Our Genealogy Helper
Introduction ...
So far, we found very little information about Big Spring. The little that we've found leads us believe that the community is historic.<1>
We've added Big Spring to our Gazetteer with the hope that we can develop more information. If you can help us with Big Spring, 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 Big Spring (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 Big Spring. 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.
Name Variations for Big Spring ...
When searching records, keep in mind that names and their spelling can change over time. Our sources include documents like maps, railroad schedules, Travel, Express and Shipping Guides. Many of these documents date from the 1800's and it's common to find spelling differences.
For example, a typical abbreviation for Big Spring: Big Spg. (or less commonly used: Big Spng. or Big Sprng.)
You might be interested in other communities that are also named Big Spring. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Big Spring.
If you have information about these names (such as the reason for the change, date of change, the origin of the name), please Contact Us.
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 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.
Although our information shows that the community of Big Spring is historic, it would have been located within present day 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 Big Spring. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Big Spring:
- Wayne County (The home county of Big Spring)
- The following are listed by their distance from Big Spring, with the one closest to Big Spring listed first.
- Clio
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Clio is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clio
- Population from the 2020 Census: 73 people
- Hodge
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Hodge is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hodge
- Lineville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Lineville is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lineville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 217 people
- Allerton
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Humeston
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Corydon
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Millerton
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Millerton is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millerton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 42 people
- Promise City
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Promise City is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Promise City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 110 people
- Seymour
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Genoa
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Genoa is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Genoa
- Confidence
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Confidence is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Confidence
- Appanoose County
- The following are listed by their distance from Big Spring, with the one closest to Big Spring listed first.
- Plano
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Jerome
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Jerome is located in Appanoose County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jerome
- Numa
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Numa is located in Appanoose County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Numa
- Population from the 2020 Census: 89 people
- Brazil
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Brazil is located in Appanoose County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brazil
- Clarke County
- The following are listed by their distance from Big Spring, with the one closest to Big Spring listed first.
- Weldon
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Weldon is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weldon
- Population from the 2020 Census: 104 people
- Green Bay ‑ Historic
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Green Bay is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Green Bay
- Woodburn
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Lacelle
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Lacelle is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lacelle
- Osceola
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Hopeville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Hopeville is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hopeville
- Decatur County
- The following are listed by their distance from Big Spring, with the one closest to Big Spring listed first.
- Woodland
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Woodland is located in Decatur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodland
- Morgan
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Morgan is located in Decatur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morgan
- Garden Grove
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Garden Grove is located in Decatur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garden Grove
- Population from the 2020 Census: 200 people
- Leon
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Le Roy
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Le Roy is located in Decatur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Le Roy
- Population from the 2020 Census: 14 people
- Pleasanton
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Pleasanton is located in Decatur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasanton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 44 people
- Davis City
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Davis City is located in Decatur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Davis City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 187 people
- Decatur City
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Decatur City is located in Decatur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Decatur City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 181 people
- Van Wert
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Van Wert is located in Decatur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Van Wert
- Population from the 2020 Census: 208 people
- Lamoni
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Grand River
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Grand River is located in Decatur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grand River
- Population from the 2020 Census: 215 people
- Lucas County
- The following are listed by their distance from Big Spring, with the one closest to Big Spring listed first.
- Derby
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Derby is located in Lucas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Derby
- Population from the 2020 Census: 111 people
- Lucas
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Lucas is located in Lucas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lucas
- Population from the 2020 Census: 207 people
- Chariton
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Russell
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Zero
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Zero is located in Lucas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zero
- Ringgold County
- The following are listed by their distance from Big Spring, with the one closest to Big Spring listed first.
- Kellerton
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Beaconsfield
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Beaconsfield is located in Ringgold County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beaconsfield
- Population from the 2020 Census: 15 people
- Grundy County (MO)
- Spickard
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Harrison County (MO)
- The following are listed by their distance from Big Spring, with the one closest to Big Spring listed first.
- Akron
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Akron is located in Harrison County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Akron
- Cainsville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Cainsville is located in Harrison County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cainsville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 272 people
- Blythedale
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Blythedale is located in Harrison County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blythedale
- Population from the 2020 Census: 183 people
- Eagleville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Mount Moriah
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Mount Moriah is located in Harrison County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Moriah
- Population from the 2020 Census: 80 people
- Ridgeway
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Mercer County (MO)
- The following are listed by their distance from Big Spring, with the one closest to Big Spring listed first.
- South Lineville
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- South Lineville is located in Mercer County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Lineville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 27 people
- Mercer
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Ravanna
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Ravanna is located in Mercer County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ravanna
- Burrows
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Burrows is located in Mercer County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burrows
- Princeton
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Modena
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Modena is located in Mercer County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Modena
- Putnam County (MO)
- The following are listed by their distance from Big Spring, with the one closest to Big Spring listed first.
- Powersville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Powersville is located in Putnam County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Powersville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 54 people
- Lucerne
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Lucerne is located in Putnam County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lucerne
- Population from the 2020 Census: 80 people
- Saint John
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Saint John is located in Putnam County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint John
- Unionville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Sullivan County (MO)
- The following are listed by their distance from Big Spring, with the one closest to Big Spring listed first.
- Newtown
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Harris
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Big Spring, see our County-by-County Page for Big Spring.
Cemeteries Near Big Spring ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Big Spring.
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 Big Spring - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Big Spring covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Big Spring, with the one closest to Big Spring listed first.
- Big Springs Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Gollough Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Corder Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Hayes Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Shriver Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Higley Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Cunhingham Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Shields Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Logan Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Clio Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Lentz Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Lewisburg Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Continue List (282 more) ...
- White Oak Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Greenridge Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Baker Cemetery
(5 miles [8 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.
Big Spring itself is historic and was described in the Rand McNally Atlas as having a post office and no railroad service.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Big Spring, with the one closest to Big Spring listed first.
- Woodland
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Woodland is located in Decatur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodland
- Clio
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Clio is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clio
- Population from the 2020 Census: 73 people
- Lineville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Lineville is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lineville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 217 people
- Hodge
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Hodge is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hodge
- Saxon
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Saxon is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saxon
- High Point
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- High Point is located in Decatur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for High Point
- Morgan
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Morgan is located in Decatur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morgan
- Allerton
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Wataga
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Wataga is located in Mercer County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wataga
- Garden Grove
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Garden Grove is located in Decatur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garden Grove
- Population from the 2020 Census: 200 people
- Mercer
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Ilia ‑ Historic
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Ilia is located in Mercer County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ilia
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- Cleopatra
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Cleopatra is located in Mercer County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cleopatra
- Adel
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Adel is located in Mercer County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adel
- Corydon
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Big Spring. See our List of 1890's Communities around Big Spring.
Newspapers Published in Big Spring ...
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 121 newspapers that have been published in the area around Big Spring.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Big Spring, there are papers which were published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Big Spring.
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 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 Big Spring:
- Websites specific to Iowa
- Pages specific to Wayne County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Appanoose County
- Clarke County
- Decatur County
- Lucas County
- Ringgold County
- Grundy County
- Harrison County
- Mercer County
- Putnam County
- Sullivan 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 Big Spring, 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 'point-to-point' distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Big Spring) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |