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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 Buffalo (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 Buffalo. 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 doctors 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.

Buffalo is located in Madison 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 Madison County: Adair, Clarke, Dallas, Guthrie, Polk, Union & Warren.

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

  • Madison County     (The home county of Buffalo)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Buffalo, with the one closest to Buffalo listed first.
    • Winterset
      (Less than 2 miles to the north)
    • Ord
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
      • Ord is located in Madison County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ord
    • Patterson
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Patterson is located in Madison County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Patterson
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 163 people
    • East Peru
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
      • East Peru is located in Madison County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Peru
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 133 people
    • Barney
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
      • Barney is located in Madison County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barney
    • Saint Charles
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
    • Pitzer
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Pitzer is located in Madison County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pitzer
    • Truro
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Macksburg
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Macksburg is located in Madison County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Macksburg
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 122 people
    • Webster
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
      • Webster is located in Madison County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Webster
    • Earlham
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
  • Adair County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Buffalo, with the one closest to Buffalo listed first.
    • Stanzel
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
      • Stanzel is located in Adair County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stanzel
    • Hebron
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
      • Hebron is located in Adair County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hebron
    • Arbor Hill
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
      • Arbor Hill is located in Adair County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arbor Hill
    • Zion
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Zion is located in Adair County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zion
    • Orient
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
    • Greenfield
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
    • Fontanelle
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
      • Fontanelle is located in Adair County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fontanelle
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 612 people
  • Clarke County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Buffalo, with the one closest to Buffalo listed first.
    • Murray
      (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
      • Murray is located in Clarke County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Murray
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 681 people
    • Liberty
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Liberty is located in Clarke County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Liberty
    • Osceola
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Hopeville
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
      • Hopeville is located in Clarke County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hopeville
    • Lacelle
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
      • Lacelle is located in Clarke County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lacelle
    • Green Bay ‑ Historic
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Green Bay is located in Clarke County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Green Bay
    • Woodburn
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Dallas County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Buffalo, with the one closest to Buffalo listed first.
    • Booneville
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
    • DeSoto
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
    • Van Meter
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
    • Dexter
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
    • Adel
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
      • Adel is located in Dallas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adel
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 5,607 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Adel <1>
    • Wiscotta
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Wiscotta is located in Dallas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wiscotta
    • Waukee
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
    • Redfield
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Dallas Center
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
    • Panther
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
      • Panther is located in Dallas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Panther
    • Linden
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Linden is located in Dallas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Linden
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 214 people
    • Minburn
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • Minburn is located in Dallas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Minburn
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 357 people
  • Guthrie County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Buffalo, with the one closest to Buffalo listed first.
    • Stuart
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Menlo
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Dale
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Dale is located in Guthrie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dale
    • Glendon
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Glendon is located in Guthrie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glendon
    • Casey
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Polk County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Buffalo, with the one closest to Buffalo listed first.
    • Commerce
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Commerce is located in Polk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Commerce
    • Norwalk
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
    • West Des Moines
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Clive
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
    • Urbandale
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Windsor Heights
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Grimes
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
    • Des Moines
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Carlisle
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Johnston
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Levey
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Levey is located in Polk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Levey
  • Union County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Buffalo, with the one closest to Buffalo listed first.
    • Lorimor
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
      • Lorimor is located in Union County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lorimor
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 341 people
    • Thayer
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
      • Thayer is located in Union County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thayer
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 58 people
    • Afton
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Creston
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
    • East Creston
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
      • East Creston is located in Union County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Creston
    • Arispe
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Arispe is located in Union County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arispe
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 96 people
    • Cromwell
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Cromwell is located in Union County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cromwell
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 105 people
  • Warren County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Buffalo, with the one closest to Buffalo listed first.
    • Bevington
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
    • Saint Marys
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
      • Saint Marys is located in Warren County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Marys
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 127 people
    • Martensdale
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
    • Churchville
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Churchville is located in Warren County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Churchville
    • Prole
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Prole is located in Warren County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prole
    • New Virginia
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Cumming
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Spring Hill
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
      • Spring Hill is located in Warren County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spring Hill
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 65 people
    • Orillia
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Orillia is located in Warren County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orillia
    • Lakewood
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Lakewood is located in Warren County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakewood
    • Cool
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
      • Cool is located in Warren County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cool
    • Indianola
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)

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

Cemeteries Near Buffalo ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Buffalo.

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

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

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

  • Winterset City Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the north)
  • Primitive Baptist Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
  • Beardsley Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
  • Gordon Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
  • King Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
  • Union Chapel Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • McDonald Chase Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
  • Hooten Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
  • Clark Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Peru Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Sayre Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
  • McGinnis Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Continue List   (242 more) ...
    • Farris Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Welty Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
    • Hamblin Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)

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 Buffalo in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Buffalo.

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

  • Winterset
    (Less than 2 miles to the north)
  • Ord
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
    • Ord is located in Madison County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ord
  • Patterson
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Patterson is located in Madison County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Patterson
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 163 people
  • McPherson
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
    • McPherson is located in Madison County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McPherson
  • East Peru
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
    • East Peru is located in Madison County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Peru
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 133 people
  • Hanley
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
    • Hanley is located in Madison County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hanley
  • Barney
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
    • Barney is located in Madison County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barney
  • McBride
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
    • McBride is located in Madison County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McBride
  • Truro
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
  • Saint Charles
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
  • Pitzer
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Pitzer is located in Madison County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pitzer
  • Macksburg
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Macksburg is located in Madison County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Macksburg
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 122 people
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Bevington
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
    • Lorimor
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
      • Lorimor is located in Union County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lorimor
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 341 people
    • Saint Marys
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
      • Saint Marys is located in Warren County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Marys
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 127 people

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

Newspapers Published in Buffalo ...

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 185 newspapers that have been published in the area around Buffalo.

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

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 Buffalo:

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>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- Buffalo) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.
<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 Buffalo, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.