Mahaska County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fishville
- Evans
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Evans is located in Mahaska County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Evans
- Beacon
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Beacon is located in Mahaska County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beacon
- Population from the 2020 Census: 488 people
- Lakonta
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Lakonta is located in Mahaska County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakonta
- Givin
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Givin is located in Mahaska County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Givin
- Oskaloosa
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- University Park
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- University Park is located in Mahaska County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for University Park
- Population from the 2020 Census: 468 people
- Peoria
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Peoria is located in Mahaska County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peoria
- Lacey
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Lacey is located in Mahaska County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lacey
- Keomah Village
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Keomah Village is located in Mahaska County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keomah Village
- Population from the 2020 Census: 99 people
- Taintor
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Taintor is located in Mahaska County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Taintor
- Appanoose County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bellefountain, with the one closest to Bellefountain listed first.
- Moravia
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Iconium
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Iconium is located in Appanoose County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Iconium
- Jasper County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bellefountain, with the one closest to Bellefountain listed first.
- Galesburg
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Galesburg is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Galesburg
- Lynnville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Sully
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Monroe
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Killduff
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Killduff is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Killduff
- Reasnor
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Reasnor is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reasnor
- Population from the 2020 Census: 156 people
- Prairie City
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Vandalia
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Vandalia is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vandalia
- Kellogg
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Newton
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Oakland Acres
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Oakland Acres is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakland Acres
- Population from the 2020 Census: 161 people
- Metz
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Metz is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Metz
- Keokuk County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bellefountain, with the one closest to Bellefountain listed first.
- Coal Creek
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Coal Creek is located in Keokuk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coal Creek
- Delta
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Delta is located in Keokuk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Delta
- Population from the 2020 Census: 313 people
- What Cheer
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Gibson
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Gibson is located in Keokuk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gibson
- Population from the 2020 Census: 59 people
- Hedrick
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Hedrick is located in Keokuk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hedrick
- Population from the 2020 Census: 743 people
- Thornburg
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Thornburg is located in Keokuk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thornburg
- Population from the 2020 Census: 67 people
- Lucas County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bellefountain, with the one closest to Bellefountain listed first.
- Olmitz
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Olmitz is located in Lucas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Olmitz
- Williamson
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Zero
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Zero is located in Lucas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zero
- Russell
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Chariton
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Marion County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bellefountain, with the one closest to Bellefountain listed first.
- Tracy
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Tracy is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tracy
- Harvey
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Harvey is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harvey
- Population from the 2020 Census: 243 people
- Bussey
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Bussey is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bussey
- Population from the 2020 Census: 406 people
- Hamilton
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Hamilton is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hamilton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 135 people
- Pershing
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Pershing is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pershing
- Howell ‑ Historic
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Howell is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Howell
- Attica
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Attica is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Attica
- Marysville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Marysville is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marysville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 68 people
- Pella
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Indiana
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Indiana is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Indiana
- Knoxville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Cordova
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Cordova is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cordova
- Otley
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Monroe County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bellefountain, with the one closest to Bellefountain listed first.
- Bluff Creek
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Bluff Creek is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bluff Creek
- Lovilia
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Avery
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Avery is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avery
- Albia
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Georgetown
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Georgetown is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Georgetown
- Selection
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Selection is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Selection
- Melrose
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Polk County
- Runnells
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Poweshiek County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bellefountain, with the one closest to Bellefountain listed first.
- Searsboro
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Searsboro is located in Poweshiek County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Searsboro
- Population from the 2020 Census: 145 people
- Montezuma
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Tilton
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Tilton is located in Poweshiek County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tilton
- Wapello County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bellefountain, with the one closest to Bellefountain listed first.
- Eddyville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Dudley
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Dudley is located in Wapello County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dudley
- Kirkville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Kirkville is located in Wapello County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kirkville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 177 people
- Chillicothe
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Chillicothe is located in Wapello County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chillicothe
- Population from the 2020 Census: 97 people
- Bidwell
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Bidwell is located in Wapello County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bidwell
- Blakesburg
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Keb ‑ Historic
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Keb is located in Wapello County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keb
- Highland Center
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Highland Center is located in Wapello County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Highland Center
- Dahlonega
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Dahlonega is located in Wapello County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dahlonega
- Ottumwa
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Warren County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bellefountain, with the one closest to Bellefountain listed first.
- Lacona
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Sandyville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Sandyville is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sandyville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 54 people
- Hartford
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Clarkson ‑ Historic
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Clarkson is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clarkson
- Milo
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Bellefountain, see our County-by-County Page for Bellefountain.
Cemeteries Near Bellefountain ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Bellefountain.
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 Bellefountain - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Bellefountain covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Bellefountain, with the one closest to Bellefountain listed first.
- Belle Fountain Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Gregory Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Bethel Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Orey Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Sand Ridge Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Smith Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Doud Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Weldon Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Rochester Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Olivet Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Boles Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Mahaska County Farm Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Continue List (398 more) ...
- Howard Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Porter Grove Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Liberty Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
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 Bellefountain in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Bellefountain.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Bellefountain, with the one closest to Bellefountain listed first.
- Tracy
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Tracy is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tracy
- Olivet
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Olivet is located in Mahaska County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Olivet
- Harvey
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Harvey is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harvey
- Population from the 2020 Census: 243 people
- Bussey
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Bussey is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bussey
- Population from the 2020 Census: 406 people
- Leighton
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Durham
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Durham is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Durham
- Fishville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Fishville is located in Mahaska County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fishville
- Hamilton
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Hamilton is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hamilton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 135 people
- Evans
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Evans is located in Mahaska County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Evans
- Attica
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Attica is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Attica
- Marysville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Marysville is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marysville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 68 people
- Eveland
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Eveland is located in Mahaska County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eveland
- Continue List (13 more) ...
- Howell ‑ Historic
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Howell is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Howell
- Flagler
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Flagler is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flagler
- Pella
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Bellefountain. See our List of 1890's Communities around Bellefountain.
Newspapers Published in Bellefountain ...
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 63 newspapers that have been published in the area around Bellefountain.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Bellefountain, 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 Bellefountain.
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 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 Bellefountain:
- Websites specific to Iowa
- Pages specific to Mahaska County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Appanoose County
- Jasper County
- Keokuk County
- Lucas County
- Marion County
- Monroe County
- Polk County
- Poweshiek County
- Wapello County
- Warren 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 Bellefountain, 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' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Bellefountain) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |