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 Bidwell (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 Bidwell. 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.
Bidwell is located in Wapello 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 Wapello County: Appanoose, Davis, Jefferson, Keokuk, Mahaska, Monroe & Van Buren.
Below are the counties that are near Bidwell. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Bidwell:
- Wapello County (The home county of Bidwell)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bidwell, with the one closest to Bidwell listed first.
- Chillicothe
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Chillicothe is located in Wapello County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chillicothe
- Population from the 2020 Census: 97 people
- Dudley
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Dudley is located in Wapello County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dudley
- Ottumwa
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Keb ‑ Historic
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Keb is located in Wapello County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keb
- Blakesburg
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- East Ottumwa
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- East Ottumwa is located in Wapello County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Ottumwa
- Kirkville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Kirkville is located in Wapello County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kirkville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 177 people
- Dahlonega
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Dahlonega is located in Wapello County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dahlonega
- Eddyville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Cliffland
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Cliffland is located in Wapello County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cliffland
- Agency
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Highland Center
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Highland Center is located in Wapello County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Highland Center
- Appanoose County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bidwell, with the one closest to Bidwell listed first.
- Moravia
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Unionville
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Udell
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Udell is located in Appanoose County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Udell
- Population from the 2020 Census: 44 people
- Orleans
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Orleans is located in Appanoose County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orleans
- Darbyville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Darbyville is located in Appanoose County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Darbyville
- Rathbun
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Rathbun is located in Appanoose County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rathbun
- Population from the 2020 Census: 72 people
- Iconium
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Iconium is located in Appanoose County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Iconium
- Moulton
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Moulton is located in Appanoose County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moulton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 580 people
- Clarkdale
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Clarkdale is located in Appanoose County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clarkdale
- Walnut City
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Walnut City is located in Appanoose County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walnut City
- Centerville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Mystic
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Mystic is located in Appanoose County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mystic
- Population from the 2020 Census: 410 people
- Davis County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bidwell, with the one closest to Bidwell listed first.
- Carbon
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Carbon is located in Davis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carbon
- Drakesville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Floris
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Floris is located in Davis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Floris
- Population from the 2020 Census: 143 people
- Paris
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Paris is located in Davis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Paris
- Bloomfield
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- West Grove
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- West Grove is located in Davis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Grove
- Chequest
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Chequest is located in Davis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chequest
- Steuben
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Steuben is located in Davis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Steuben
- Mark
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Mark is located in Davis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mark
- Pulaski
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Pulaski is located in Davis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pulaski
- Population from the 2020 Census: 291 people
- Savannah
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Savannah is located in Davis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Savannah
- Stiles
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Stiles is located in Davis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stiles
- Jefferson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bidwell, with the one closest to Bidwell listed first.
- Batavia
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Abingdon
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Abingdon is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Abingdon
- Linby
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Linby is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Linby
- Pekin
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Pekin is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pekin
- Libertyville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Libertyville is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Libertyville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 341 people
- Packwood
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Packwood is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Packwood
- Population from the 2020 Census: 225 people
- Maharishi Vedic City
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Maharishi Vedic City is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maharishi Vedic City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,288 people
- Fairfield
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Keokuk County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bidwell, with the one closest to Bidwell listed first.
- Hedrick
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Hedrick is located in Keokuk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hedrick
- Population from the 2020 Census: 743 people
- Martinsburg
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Martinsburg is located in Keokuk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Martinsburg
- Population from the 2020 Census: 107 people
- Hayesville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Hayesville is located in Keokuk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hayesville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 48 people
- Nugent
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Nugent is located in Keokuk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nugent
- Delta
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Delta is located in Keokuk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Delta
- Population from the 2020 Census: 313 people
- Ollie
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Ollie is located in Keokuk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ollie
- Population from the 2020 Census: 207 people
- Sigourney
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- What Cheer
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Coal Creek
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Coal Creek is located in Keokuk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coal Creek
- Richland
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Lucas County
- Zero
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Zero is located in Lucas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zero
- Mahaska County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bidwell, with the one closest to Bidwell listed first.
