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 Defiance (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 Defiance. 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 northwest 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 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.
Defiance is located in Shelby 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 Shelby County: Audubon, Carroll, Cass, Crawford, Harrison & Pottawattamie.
Below are the counties that are near Defiance. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Defiance:
- Shelby County (The home county of Defiance)
- The following are listed by their distance from Defiance, with the one closest to Defiance listed first.
- Earling
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Earling is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Earling
- Population from the 2020 Census: 403 people
- Irwin
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Westphalia
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Westphalia is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westphalia
- Population from the 2020 Census: 117 people
- Kirkman
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Kirkman is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kirkman
- Population from the 2020 Census: 61 people
- Panama
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Botna
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Botna is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Botna
- Harlan
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Portsmouth
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Tennant
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Tennant is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tennant
- Population from the 2020 Census: 63 people
- Corley
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Corley is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Corley
- Elk Horn
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Shelby
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Audubon County
- The following are listed by their distance from Defiance, with the one closest to Defiance listed first.
- Fiscus
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Fiscus is located in Audubon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fiscus
- Gray
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Kimballton
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Ross
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Ross is located in Audubon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ross
- Audubon
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Hamlin
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Hamlin is located in Audubon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hamlin
- Brayton
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Exira
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Carroll County
- The following are listed by their distance from Defiance, with the one closest to Defiance listed first.
- Manning
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Templeton
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Halbur
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Halbur is located in Carroll County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Halbur
- Population from the 2020 Census: 252 people
- Arcadia
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Arcadia is located in Carroll County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arcadia
- Population from the 2020 Census: 531 people
- Roselle
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Roselle is located in Carroll County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roselle
- Dedham
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Willey
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Willey is located in Carroll County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willey
- Population from the 2020 Census: 97 people
- Carroll Community Estates
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Carroll
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Breda
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Breda is located in Carroll County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Breda
- Population from the 2020 Census: 471 people
- Cass County
- Marne
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Crawford County
- The following are listed by their distance from Defiance, with the one closest to Defiance listed first.
- Astor
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Astor is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Astor
- Buck Grove
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Buck Grove is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buck Grove
- Population from the 2020 Census: 43 people
- Manilla
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Arion
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Arion is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arion
- Population from the 2020 Census: 107 people
- Dow City
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Sunset Village
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Sunset Village is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sunset Village
- Aspinwall
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Aspinwall is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aspinwall
- Population from the 2020 Census: 40 people
- Bell
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Bell is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bell
- Denison
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Kenwood
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Kenwood is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kenwood
- Vail
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Deloit
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Deloit is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deloit
- Population from the 2020 Census: 254 people
- Westside
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Harrison County
- The following are listed by their distance from Defiance, with the one closest to Defiance listed first.
- Dunlap
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Woodbine
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Persia
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Persia is located in Harrison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Persia
- Population from the 2020 Census: 281 people
- Yorkshire
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Yorkshire is located in Harrison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yorkshire
- Logan
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Magnolia
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Magnolia is located in Harrison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Magnolia
- Population from the 2020 Census: 170 people
- Pisgah
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Monona County
- The following are listed by their distance from Defiance, with the one closest to Defiance listed first.
- Ute
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Soldier
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Moorhead
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Pottawattamie County
- The following are listed by their distance from Defiance, with the one closest to Defiance listed first.
- Harlan Junction ‑ Historic
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Harlan Junction is located in Pottawattamie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harlan Junction
- Avoca
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Avoca is located in Pottawattamie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avoca
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,537 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Avoca <1>
- Walnut
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Walnut is located in Pottawattamie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walnut
- Population from the 2020 Census: 768 people
- Minden
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Hancock
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Hancock is located in Pottawattamie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hancock
- Population from the 2020 Census: 196 people
- Neola
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Sac County
- Herring ‑ Historic
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Herring is located in Sac County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Herring
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Defiance, see our County-by-County Page for Defiance.
Cemeteries Near Defiance ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Defiance.
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 Defiance - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Defiance covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Defiance, with the one closest to Defiance listed first.
- St. Pauls Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Union Twp. Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Astor Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Emmanuel Evangelican Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- St. Joseph Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Buck Grove Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Washington Twp. Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Slates Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- St. Boniface Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Rose Hill Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Oak Hill Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Mt. Olivet Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Continue List (149 more) ...
- Nishnabotna Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Washington Twp. Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- LDS Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
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.<2>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Defiance had a population of 323 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Defiance had a population of 260 people.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Defiance, with the one closest to Defiance listed first.
- Astor
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Astor is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Astor
- Buck Grove
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Buck Grove is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buck Grove
- Population from the 2020 Census: 43 people
- Westphalia
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Westphalia is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westphalia
- Population from the 2020 Census: 117 people
- Kirkman
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Kirkman is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kirkman
- Population from the 2020 Census: 61 people
- Irwin
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Manilla
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Panama
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Botna
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Botna is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Botna
- Arion
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Arion is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arion
- Population from the 2020 Census: 107 people
- Dow City
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Manteno
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Manteno is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Manteno
- Harlan
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- Aspinwall
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Aspinwall is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aspinwall
- Population from the 2020 Census: 40 people
- Bell
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Bell is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bell
- Denison
(13 miles [20.9 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 Defiance. See our List of 1890's Communities around Defiance.
Newspapers Published in Defiance ...
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 81 newspapers that have been published in the area around Defiance.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Defiance, 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 Defiance.
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 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 Defiance:
- Websites specific to Iowa
- Pages specific to Shelby County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Audubon County
- Carroll County
- Cass County
- Crawford County
- Harrison County
- Monona County
- Pottawattamie County
- Sac 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> | 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 Defiance, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <3> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' (or 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- Defiance) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |