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 Chariton (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 Chariton. 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.
Name Variations for Chariton ...
When searching records, keep in mind that names and their spelling can change over time. Our sources include documents like maps, railroad schedules, Travel, Express and Shipping Guides. Many of these documents date from the 1800's and it's common to find spelling differences.
In past government published Postal Guides, Chariton was referred to as Chariton Courthouse.
You might be interested in other communities that are also named Chariton. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Chariton.
If you have information about these names (such as the reason for the change, date of change, the origin of the name), please Contact Us.
For more information about how community names might have been affected by the Board of Geographic Names (BGN), see our page about Placename Rules.
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 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.
Chariton is located in Lucas County and is the County Seat.
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 Lucas County: Appanoose, Clarke, Decatur, Marion, Monroe, Warren & Wayne.
Below are the counties that are near Chariton. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Chariton:
- Lucas County (The home county of Chariton)
- The following are listed by their distance from Chariton, with the one closest to Chariton listed first.
- Williamson
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Russell
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Lucas
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Lucas is located in Lucas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lucas
- Population from the 2020 Census: 207 people
- Olmitz
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Olmitz is located in Lucas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Olmitz
- Zero
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Zero is located in Lucas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zero
- Derby
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Derby is located in Lucas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Derby
- Population from the 2020 Census: 111 people
- Appanoose County
- The following are listed by their distance from Chariton, with the one closest to Chariton listed first.
- Iconium
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Iconium is located in Appanoose County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Iconium
- Plano
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Walnut City
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Walnut City is located in Appanoose County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walnut City
- Brazil
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Brazil is located in Appanoose County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brazil
- Jerome
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Jerome is located in Appanoose County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jerome
- Mystic
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Mystic is located in Appanoose County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mystic
- Population from the 2020 Census: 410 people
- Clarkdale
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Clarkdale is located in Appanoose County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clarkdale
- Darbyville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Darbyville is located in Appanoose County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Darbyville
- Rathbun
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Rathbun is located in Appanoose County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rathbun
- Population from the 2020 Census: 72 people
- Moravia
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Sunshine
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Sunshine is located in Appanoose County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sunshine
- Numa
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Numa is located in Appanoose County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Numa
- Population from the 2020 Census: 89 people
- Centerville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Clarke County
- The following are listed by their distance from Chariton, with the one closest to Chariton listed first.
- Woodburn
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Liberty
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Liberty is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Liberty
- Osceola
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Weldon
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Weldon is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weldon
- Population from the 2020 Census: 104 people
- Green Bay ‑ Historic
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Green Bay is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Green Bay
- Lacelle
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Lacelle is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lacelle
- Decatur County
- The following are listed by their distance from Chariton, with the one closest to Chariton listed first.
- Le Roy
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Le Roy is located in Decatur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Le Roy
- Population from the 2020 Census: 14 people
- Garden Grove
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Garden Grove is located in Decatur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garden Grove
- Population from the 2020 Census: 200 people
- Woodland
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Woodland is located in Decatur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodland
- Van Wert
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Van Wert is located in Decatur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Van Wert
- Population from the 2020 Census: 208 people
- Leon
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Madison County
- Truro
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Marion County
- The following are listed by their distance from Chariton, with the one closest to Chariton listed first.
- Newbern
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Newbern is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newbern
- Bauer
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Bauer is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bauer
- Columbia
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Columbia is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Columbia
- Melcher - Dallas
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Melcher - Dallas is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Melcher - Dallas
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,236 people
- Indiana
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Indiana is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Indiana
- Attica
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Attica is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Attica
- Marysville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Marysville is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marysville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 68 people
- Hamilton
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Hamilton is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hamilton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 135 people
- Knoxville
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Pershing
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Pershing is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pershing
- Pleasantville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Bussey
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Bussey is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bussey
- Population from the 2020 Census: 406 people
- Harvey
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Harvey is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harvey
- Population from the 2020 Census: 243 people
- Monroe County
- The following are listed by their distance from Chariton, with the one closest to Chariton listed first.
- Melrose
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Georgetown
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Georgetown is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Georgetown
- Lovilia
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Bluff Creek
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Bluff Creek is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bluff Creek
- Albia
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Selection
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Selection is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Selection
- Warren County
- The following are listed by their distance from Chariton, with the one closest to Chariton listed first.
- Lacona
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Liberty Center
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Liberty Center is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Liberty Center
- Milo
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Cool
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Cool is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cool
- Clarkson ‑ Historic
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Clarkson is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clarkson
- Sandyville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Sandyville is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sandyville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 54 people
- New Virginia
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Ackworth
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Ackworth is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ackworth
- Population from the 2020 Census: 105 people
- Indianola
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Palmyra
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Palmyra is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Palmyra
- Saint Marys
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Saint Marys is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Marys
- Population from the 2020 Census: 127 people
- Hartford
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Wayne County
- The following are listed by their distance from Chariton, with the one closest to Chariton listed first.
- Millerton
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Millerton is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millerton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 42 people
- Confidence
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Confidence is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Confidence
- Humeston
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Corydon
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Promise City
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Promise City is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Promise City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 110 people
- Allerton
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Hodge
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Hodge is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hodge
- Seymour
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Clio
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Clio is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clio
- Population from the 2020 Census: 73 people
- Genoa
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Genoa is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Genoa
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Chariton, see our County-by-County Page for Chariton.
Cemeteries Near Chariton ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Chariton.
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 Chariton - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Chariton covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Chariton, with the one closest to Chariton listed first.
- Calvary Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Chariton Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Douglass Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- County Farm Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Waynick Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Salem Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Oxford Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Grimes Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Ragtown Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Niswender Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Gay Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Freedom Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Continue List (350 more) ...
- Russell Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Brownlee Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Parr Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
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 Chariton had a population of 3,122 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Chariton had a population of 4,103 people.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Chariton, with the one closest to Chariton listed first.
- Indianola Junction
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Indianola Junction is located in Lucas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Indianola Junction
- Whitebreast
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Whitebreast is located in Lucas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whitebreast
- Russell
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Oakley
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Oakley is located in Lucas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakley
- Lucas
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Lucas is located in Lucas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lucas
- Population from the 2020 Census: 207 people
- Olmitz
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Olmitz is located in Lucas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Olmitz
- Newbern
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Newbern is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newbern
- Derby
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Derby is located in Lucas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Derby
- Population from the 2020 Census: 111 people
- Zero
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Zero is located in Lucas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zero
- Belinda
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Belinda is located in Lucas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belinda
- Ovia
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Ovia is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ovia
- New York
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- New York is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New York
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Cloud
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Cloud is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cloud
- Norwood
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Norwood is located in Lucas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Norwood
- Lacona
(12 miles [19.3 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 Chariton. See our List of 1890's Communities around Chariton.
Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Chariton ...
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 160 newspapers that have been published in the area around Chariton.
We have organized these newspapers into two lists:
- A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Chariton. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Chariton and those printed in the larger area surrounding Chariton.
- An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<4> of Chariton.
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 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 Chariton:
- Websites specific to Iowa
- Pages specific to Lucas County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Appanoose County
- Clarke County
- Decatur County
- Madison County
- Marion County
- Monroe County
- Warren County
- Wayne 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 Chariton, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <4> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a '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- Chariton) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |