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 Centerville (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 Centerville. 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 hospitals 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.
Centerville is located in Boone 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 Boone County: Dallas, Greene, Hamilton, Polk, Story & Webster.
Below are the counties that are near Centerville. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Centerville:
- Boone County (The home county of Centerville)
- The following are listed by their distance from Centerville, with the one closest to Centerville listed first.
- Fraser
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Fraser is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fraser
- Population from the 2020 Census: 103 people
- Boone
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Moingona
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Moingona is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moingona
- Pilot Mound
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Pilot Mound is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pilot Mound
- Population from the 2020 Census: 170 people
- Ogden
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Jordan
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Jordan is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jordan
- Mackey
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Mackey is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mackey
- Boxholm
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Luther
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Luther is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Luther
- Population from the 2020 Census: 133 people
- Beaver
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Beaver is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beaver
- Population from the 2020 Census: 50 people
- Berkley
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Berkley is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Berkley
- Population from the 2020 Census: 33 people
- Madrid
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Calhoun County
- Farnhamville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Farnhamville is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Farnhamville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 335 people
- Dallas County
- The following are listed by their distance from Centerville, with the one closest to Centerville listed first.
- Woodward
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Xenia
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Xenia is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Xenia
- Bouton
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- High Bridge
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- High Bridge is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for High Bridge
- Perry
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Dawson
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Dawson is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dawson
- Population from the 2020 Census: 127 people
- Granger
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Minburn
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Minburn is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Minburn
- Population from the 2020 Census: 357 people
- Dallas Center
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Panther
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Panther is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Panther
- Greene County
- The following are listed by their distance from Centerville, with the one closest to Centerville listed first.
- Dana
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Dana is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dana
- Population from the 2020 Census: 67 people
- Grand Junction
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Rippey
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Rippey is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rippey
- Population from the 2020 Census: 269 people
- Paton
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Jefferson
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Cooper
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Cooper is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cooper
- Farlin
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Farlin is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Farlin
- Churdan
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Churdan is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Churdan
- Population from the 2020 Census: 363 people
- Guthrie County
- The following are listed by their distance from Centerville, with the one closest to Centerville listed first.
- Jamaica
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Herndon
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Herndon is located in Guthrie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Herndon
- Bagley
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Bagley is located in Guthrie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bagley
- Population from the 2020 Census: 285 people
- Yale
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Yale is located in Guthrie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yale
- Population from the 2020 Census: 239 people
- Hamilton County
- The following are listed by their distance from Centerville, with the one closest to Centerville listed first.
- Stratford
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Stanhope
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Stanhope is located in Hamilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stanhope
- Population from the 2020 Census: 394 people
- Randall
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Randall is located in Hamilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Randall
- Population from the 2020 Census: 166 people
- Jewell
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Jewell is located in Hamilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jewell
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,138 people
- Jewell has also been known as:
- Jewell Junction
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Jewell <1>
- Ellsworth
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Kamrar
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Webster City
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Blairsburg
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Blairsburg is located in Hamilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blairsburg
- Population from the 2020 Census: 199 people
- Hardin County
- The following are listed by their distance from Centerville, with the one closest to Centerville listed first.
- Garden City
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Garden City is located in Hardin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garden City
- Radcliffe
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Polk County
- The following are listed by their distance from Centerville, with the one closest to Centerville listed first.
- Sheldahl
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Sheldahl is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sheldahl
- Population from the 2020 Census: 325 people
- Polk City Junction
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Polk City Junction is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Polk City Junction
- Polk City
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Andrews
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Andrews is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Andrews
- Alleman
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Alleman is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alleman
- Population from the 2020 Census: 447 people
- Herrold
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Herrold is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Herrold
- Grimes
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Elkhart
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Johnston
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Ankeny
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Story County
- The following are listed by their distance from Centerville, with the one closest to Centerville listed first.
- Zenorsville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Zenorsville is located in Story County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zenorsville
- Ontario
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Ontario is located in Story County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ontario
- Gilbert
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Ames
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Kelley
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Story City
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Slater
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Midvale
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Midvale is located in Story County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Midvale
- Roland
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Roland is located in Story County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,252 people
- Huxley
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Shipley
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Shipley is located in Story County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shipley
- Cambridge
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Webster County
- The following are listed by their distance from Centerville, with the one closest to Centerville listed first.
- Dayton
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Lanyon
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Lanyon is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lanyon
- Harcourt
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Harcourt is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harcourt
- Population from the 2020 Census: 278 people
- Lehigh
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Burnside
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Burnside is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burnside
- Palm Grove
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Palm Grove is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Palm Grove
- Border Plains
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Border Plains is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Border Plains
- Gowrie
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Brushy
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Brushy is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brushy
- Evanston
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Evanston is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Evanston
- Kalo
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Kalo is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kalo
- Otho
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Centerville, see our County-by-County Page for Centerville.
Cemeteries Near Centerville ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Centerville.
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 Centerville - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Centerville covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Centerville, with the one closest to Centerville listed first.
- Milton Plott Grave
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Buckley Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Hickory Grove Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Bluff Creek Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Bass Point Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bass Point Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Bass Point Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located 2 miles [3.2 km]<2> to the north of Boone.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #94210 <3>
- Rose Hill Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Boone Memorial Garden
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Sacred Heart Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Biblical College Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Leatham Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Linwood Park Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Linwood Park Cemetery
- The Linwood Park Cemetery has also been known as:
- East Linwood Cemetery
- Linwood Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #95321 <3>
- Oakwood Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Continue List (221 more) ...
- Schlicht Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Runyan Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Boone County Farm Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 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.<4>
While we didn't find Centerville in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Centerville.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Centerville, with the one closest to Centerville listed first.
- Boone
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Moingona
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Moingona is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moingona
- Ogden
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Pilot Mound
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Pilot Mound is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pilot Mound
- Population from the 2020 Census: 170 people
- Luther
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Luther is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Luther
- Population from the 2020 Census: 133 people
- Mackey
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Mackey is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mackey
- Boxholm
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Beaver
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Beaver is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beaver
- Population from the 2020 Census: 50 people
- Stratford
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Berkley
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Berkley is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Berkley
- Population from the 2020 Census: 33 people
- Ontario
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Ontario is located in Story County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ontario
- Rosendale
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Rosendale is located in Hamilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rosendale
- Continue List (13 more) ...
- Dayton
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Gilbert
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Stanhope
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Stanhope is located in Hamilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stanhope
- Population from the 2020 Census: 394 people
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Centerville. See our List of 1890's Communities around Centerville.
Newspapers Published in Centerville ...
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 37 newspapers that have been published in the area around Centerville.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Centerville, there are papers which were published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Centerville.
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 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 Centerville:
- Websites specific to Iowa
- Pages specific to Boone County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Calhoun County
- Dallas County
- Greene County
- Guthrie County
- Hamilton County
- Hardin County
- Polk County
- Story County
- Webster 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> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'point-to-point' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Centerville) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |
| <3> | 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. |
| <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 Centerville, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |