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 Coal Valley (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 Coal Valley. 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 Coal Valley ...
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.
Although we can't give a definitive list, hopefully the following will give you a feel for the variations that might occur.
For example, a typical abbreviation for Coal Valley: Coal Vly. (or less commonly used: Coal Vally. or Coal Vlly.)
You might be interested in other communities that are also named Coal Valley. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Coal Valley.
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.
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 northwest 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 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 west 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.
Coal Valley 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 Coal Valley. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Coal Valley:
- Boone County (The home county of Coal Valley)
- The following are listed by their distance from Coal Valley, with the one closest to Coal Valley listed first.
- Moingona
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Moingona is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moingona
- Centerville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Centerville is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Centerville
- Boone
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Ogden
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Fraser
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Fraser is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fraser
- Population from the 2020 Census: 103 people
- Jordan
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Jordan is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jordan
- Luther
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Luther is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Luther
- Population from the 2020 Census: 133 people
- Pilot Mound
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Pilot Mound is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pilot Mound
- Population from the 2020 Census: 170 people
- Beaver
(9 miles [14.5 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
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Berkley is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Berkley
- Population from the 2020 Census: 33 people
- Boxholm
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Madrid
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Mackey
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Mackey is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mackey
- Calhoun County
- Farnhamville
(28 miles [45.1 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 Coal Valley, with the one closest to Coal Valley listed first.
- Bouton
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Woodward
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Xenia
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Xenia is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Xenia
- High Bridge
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- High Bridge is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for High Bridge
- Perry
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Dawson
(18 miles [29 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
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Minburn
(19 miles [30.6 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
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Panther
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Panther is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Panther
- Adel
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Waukee
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Greene County
- The following are listed by their distance from Coal Valley, with the one closest to Coal Valley listed first.
- Rippey
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Rippey is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rippey
- Population from the 2020 Census: 269 people
- Grand Junction
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- 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
- Paton
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Cooper
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Cooper is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cooper
- Jefferson
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Farlin
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Farlin is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Farlin
- Churdan
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Churdan is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Churdan
- Population from the 2020 Census: 363 people
- Scranton
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Guthrie County
- The following are listed by their distance from Coal Valley, with the one closest to Coal Valley listed first.
- Jamaica
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Herndon
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Herndon is located in Guthrie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Herndon
- Bagley
(27 miles [43.5 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
(27 miles [43.5 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 Coal Valley, with the one closest to Coal Valley listed first.
- Stratford
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Stanhope
(19 miles [30.6 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
(22 miles [35.4 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
(24 miles [38.6 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
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Kamrar
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Webster City
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Polk County
- The following are listed by their distance from Coal Valley, with the one closest to Coal Valley listed first.
- Sheldahl
(17 miles [27.4 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
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Polk City Junction is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Polk City Junction
- Andrews
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Andrews is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Andrews
- Polk City
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Alleman
(22 miles [35.4 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
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Herrold is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Herrold
- Grimes
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Johnston
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Ankeny
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Elkhart
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Urbandale
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Clive
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Carney
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Carney is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carney
- Story County
- The following are listed by their distance from Coal Valley, with the one closest to Coal Valley listed first.
- Ontario
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Ontario is located in Story County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ontario
- Zenorsville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Zenorsville is located in Story County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zenorsville
- Kelley
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Ames
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Gilbert
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Slater
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Midvale
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Midvale is located in Story County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Midvale
- Huxley
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Story City
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Shipley
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Shipley is located in Story County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shipley
- Cambridge
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Roland
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Roland is located in Story County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,252 people
- Nevada
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Webster County
- The following are listed by their distance from Coal Valley, with the one closest to Coal Valley listed first.
- Dayton
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Lanyon
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Lanyon is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lanyon
- Harcourt
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Harcourt is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harcourt
- Population from the 2020 Census: 278 people
- Burnside
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Burnside is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burnside
- Lehigh
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Palm Grove
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Palm Grove is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Palm Grove
- Gowrie
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Border Plains
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Border Plains is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Border Plains
- Brushy
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Brushy is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brushy
- Evanston
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Evanston is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Evanston
- Otho
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Callender
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Callender is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Callender
- Population from the 2020 Census: 346 people
- Coalville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Coalville is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coalville
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Coal Valley, see our County-by-County Page for Coal Valley.
Cemeteries Near Coal Valley ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Coal Valley.
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 Coal Valley - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Coal Valley covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Coal Valley, with the one closest to Coal Valley listed first.
- Oakwood Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Rose Hill Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Holloway Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Quincy Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Biblical College Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Boone Memorial Garden
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Sacred Heart Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Bluff Creek Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Leatham Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Linwood Park Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- 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 <2>
- Milton Plott Grave
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Pleasant Hill Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Continue List (231 more) ...
- Sparks Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Sarah Dinwoodie Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Buckley 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.<3>
While we didn't find Coal Valley in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Coal Valley.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Coal Valley, with the one closest to Coal Valley listed first.
- Moingona
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Moingona is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moingona
- Boone
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Ogden
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Luther
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Luther is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Luther
- Population from the 2020 Census: 133 people
- Pilot Mound
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Pilot Mound is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pilot Mound
- Population from the 2020 Census: 170 people
- Beaver
(9 miles [14.5 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
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Berkley is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Berkley
- Population from the 2020 Census: 33 people
- Bouton
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Woodward
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Madrid
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Boxholm
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Ontario
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Ontario is located in Story County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ontario
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- Mackey
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Mackey is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mackey
- Rippey
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Rippey is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rippey
- Population from the 2020 Census: 269 people
- Angus
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Angus is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Angus
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Coal Valley. See our List of 1890's Communities around Coal Valley.
Newspapers Published in Coal Valley ...
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 183 newspapers that have been published in the area around Coal Valley.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Coal Valley, there are papers which were published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Coal Valley.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we start 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 Coal Valley:
- Websites specific to Iowa
- Pages specific to Boone County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Calhoun County
- Dallas County
- Greene County
- Guthrie County
- Hamilton 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> | 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 Coal Valley, 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 drawn from Point A (ie- Coal Valley) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |