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 Bethesda (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 Bethesda. 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.
Bethesda is located in Page 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 Page County: Fremont, Montgomery, Taylor, Atchison (MO) & Nodaway (MO).
Below are the counties that are near Bethesda. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Bethesda:
- Page County (The home county of Bethesda)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethesda, with the one closest to Bethesda listed first.
- Hepburn
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Hepburn is located in Page County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hepburn
- Population from the 2020 Census: 17 people
- Nyman
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Nyman is located in Page County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nyman
- Yorktown
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Yorktown is located in Page County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yorktown
- Population from the 2020 Census: 83 people
- Clarinda
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Hawleyville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Hawleyville is located in Page County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hawleyville
- Tarkio City ‑ Historic
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Tarkio City is located in Page County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tarkio City
- Essex
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Shambaugh
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Shambaugh is located in Page County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shambaugh
- Population from the 2020 Census: 181 people
- Coin
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Coin is located in Page County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coin
- Population from the 2020 Census: 175 people
- College Springs
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- College Springs is located in Page County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for College Springs
- Population from the 2020 Census: 204 people
- Shenandoah
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Braddyville
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Adams County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethesda, with the one closest to Bethesda listed first.
- Nodaway
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Nodaway is located in Adams County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nodaway
- Population from the 2020 Census: 102 people
- Iveyville
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Iveyville is located in Adams County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Iveyville
- Brooks
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Brooks is located in Adams County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brooks
- Strand
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Strand is located in Adams County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Strand
- Carbon
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Carbon is located in Adams County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carbon
- Population from the 2020 Census: 31 people
- Corning
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Quincy
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Quincy is located in Adams County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Quincy
- Lincoln Center
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Lincoln Center is located in Adams County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lincoln Center
- Queen City ‑ Historic
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Queen City is located in Adams County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Queen City
- Mercer
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Mercer is located in Adams County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mercer
- Mount Etna
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Mount Etna is located in Adams County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Etna
- Prescott
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Cass County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethesda, with the one closest to Bethesda listed first.
- Griswold
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Lyman
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Lyman is located in Cass County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lyman
- Dewey
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Dewey is located in Cass County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dewey
- Fremont County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethesda, with the one closest to Bethesda listed first.
- Imogene
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Farragut
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Randolph
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Randolph is located in Fremont County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Randolph
- Population from the 2020 Census: 145 people
- High Creek
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- High Creek is located in Fremont County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for High Creek
- Riverton
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Anderson
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Anderson is located in Fremont County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Anderson
- Sidney
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Tabor
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Mills County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethesda, with the one closest to Bethesda listed first.
- Emerson
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Hastings
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Hastings is located in Mills County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hastings
- Population from the 2020 Census: 149 people
- Clark
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Clark is located in Mills County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clark
- Henderson
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Malvern
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Montgomery County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethesda, with the one closest to Bethesda listed first.
- Clarinda Junction ‑ Historic
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Clarinda Junction is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clarinda Junction
- Villisca
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Stanton
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Coburg
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Coburg is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coburg
- Population from the 2020 Census: 39 people
- Tenville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Tenville is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tenville
- Red Oak
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Sciola
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Sciola is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sciola
- Elliott
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Grant
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Grant is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grant
- Population from the 2020 Census: 84 people
- Pottawattamie County
- Macedonia
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Taylor County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethesda, with the one closest to Bethesda listed first.
- Guss
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Guss is located in Taylor County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Guss
- New Market
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- New Market is located in Taylor County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Market
- Population from the 2020 Census: 397 people
- Ladoga
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Ladoga is located in Taylor County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ladoga
- Siam
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Siam is located in Taylor County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Siam
- Gravity
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Gravity is located in Taylor County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gravity
- Population from the 2020 Census: 181 people
- Bedford
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Sharpsburg
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Sharpsburg is located in Taylor County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sharpsburg
- Population from the 2020 Census: 86 people
- Conway
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Conway is located in Taylor County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Conway
- Population from the 2020 Census: 40 people
- Lenox
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Atchison County (MO)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethesda, with the one closest to Bethesda listed first.
- Westboro
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Westboro is located in Atchison County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westboro
- Population from the 2020 Census: 126 people
- Farmers City
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Farmers City is located in Atchison County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Farmers City
- Nodaway County (MO)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bethesda, with the one closest to Bethesda listed first.
- Elmo
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Elmo is located in Nodaway County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elmo
- Population from the 2020 Census: 148 people
- Clearmont
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Hopkins
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Burlington Junction
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Pickering
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Pickering is located in Nodaway County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pickering
- Population from the 2020 Census: 141 people
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Bethesda, see our County-by-County Page for Bethesda.
Cemeteries Near Bethesda ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Bethesda.
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 Bethesda - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Bethesda covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Bethesda, with the one closest to Bethesda listed first.
- Bethesda Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Immanual Lutheran Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Immanuel Lutheran Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- North Page Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Rose Hill Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Summit Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- State Hospital Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Valley Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Fremont Twp. Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Plum Thicket Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Mt. Hope Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Clarinda Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Continue List (215 more) ...
- Baker Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Lee Grove Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Oak Grove Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
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 Bethesda in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Bethesda.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Bethesda, with the one closest to Bethesda listed first.
- Hepburn
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Hepburn is located in Page County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hepburn
- Population from the 2020 Census: 17 people
- Nyman
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Nyman is located in Page County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nyman
- Yorktown
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Yorktown is located in Page County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yorktown
- Population from the 2020 Census: 83 people
- Clarinda
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Villisca
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Clarinda Junction ‑ Historic
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Clarinda Junction is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clarinda Junction
- Stanton
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Page Center
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Page Center is located in Page County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Page Center
- Hawleyville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Hawleyville is located in Page County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hawleyville
- Norwich
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Norwich is located in Page County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Norwich
- Coburg
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Coburg is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coburg
- Population from the 2020 Census: 39 people
- Essex
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Continue List (13 more) ...
- Bingham
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Bingham is located in Page County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bingham
- Guss
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Guss is located in Taylor County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Guss
- Nodaway
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Nodaway is located in Adams County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nodaway
- Population from the 2020 Census: 102 people
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Bethesda. See our List of 1890's Communities around Bethesda.
Newspapers Published in Bethesda ...
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 150 newspapers that have been published in the area around Bethesda.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Bethesda, there are papers which were published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Bethesda.
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 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 Bethesda:
- Websites specific to Iowa
- Pages specific to Page County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Adams County
- Cass County
- Fremont County
- Mills County
- Montgomery County
- Pottawattamie County
- Taylor County
- Atchison County
- Nodaway 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> | 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- Bethesda) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |
| <3> | 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. |
| <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 Bethesda, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |