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 Bethelhem (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 Bethelhem. 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 and doctors 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.
Bethelhem is located in Wayne 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 Wayne County: Appanoose, Decatur, Lucas, Mercer (MO) & Putnam (MO).
Below are the counties that are near Bethelhem. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Bethelhem:
- Wayne County (The home county of Bethelhem)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethelhem, with the one closest to Bethelhem listed first.
- Confidence
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Confidence is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Confidence
- Millerton
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Millerton is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millerton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 42 people
- Promise City
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Promise City is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Promise City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 110 people
- Corydon
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Seymour
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Allerton
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Hodge
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Hodge is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hodge
- Humeston
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Genoa
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Genoa is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Genoa
- Clio
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Clio is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clio
- Population from the 2020 Census: 73 people
- Lineville
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Lineville is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lineville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 217 people
- Appanoose County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethelhem, with the one closest to Bethelhem listed first.
- Plano
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Jerome
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Jerome is located in Appanoose County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jerome
- Iconium
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Iconium is located in Appanoose County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Iconium
- Brazil
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Brazil is located in Appanoose County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brazil
- Mystic
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Mystic is located in Appanoose County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mystic
- Population from the 2020 Census: 410 people
- Walnut City
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Walnut City is located in Appanoose County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walnut City
- Clarkdale
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Clarkdale is located in Appanoose County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clarkdale
- Numa
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Numa is located in Appanoose County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Numa
- Population from the 2020 Census: 89 people
- Sunshine
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Sunshine is located in Appanoose County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sunshine
- Darbyville
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Darbyville is located in Appanoose County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Darbyville
- Rathbun
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Rathbun is located in Appanoose County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rathbun
- Population from the 2020 Census: 72 people
- Centerville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Cincinnati
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Cincinnati is located in Appanoose County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cincinnati
- Population from the 2020 Census: 345 people
- Clarke County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethelhem, with the one closest to Bethelhem listed first.
- Woodburn
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Weldon
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Weldon is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weldon
- Population from the 2020 Census: 104 people
- Green Bay ‑ Historic
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Green Bay is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Green Bay
- Decatur County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethelhem, with the one closest to Bethelhem listed first.
- Garden Grove
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Garden Grove is located in Decatur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garden Grove
- Population from the 2020 Census: 200 people
- Le Roy
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Le Roy is located in Decatur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Le Roy
- Population from the 2020 Census: 14 people
- Woodland
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Woodland is located in Decatur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodland
- Morgan
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Morgan is located in Decatur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morgan
- Leon
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Van Wert
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Van Wert is located in Decatur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Van Wert
- Population from the 2020 Census: 208 people
- Lucas County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethelhem, with the one closest to Bethelhem listed first.
- Russell
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Zero
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Zero is located in Lucas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zero
- Chariton
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Derby
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Derby is located in Lucas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Derby
- Population from the 2020 Census: 111 people
- Olmitz
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Olmitz is located in Lucas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Olmitz
- Williamson
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Lucas
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Lucas is located in Lucas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lucas
- Population from the 2020 Census: 207 people
- Marion County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethelhem, with the one closest to Bethelhem listed first.
- Newbern
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Newbern is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newbern
- Columbia
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Columbia is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Columbia
- Bauer
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Bauer is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bauer
- Indiana
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Indiana is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Indiana
- Melcher - Dallas
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Melcher - Dallas is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Melcher - Dallas
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,236 people
- Hamilton
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Hamilton is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hamilton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 135 people
- Marysville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Marysville is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marysville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 68 people
- Attica
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Attica is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Attica
- Bussey
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Bussey is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bussey
- Population from the 2020 Census: 406 people
- Monroe County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethelhem, with the one closest to Bethelhem listed first.
- Melrose
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Georgetown
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Georgetown is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Georgetown
- Selection
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Selection is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Selection
- Albia
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Lovilia
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Bluff Creek
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Bluff Creek is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bluff Creek
- Avery
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Avery is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avery
- Warren County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethelhem, with the one closest to Bethelhem listed first.
- Lacona
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Liberty Center
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Liberty Center is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Liberty Center
- Mercer County (MO)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethelhem, with the one closest to Bethelhem listed first.
- South Lineville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- South Lineville is located in Mercer County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Lineville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 27 people
- Mercer
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Ravanna
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Ravanna is located in Mercer County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ravanna
- Putnam County (MO)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethelhem, with the one closest to Bethelhem listed first.
- Powersville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Powersville is located in Putnam County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Powersville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 54 people
- Saint John
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Saint John is located in Putnam County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint John
- Pearl City
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Pearl City is located in Putnam County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pearl City
- Mendota
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Mendota is located in Putnam County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mendota
- Lucerne
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Lucerne is located in Putnam County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lucerne
- Population from the 2020 Census: 80 people
- Unionville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Bethelhem, see our County-by-County Page for Bethelhem.
Cemeteries Near Bethelhem ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Bethelhem.
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 Bethelhem - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Bethelhem covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Bethelhem, with the one closest to Bethelhem listed first.
- Bethlehem Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- New York Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- McDaniel Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Brown Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Lacey Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Dodrill Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Adcock Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Confidence Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Jones Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Promise City Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Promise City Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Promise City Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the northwest of Promise City.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #95900 <2>
- Jones Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Johnson Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Continue List (352 more) ...
- Ryan Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Sharon Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Hogue Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
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 Bethelhem in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Bethelhem.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Bethelhem, with the one closest to Bethelhem listed first.
- New York
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- New York is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New York
- Confidence
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Confidence is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Confidence
- Ovia
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Ovia is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ovia
- Bridgeport
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Bridgeport is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bridgeport
- Corydon
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Promise City
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Promise City is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Promise City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 110 people
- Russell
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Cambria
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Cambria is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cambria
- Harvard
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Harvard is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harvard
- Plano
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Zero
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Zero is located in Lucas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zero
- Seymour
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- Allerton
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Jerome
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Jerome is located in Appanoose County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jerome
- Garfield
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Garfield is located in Appanoose County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garfield
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Bethelhem. See our List of 1890's Communities around Bethelhem.
Newspapers Published in Bethelhem ...
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 145 newspapers that have been published in the area around Bethelhem.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Bethelhem, 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 Bethelhem.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we start with the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These helpful 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 Bethelhem:
- Websites specific to Iowa
- Pages specific to Wayne County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Appanoose County
- Clarke County
- Decatur County
- Lucas County
- Marion County
- Monroe County
- Warren County
- Mercer County
- Putnam 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 Bethelhem, 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 from Point A (ie- Bethelhem) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |