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 Brownville (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 Brownville. 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 and doctors 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.
Brownville is located in Mitchell 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 Mitchell County: Cerro Gordo, Floyd, Howard, Worth & Mower (MN).
Below are the counties that are near Brownville. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Brownville:
- Mitchell County (The home county of Brownville)
- The following are listed by their distance from Brownville, with the one closest to Brownville listed first.
- Little Cedar
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Little Cedar is located in Mitchell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Little Cedar
- New Haven
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- New Haven is located in Mitchell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Haven
- McIntire
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- McIntire is located in Mitchell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McIntire
- Population from the 2020 Census: 127 people
- Osage
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Meyer
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Meyer is located in Mitchell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meyer
- Stacyville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Stacyville is located in Mitchell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stacyville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 466 people
- Orchard
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Orchard is located in Mitchell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orchard
- Population from the 2020 Census: 71 people
- Mitchell
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Mitchell is located in Mitchell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mitchell
- Population from the 2020 Census: 128 people
- Toeterville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Saint Ansgar
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Rock Creek
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Rock Creek is located in Mitchell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock Creek
- Carpenter
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Carpenter is located in Mitchell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carpenter
- Population from the 2020 Census: 108 people
- Cerro Gordo County
- The following are listed by their distance from Brownville, with the one closest to Brownville listed first.
- Rock Falls
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Rock Falls is located in Cerro Gordo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock Falls
- Population from the 2020 Census: 146 people
- Plymouth
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Plymouth is located in Cerro Gordo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plymouth
- Population from the 2020 Census: 361 people
- Plymouth Junction
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Plymouth Junction is located in Cerro Gordo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plymouth Junction
- Portland
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Portland is located in Cerro Gordo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Portland
- Mason City
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Mason City Junction
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Mason City Junction is located in Cerro Gordo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mason City Junction
- Chickasaw County
- The following are listed by their distance from Brownville, with the one closest to Brownville listed first.
- Deerfield
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Deerfield is located in Chickasaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deerfield
- Alta Vista
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Bassett
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Bassett is located in Chickasaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bassett
- Population from the 2020 Census: 62 people
- North Washington
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- North Washington is located in Chickasaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Washington
- Population from the 2020 Census: 137 people
- Chickasaw
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Chickasaw is located in Chickasaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chickasaw
- Ionia
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Jerico
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Jerico is located in Chickasaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jerico
- New Hampton
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Bradford
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Bradford is located in Chickasaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bradford
- Nashua
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Republic
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Republic is located in Chickasaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Republic
- Floyd County
- The following are listed by their distance from Brownville, with the one closest to Brownville listed first.
- Colwell
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Floyd
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Rudd
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Charles City
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Nora Springs
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Carrville
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Carrville is located in Floyd County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carrville
- Oakwood
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Oakwood is located in Floyd County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakwood
- Roseville
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Roseville is located in Floyd County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roseville
- Rockford
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Aureola
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Aureola is located in Floyd County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aureola
- Marble Rock
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Howard County
- The following are listed by their distance from Brownville, with the one closest to Brownville listed first.
- Riceville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Elma
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Chester
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Davis Corners
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Davis Corners is located in Howard County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Davis Corners
- Lime Springs
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Forest City ‑ Historic
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Forest City is located in Howard County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest City
- Vernon Springs
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Vernon Springs is located in Howard County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vernon Springs
- Cresco
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Florenceville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Florenceville is located in Howard County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Florenceville
- Protivin
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Worth County
- The following are listed by their distance from Brownville, with the one closest to Brownville listed first.
- Grafton
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Bolan
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Bolan is located in Worth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bolan
- Kensett
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Kensett is located in Worth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kensett
- Population from the 2020 Census: 249 people
- Manly
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Northwood
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Fillmore County (MN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Brownville, with the one closest to Brownville listed first.
- Ostrander
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Etna
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Etna is located in Fillmore County (MN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Etna
- York
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- York is located in Fillmore County (MN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for York
- Spring Valley
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Granger
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Granger is located in Fillmore County (MN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Granger
- Freeborn County (MN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Brownville, with the one closest to Brownville listed first.
- London
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- London is located in Freeborn County (MN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for London
- Myrtle
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Myrtle is located in Freeborn County (MN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Myrtle
- Population from the 2020 Census: 46 people
- Oakland
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Oakland is located in Freeborn County (MN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakland
- Mower County (MN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Brownville, with the one closest to Brownville listed first.
- Johnsburg
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Johnsburg is located in Mower County (MN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Johnsburg
- Taopi
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Taopi is located in Mower County (MN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Taopi
- Population from the 2020 Census: 65 people
- Le Roy
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Adams
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Lyle
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Rose Creek
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Elkton
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Elkton is located in Mower County (MN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elkton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 148 people
- Varco
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Varco is located in Mower County (MN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Varco
- Grand Meadow
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Dexter
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Austin
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Renova ‑ Historic
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Renova is located in Mower County (MN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Renova
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Brownville, see our County-by-County Page for Brownville.
Cemeteries Near Brownville ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Brownville.
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 Brownville - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Brownville covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Brownville, with the one closest to Brownville listed first.
- Brownville Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Liberty Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- St. Peters Catholic Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Robbins Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- St. Peters Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Calvary Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Jenkins Twp. Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Sacred Heart Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Osage Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Stillwater Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Wayne Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Visitation Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Continue List (194 more) ...
- Stacyville Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Sacred Heart Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Oak Grove Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 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>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Brownville had a population of 73 people in 1895 with a post office and no railroad service.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Brownville, with the one closest to Brownville listed first.
- Little Cedar
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Little Cedar is located in Mitchell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Little Cedar
- New Haven
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- New Haven is located in Mitchell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Haven
- Riceville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Osage
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- McIntire
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- McIntire is located in Mitchell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McIntire
- Population from the 2020 Census: 127 people
- Stacyville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Stacyville is located in Mitchell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stacyville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 466 people
- Orchard
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Orchard is located in Mitchell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orchard
- Population from the 2020 Census: 71 people
- Bailey
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Bailey is located in Mitchell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bailey
- Mitchell
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Mitchell is located in Mitchell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mitchell
- Population from the 2020 Census: 128 people
- Johnsburg
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Johnsburg is located in Mower County (MN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Johnsburg
- Saint Ansgar
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Elma
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- Saratoga
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Saratoga is located in Howard County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saratoga
- Rock Creek
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Rock Creek is located in Mitchell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock Creek
- Le Roy
(14 miles [22.5 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 Brownville. See our List of 1890's Communities around Brownville.
Newspapers Published in Brownville ...
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 110 newspapers that have been published in the area around Brownville.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Brownville, there are papers which were published within 29 miles [46.7 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Brownville.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we begin with 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 Brownville:
- Websites specific to Iowa
- Pages specific to Mitchell County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Cerro Gordo County
- Chickasaw County
- Floyd County
- Howard County
- Worth County
- Fillmore County
- Freeborn County
- Mower 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 Brownville, 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 things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Brownville) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |