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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 Boyd (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 Boyd. 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 hospitals 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.

Boyd is located in Chickasaw 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 Chickasaw County: Bremer, Butler, Fayette, Floyd, Howard, Mitchell & Winneshiek.

Below are the counties that are near Boyd. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Boyd:

  • Chickasaw County     (The home county of Boyd)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Boyd, with the one closest to Boyd listed first.
    • New Hampton
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Fredericksburg
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Lawler
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Republic
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Republic is located in Chickasaw County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Republic
    • North Washington
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
      • North Washington is located in Chickasaw County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Washington
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 137 people
    • Ionia
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
      • Ionia is located in Chickasaw County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ionia
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 273 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Ionia <1>
    • Jerico
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
      • Jerico is located in Chickasaw County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jerico
    • Bradford
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
      • Bradford is located in Chickasaw County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bradford
    • Chickasaw
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
      • Chickasaw is located in Chickasaw County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chickasaw
    • Bassett
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
      • Bassett is located in Chickasaw County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bassett
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 62 people
    • Nashua
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
      • Nashua is located in Chickasaw County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nashua
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,571 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Nashua <1>
    • Alta Vista
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Deerfield
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Deerfield is located in Chickasaw County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deerfield
  • Black Hawk County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Boyd, with the one closest to Boyd listed first.
    • Janesville
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
    • Edwards ‑ Historic
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
      • Edwards is located in Black Hawk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edwards
    • Finchford
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Finchford is located in Black Hawk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Finchford
  • Bremer County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Boyd, with the one closest to Boyd listed first.
    • Frederika
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
      • Frederika is located in Bremer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frederika
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 205 people
    • Seigel
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Seigel is located in Bremer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seigel
    • Sumner
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Tripoli
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
    • Horton
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Horton is located in Bremer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Horton
    • Bremer
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
      • Bremer is located in Bremer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bremer
    • Plainfield
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
    • Knittel
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
      • Knittel is located in Bremer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Knittel
    • Readlyn
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
    • Waverly
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Denver
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
    • Klinger
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
      • Klinger is located in Bremer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Klinger
  • Buchanan County
    • Fairbank
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
  • Butler County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Boyd, with the one closest to Boyd listed first.
    • Clarksville
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Shell Rock
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Greene
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
  • Fayette County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Boyd, with the one closest to Boyd listed first.
    • Alpha
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
      • Alpha is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alpha
    • Waucoma
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
    • Hawkeye
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
      • Hawkeye is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hawkeye
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 399 people
    • Saint Lucas
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
      • Saint Lucas is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Lucas
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 134 people
    • Douglass
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
      • Douglass is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Douglass
    • Donnan
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
      • Donnan is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Donnan
    • Randalia
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Randalia is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Randalia
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 60 people
    • Westgate
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Westgate is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westgate
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 209 people
    • West Union
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
    • Oran
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
      • Oran is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oran
    • Fayette
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Maynard
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Brainard
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
      • Brainard is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brainard
  • Floyd County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Boyd, with the one closest to Boyd listed first.
    • Carrville
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
      • Carrville is located in Floyd County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carrville
    • Colwell
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
    • Charles City
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
    • Floyd
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
    • Oakwood
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
      • Oakwood is located in Floyd County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakwood
    • Roseville
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • Roseville is located in Floyd County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roseville
  • Howard County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Boyd, with the one closest to Boyd listed first.
    • Protivin
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Elma
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
    • Davis Corners
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
      • Davis Corners is located in Howard County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Davis Corners
    • Vernon Springs
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
      • Vernon Springs is located in Howard County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vernon Springs
    • Cresco
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
    • Riceville
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Lime Springs
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
  • Mitchell County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Boyd, with the one closest to Boyd listed first.
    • New Haven
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
      • New Haven is located in Mitchell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Haven
    • Orchard
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Orchard is located in Mitchell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orchard
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 71 people
  • Winneshiek County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Boyd, with the one closest to Boyd listed first.
    • Navan
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Navan is located in Winneshiek County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Navan
    • Jackson Junction
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Jackson Junction is located in Winneshiek County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jackson Junction
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 54 people
    • Fort Atkinson
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
    • Spillville
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Festina
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
    • Calmar
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Ridgeway
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
    • Ossian
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
    • Castalia
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
      • Castalia is located in Winneshiek County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Castalia
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 156 people

For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Boyd, see our County-by-County Page for Boyd.

Cemeteries Near Boyd ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Boyd.

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 Boyd - one of the links might be able to help.

If not found below, our Cemetery List for Boyd covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.

The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Boyd, with the one closest to Boyd listed first.

  • Boyd Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the east)
  • North East Iowa Garden of Memories
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
  • Union Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
  • West Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Rose Hill Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • St. Josephs Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
  • Children of Israel Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
  • New Hampton Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
  • St. Marys Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
  • St. Johns Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
  • Maple Grove Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Stapleton Twp. Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
  • Continue List   (241 more) ...

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, Boyd had a post office and railroad service.

These communities are listed based on their distance from Boyd, with the one closest to Boyd listed first.

  • Williamstown
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Williamstown is located in Chickasaw County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Williamstown
  • Fredericksburg
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • New Hampton
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
  • Lawler
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Republic
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Republic is located in Chickasaw County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Republic
  • Devon
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Devon is located in Chickasaw County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Devon
  • Richfield
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Richfield is located in Fayette County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Richfield
  • Alpha
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
    • Alpha is located in Fayette County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alpha
  • North Washington
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
    • North Washington is located in Chickasaw County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Washington
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 137 people
  • Ionia
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
    • Ionia is located in Chickasaw County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ionia
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 273 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Ionia <1>
  • Jerico
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
    • Jerico is located in Chickasaw County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jerico
  • Waucoma
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
  • Continue List   (16 more) ...
    • Navan
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Navan is located in Winneshiek County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Navan
    • Little Turkey
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Little Turkey is located in Chickasaw County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Little Turkey
    • Bradford
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
      • Bradford is located in Chickasaw County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bradford

We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Boyd. See our List of 1890's Communities around Boyd.

Newspapers Published in Boyd ...

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 112 newspapers that have been published in the area around Boyd.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Boyd, 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 Boyd.

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 Boyd:

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 Boyd, 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' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Boyd) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.