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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 Carbondale (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 Carbondale. 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 northeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors were in the next county to the east. 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 east 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.

Carbondale is located in Polk 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 Polk County: Boone, Dallas, Jasper, Madison, Marion, Story & Warren.

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

  • Polk County     (The home county of Carbondale)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Carbondale, with the one closest to Carbondale listed first.
    • Pleasant Hill
      (Less than 2 miles to the west)
    • Rising Sun
      (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
      • Rising Sun is located in Polk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rising Sun
    • Levey
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
      • Levey is located in Polk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Levey
    • Country Estate Village
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Altoona
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
    • Carlisle
      (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
    • Adelphi
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
      • Adelphi is located in Polk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adelphi
    • Des Moines
      (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
    • Berwick
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
      • Berwick is located in Polk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Berwick
    • Marquisville
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Marquisville is located in Polk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marquisville
    • Bondurant
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
    • Carney
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Carney is located in Polk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carney
  • Boone County
    • Madrid
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
  • Dallas County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Carbondale, with the one closest to Carbondale listed first.
    • Waukee
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
    • Granger
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Booneville
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
    • High Bridge
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
      • High Bridge is located in Dallas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for High Bridge
    • Van Meter
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
    • Dallas Center
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
    • DeSoto
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
    • Xenia
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Xenia is located in Dallas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Xenia
    • Adel
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • 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>
    • Woodward
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Minburn
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Minburn is located in Dallas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Minburn
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 357 people
  • Jasper County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Carbondale, with the one closest to Carbondale listed first.
    • Vandalia
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
      • Vandalia is located in Jasper County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vandalia
    • Prairie City
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
    • Oswalt
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
      • Oswalt is located in Jasper County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oswalt
    • Valeria
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
      • Valeria is located in Jasper County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Valeria
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 58 people
    • Colfax
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Green Castle
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Green Castle is located in Jasper County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Green Castle
    • Mingo
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Goddard
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
      • Goddard is located in Jasper County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goddard
    • Metz
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
      • Metz is located in Jasper County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Metz
    • Ira
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Ira is located in Jasper County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ira
    • Monroe
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
    • Clyde
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Clyde is located in Jasper County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clyde
  • Madison County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Carbondale, with the one closest to Carbondale listed first.
    • Patterson
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Patterson is located in Madison County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Patterson
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 163 people
    • Saint Charles
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
  • Marion County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Carbondale, with the one closest to Carbondale listed first.
    • Swan
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Swan is located in Marion County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Swan
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 74 people
    • Percy ‑ Historic
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Percy is located in Marion County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Percy
    • Pleasantville
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
    • Cordova
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
      • Cordova is located in Marion County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cordova
    • Otley
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
    • Bauer
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
      • Bauer is located in Marion County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bauer
    • Knoxville
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Melcher - Dallas
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Melcher - Dallas is located in Marion County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Melcher - Dallas
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,236 people
    • Newbern
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
      • Newbern is located in Marion County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newbern
  • Marshall County
    • Rhodes
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Rhodes is located in Marshall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rhodes
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 298 people
  • Story County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Carbondale, with the one closest to Carbondale listed first.
    • Cambridge
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
    • Maxwell
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
    • Huxley
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
    • Slater
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Iowa Center
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
      • Iowa Center is located in Story County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Iowa Center
    • Midvale
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
      • Midvale is located in Story County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Midvale
    • Collins
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Collins is located in Story County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Collins
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 472 people
    • Kelley
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
    • Shipley
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
      • Shipley is located in Story County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shipley
    • Nevada
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
  • Warren County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Carbondale, with the one closest to Carbondale listed first.
    • Hartford
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Palmyra
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
      • Palmyra is located in Warren County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Palmyra
    • Lakewood
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Lakewood is located in Warren County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakewood
    • Orillia
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Orillia is located in Warren County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orillia
    • Spring Hill
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Spring Hill is located in Warren County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spring Hill
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 65 people
    • Ackworth
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
      • Ackworth is located in Warren County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ackworth
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 105 people
    • Cumming
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Indianola
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
    • Sandyville
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Sandyville is located in Warren County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sandyville
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 54 people
    • Prole
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Prole is located in Warren County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prole
    • Clarkson ‑ Historic
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
      • Clarkson is located in Warren County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clarkson
    • Churchville
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
      • Churchville is located in Warren County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Churchville

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

Cemeteries Near Carbondale ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Carbondale.

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

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

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

  • Rising Sun Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
  • Oakwood Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the west)
  • Harvey Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
  • Sims Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
  • Laurel Hill Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
  • Avon Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avon Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Avon Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the southeast of Des Moines.
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #94191 <2>
  • Stuart Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
  • Powers - Warren Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Canfield Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
  • Oak Grove Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
  • Elm Grove Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • New Altoona Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
  • Continue List   (313 more) ...
    • Ft. Des Moines Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Carlisle Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
    • Berwick Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)

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>

While we didn't find Carbondale in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Carbondale.

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

  • Hastie
    (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
    • Hastie is located in Polk County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hastie
  • Rising Sun
    (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
    • Rising Sun is located in Polk County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rising Sun
  • East Des Moines
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
    • East Des Moines is located in Polk County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Des Moines
  • Levey
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
    • Levey is located in Polk County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Levey
  • Avon
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
    • Avon is located in Polk County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avon
  • Ivy
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
    • Ivy is located in Polk County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ivy
  • Altoona
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
  • Carlisle
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • Adelphi
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
    • Adelphi is located in Polk County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adelphi
  • Des Moines
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
  • Berwick
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
    • Berwick is located in Polk County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Berwick
  • Saylor
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Saylor is located in Polk County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saylor
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Ford
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Ford is located in Warren County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ford
    • Runnells
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Bondurant
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)

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

Newspapers Published in Carbondale ...

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 289 newspapers that have been published in the area around Carbondale.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Carbondale, there are papers which were published within 27 miles [43.5 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Carbondale.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we first turn to 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 Carbondale:

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 Carbondale, 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' (or 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- Carbondale) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.