- Cedar
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Cedar is located in Mahaska County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar
- Fremont
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Wright
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Wright is located in Mahaska County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wright
- Givin
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Givin is located in Mahaska County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Givin
- Lakonta
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Lakonta is located in Mahaska County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakonta
- Exeelsior
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Exeelsior is located in Mahaska County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Exeelsior
- Keomah Village
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Keomah Village is located in Mahaska County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keomah Village
- Population from the 2020 Census: 99 people
- Oskaloosa
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- University Park
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- University Park is located in Mahaska County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for University Park
- Population from the 2020 Census: 468 people
- Beacon
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Beacon is located in Mahaska County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beacon
- Population from the 2020 Census: 488 people
- Rose Hill
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Rose Hill is located in Mahaska County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rose Hill
- Population from the 2020 Census: 161 people
- Evans
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Evans is located in Mahaska County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Evans
- Marion County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bidwell, with the one closest to Bidwell listed first.
- Hamilton
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Hamilton is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hamilton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 135 people
- Bussey
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Bussey is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bussey
- Population from the 2020 Census: 406 people
- Marysville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Marysville is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marysville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 68 people
- Tracy
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Tracy is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tracy
- Attica
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Attica is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Attica
- Harvey
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Harvey is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harvey
- Population from the 2020 Census: 243 people
- Indiana
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Indiana is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Indiana
- Pershing
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Pershing is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pershing
- Monroe County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bidwell, with the one closest to Bidwell listed first.
- Avery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Avery is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avery
- Selection
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Selection is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Selection
- Albia
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Bluff Creek
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Bluff Creek is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bluff Creek
- Lovilia
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Georgetown
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Georgetown is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Georgetown
- Melrose
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Van Buren County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bidwell, with the one closest to Bidwell listed first.
- Selma
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Selma is located in Van Buren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Selma
- Douds
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Douds is located in Van Buren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Douds
- Leando
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Leando is located in Van Buren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leando
- Schuyler County (MO)
- Coatsville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Coatsville is located in Schuyler County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coatsville
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Bidwell, see our County-by-County Page for Bidwell.
Cemeteries Near Bidwell ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Bidwell.
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 Bidwell - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Bidwell covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Bidwell, with the one closest to Bidwell listed first.
- Brooks Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Bowen Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Chisman Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Smith Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Ralston Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- County Farm #1 Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Folgman Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Towler Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Wellman Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Shaul Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Harris Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Burns Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Continue List (472 more) ...
- Chillicothe Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Myrick Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Munterville Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 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.<2>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that in 1895, Bidwell had railroad service and no post office.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Bidwell, with the one closest to Bidwell listed first.
- Willard
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Willard is located in Wapello County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willard
- Chillicothe
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Chillicothe is located in Wapello County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chillicothe
- Population from the 2020 Census: 97 people
- Munterville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Munterville is located in Wapello County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Munterville
- Dudley
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Dudley is located in Wapello County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dudley
- Blakesburg
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Ottumwa
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Keb ‑ Historic
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Keb is located in Wapello County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keb
- Ormanville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Ormanville is located in Wapello County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ormanville
- East Ottumwa
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- East Ottumwa is located in Wapello County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Ottumwa
- Kirkville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Kirkville is located in Wapello County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kirkville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 177 people
- Frederic
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Frederic is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frederic
- Dahlonega
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Dahlonega is located in Wapello County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dahlonega
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- Avery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Avery is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avery
- Carbon
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Carbon is located in Davis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carbon
- Eddyville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Bidwell. See our List of 1890's Communities around Bidwell.
Newspapers Published in Bidwell ...
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 Bidwell.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Bidwell, there are papers which were published within 28 miles [45.1 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Bidwell.
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 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 Bidwell:
- Websites specific to Iowa
- Pages specific to Wapello County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Appanoose County
- Davis County
- Jefferson County
- Keokuk County
- Lucas County
- Mahaska County
- Marion County
- Monroe County
- Van Buren County
- Schuyler 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> | 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 Bidwell, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <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 drawn from Point A (ie- Bidwell) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |