Our Genealogy Helper
Introduction ...
So far, we found very little information about Benan. The little that we've found leads us believe that the community is historic.<1>
We've added Benan to our Gazetteer with the hope that we can develop more information. If you can help us with Benan, 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 Benan (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 Benan. 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.
Although our information shows that the community of Benan is historic, it would have been located within present day Carroll 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 Carroll County: Audubon, Calhoun, Crawford, Greene, Guthrie, Sac & Shelby.
Below are the counties that are near Benan. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Benan:
- Carroll County (The home county of Benan)
- The following are listed by their distance from Benan, with the one closest to Benan listed first.
- Lanesboro
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Lanesboro is located in Carroll County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lanesboro
- Population from the 2020 Census: 108 people
- Ralston
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Ralston is located in Carroll County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ralston
- Population from the 2020 Census: 72 people
- Glidden
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Lidderdale
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Lidderdale is located in Carroll County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lidderdale
- Population from the 2020 Census: 167 people
- Carroll Community Estates
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Carroll
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Willey
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Willey is located in Carroll County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willey
- Population from the 2020 Census: 97 people
- Roselle
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Roselle is located in Carroll County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roselle
- Coon Rapids
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Dedham
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Breda
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Breda is located in Carroll County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Breda
- Population from the 2020 Census: 471 people
- Halbur
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Halbur is located in Carroll County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Halbur
- Population from the 2020 Census: 252 people
- Audubon County
- The following are listed by their distance from Benan, with the one closest to Benan listed first.
- Gray
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Ross
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Ross is located in Audubon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ross
- Boone County
- The following are listed by their distance from Benan, with the one closest to Benan listed first.
- Beaver
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Beaver is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beaver
- Population from the 2020 Census: 50 people
- Boxholm
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Berkley
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Berkley is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Berkley
- Population from the 2020 Census: 33 people
- Calhoun County
- The following are listed by their distance from Benan, with the one closest to Benan listed first.
- Wightman
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Wightman is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wightman
- Lake City
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Lohrville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Rands
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Rands is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rands
- Sherwood
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Sherwood is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sherwood
- Farnhamville
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Farnhamville is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Farnhamville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 335 people
- Yetter
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Yetter is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yetter
- Population from the 2020 Census: 31 people
- Rinard
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Rinard is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rinard
- Population from the 2020 Census: 48 people
- Rockwell City
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Somers
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Somers is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Somers
- Population from the 2020 Census: 102 people
- Lytton
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Lytton is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lytton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 285 people
- Jolley
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Jolley is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jolley
- Population from the 2020 Census: 37 people
- Crawford County
- The following are listed by their distance from Benan, with the one closest to Benan listed first.
- Westside
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Aspinwall
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Aspinwall is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aspinwall
- Population from the 2020 Census: 40 people
- Vail
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Boyer
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Boyer is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boyer
- Dallas County
- Dawson
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Dawson is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dawson
- Population from the 2020 Census: 127 people
- Greene County
- The following are listed by their distance from Benan, with the one closest to Benan listed first.
- Scranton
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Churdan
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Churdan is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Churdan
- Population from the 2020 Census: 363 people
- Farlin
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Farlin is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Farlin
- Jefferson
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Dana
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Dana is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dana
- Population from the 2020 Census: 67 people
- Paton
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Cooper
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Cooper is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cooper
- Grand Junction
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Rippey
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Rippey is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rippey
- Population from the 2020 Census: 269 people
- Guthrie County
- The following are listed by their distance from Benan, with the one closest to Benan listed first.
- Bayard
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Bagley
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Bagley is located in Guthrie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bagley
- Population from the 2020 Census: 285 people
- Herndon
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Herndon is located in Guthrie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Herndon
- Jamaica
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Yale
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Yale is located in Guthrie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yale
- Population from the 2020 Census: 239 people
- Sac County
- The following are listed by their distance from Benan, with the one closest to Benan listed first.
- Auburn
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Grant City
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Grant City is located in Sac County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grant City
- Sac City Junction ‑ Historic
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Sac City Junction is located in Sac County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sac City Junction
- Lake View
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Wall Lake
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Wall Lake is located in Sac County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wall Lake
- Population from the 2020 Census: 753 people
- Sac City
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Herring ‑ Historic
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Herring is located in Sac County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Herring
- Shelby County
- Botna
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Botna is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Botna
- Webster County
- The following are listed by their distance from Benan, with the one closest to Benan listed first.
- Slifer
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Slifer is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Slifer
- Gowrie
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Lanyon
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Lanyon is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lanyon
- Callender
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Callender is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Callender
- Population from the 2020 Census: 346 people
- Harcourt
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Harcourt is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harcourt
- Population from the 2020 Census: 278 people
- Palm Grove
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Palm Grove is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Palm Grove
- Moorland
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Barnum
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Barnum is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barnum
- Population from the 2020 Census: 181 people
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Benan, see our County-by-County Page for Benan.
Cemeteries Near Benan ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Benan.
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 Benan - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Benan covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Benan, with the one closest to Benan listed first.
- Salisbury Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Dickson Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Dillavou Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dillavou Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Dillavou Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located 2 miles [3.2 km]<3> to the north of Ralston.
- The Dillavou Cemetery has also been known as:
- Kendrick Twp. Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #94586 <4>
- St. Patricks Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Lanesboro Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- West Lawn Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Lawn Cemetery
- The West Lawn Cemetery has also been known as:
- Glidden Cemetery
- Merle Hay Cemetery
- Merle Haye Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #96638 <4>
- Bishop Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- East Liberty Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Holy Family Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Scranton Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Old Cedar Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Immanuel Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Continue List (144 more) ...
- Thompson Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Highland Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Evergreen Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Evergreen Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Evergreen Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the southeast of Lohrville.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #94698 <4>
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.
While we didn't find Benan in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Benan.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Benan, with the one closest to Benan listed first.
- Glidden
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Scranton
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Churdan
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Churdan is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Churdan
- Population from the 2020 Census: 363 people
- Kentner
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Kentner is located in Carroll County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kentner
- Lake City
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Farlin
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Farlin is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Farlin
- Carroll
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Lohrville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Willey
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Willey is located in Carroll County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willey
- Population from the 2020 Census: 97 people
- Carrollton
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Carrollton is located in Carroll County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carrollton
- Mount Carmel
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Mount Carmel is located in Carroll County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Carmel
- Rands
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Rands is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rands
- Continue List (13 more) ...
- Auburn
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Maple River
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Maple River is located in Carroll County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maple River
- Jefferson
(15 miles [24.1 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 Benan. See our List of 1890's Communities around Benan.
Newspapers Published in Benan ...
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 90 newspapers that have been published in the area around Benan.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Benan, there are papers which were published within 29 miles [46.7 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Benan.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we begin with 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 Benan:
- Websites specific to Iowa
- Pages specific to Carroll County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Audubon County
- Boone County
- Calhoun County
- Crawford County
- Dallas County
- Greene County
- Guthrie County
- Sac County
- Shelby County
- Webster County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Iowa
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 Benan, 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' distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Benan) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |
| <4> | 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. |