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 Elwood (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 Elwood. 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 doctors 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.
Elwood is located in Clinton 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 Clinton County: Cedar, Jackson, Jones, Scott, Carroll (IL), Rock Island (IL) & Whiteside (IL).
Below are the counties that are near Elwood. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Elwood:
- Clinton County (The home county of Elwood)
- The following are listed by their distance from Elwood, with the one closest to Elwood listed first.
- Lost Nation
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Delmar
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Bliedorn ‑ Historic
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Bliedorn is located in Clinton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bliedorn
- North Welton
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- North Welton is located in Clinton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Welton
- Toronto
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Toronto is located in Clinton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Toronto
- Population from the 2020 Census: 119 people
- Welton
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Welton is located in Clinton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Welton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 148 people
- Calamus
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Calamus is located in Clinton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Calamus
- Population from the 2020 Census: 397 people
- Grand Mound
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Wheatland
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Wheatland is located in Clinton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wheatland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 724 people
- Charlotte
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- De Witt
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Goose Lake
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Goose Lake is located in Clinton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goose Lake
- Population from the 2020 Census: 220 people
- Cedar County
- The following are listed by their distance from Elwood, with the one closest to Elwood listed first.
- Lowden
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Clarence
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Bennett
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Bennett is located in Cedar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bennett
- Population from the 2020 Census: 373 people
- Stanwood
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Sunbury
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Sunbury is located in Cedar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sunbury
- Tipton
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Mechanicsville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Mechanicsville is located in Cedar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mechanicsville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,116 people
- Lime City
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Lime City is located in Cedar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lime City
- Former names for Lime City:
- Lime Kilns
- Munn
- Buchanan
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Buchanan is located in Cedar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buchanan
- Rochester
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Rochester is located in Cedar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rochester
- Dubuque County
- The following are listed by their distance from Elwood, with the one closest to Elwood listed first.
- Washington Mills
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Washington Mills is located in Dubuque County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Washington Mills
- Zwingle
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Zwingle is located in Dubuque County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zwingle
- Population from the 2020 Census: 93 people
- Bernard
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Fillmore
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Fillmore is located in Dubuque County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fillmore
- Cascade
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Wilkins
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Wilkins is located in Dubuque County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilkins
- Jackson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Elwood, with the one closest to Elwood listed first.
- Buckhorn
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Buckhorn is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buckhorn
- Maquoketa
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Baldwin
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Monmouth
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Monmouth is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monmouth
- Population from the 2020 Census: 154 people
- Ironhills
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Ironhills is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ironhills
- Fulton
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Fulton is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fulton
- Emeline
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Emeline is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Emeline
- Crab Town
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Crab Town is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crab Town
- Andrew
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Canton
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Canton is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Canton
- Spragueville
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Preston
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Jones County
- The following are listed by their distance from Elwood, with the one closest to Elwood listed first.
- Oxford Junction
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Oxford Junction is located in Jones County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oxford Junction
- Population from the 2020 Census: 480 people
- Oxford Mills
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Oxford Mills is located in Jones County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oxford Mills
- Wyoming
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Clay Mills
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Clay Mills is located in Jones County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clay Mills
- Onslow
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Hale
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Hale is located in Jones County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hale
- Center Junction
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Center Junction is located in Jones County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Center Junction
- Estimated population in 2015: 111 people
- Olin
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Amber
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Amber is located in Jones County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Amber
- Morley
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Morley is located in Jones County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morley
- Population from the 2020 Census: 110 people
- Langworthy
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Langworthy is located in Jones County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Langworthy
- Monticello
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Muscatine County
- Stockton
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Stockton is located in Muscatine County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stockton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 189 people
- Scott County
- The following are listed by their distance from Elwood, with the one closest to Elwood listed first.
- Big Rock
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Big Rock is located in Scott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Big Rock
- Dixon
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Dixon is located in Scott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dixon
- Population from the 2020 Census: 249 people
- Noel ‑ Historic
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Noel is located in Scott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Noel
- Donahue
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- New Liberty
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- New Liberty is located in Scott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Liberty
- Population from the 2020 Census: 143 people
- Long Grove
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- McCausland
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- McCausland is located in Scott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McCausland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 311 people
- Park View
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Park View is located in Scott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Park View
- Hickory Grove
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Hickory Grove is located in Scott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hickory Grove
- Maysville
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Maysville is located in Scott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maysville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 181 people
- Eldridge
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Walcott
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Carroll County (IL)
- The following are listed by their distance from Elwood, with the one closest to Elwood listed first.
- Arnold
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Arnold is located in Carroll County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arnold
- Blackhawk
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Blackhawk is located in Carroll County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blackhawk
- Savanna
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Marcus
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Marcus is located in Carroll County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marcus
- Jo Daviess County (IL)
- The following are listed by their distance from Elwood, with the one closest to Elwood listed first.
- Aiken
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Aiken is located in Jo Daviess County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aiken
- Hanover
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Galena Junction
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Galena Junction is located in Jo Daviess County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Galena Junction
- Rock Island County (IL)
- Cordova
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Whiteside County (IL)
- Albany
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Elwood, see our County-by-County Page for Elwood.
Cemeteries Near Elwood ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Elwood.
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 Elwood - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Elwood covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Elwood, with the one closest to Elwood listed first.
- Elwood Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Busch Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Rustic Park Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Goddard Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goddard Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Goddard Cemetery is located 4 miles [6.4 km]<2> to the southwest of Maquoketa.
- The Goddard Cemetery has also been known as:
- Godard Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #94880 <3>
- Lost Nation Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Sacred Heart Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- St. Columbkille Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Union Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Buckhorn Waterford Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Pine Hill Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Washington Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Washington Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Washington Cemetery is located 3 miles [4.8 km]<2> to the north of Lost Nation.
- The Washington Cemetery has also been known as:
- Dickman Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #94582 <3>
- Smithtown Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smithtown Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Smithtown Cemetery is located 2 miles [3.2 km]<2> to the northwest of Lost Nation.
- The Smithtown Cemetery has also been known as:
- Smithtown Church Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #786005 <3>
- Continue List (334 more) ...
- Bloomfield Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Evergreen Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- St. Patricks Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
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>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Elwood had a population of 129 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Elwood, with the one closest to Elwood listed first.
- Lost Nation
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Nashville
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Nashville is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nashville
- Delmar
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Maquoketa
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Baldwin
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Toronto
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Toronto is located in Clinton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Toronto
- Population from the 2020 Census: 119 people
- Welton
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Welton is located in Clinton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Welton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 148 people
- Monmouth
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Monmouth is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monmouth
- Population from the 2020 Census: 154 people
- Massillon
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Massillon is located in Cedar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Massillon
- Riggs
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Riggs is located in Clinton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riggs
- Ironhills
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Ironhills is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ironhills
- Calamus
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Calamus is located in Clinton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Calamus
- Population from the 2020 Census: 397 people
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Fulton
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Fulton is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fulton
- Oxford Junction
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Oxford Junction is located in Jones County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oxford Junction
- Population from the 2020 Census: 480 people
- Oxford Mills
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Oxford Mills is located in Jones County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oxford Mills
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Elwood. See our List of 1890's Communities around Elwood.
Newspapers Published in Elwood ...
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 135 newspapers that have been published in the area around Elwood.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Elwood, there are papers which were published within 29 miles [46.7 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Elwood.
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 Elwood:
- Websites specific to Iowa
- Pages specific to Clinton County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Cedar County
- Dubuque County
- Jackson County
- Jones County
- Muscatine County
- Scott County
- Carroll County
- Jo Daviess County
- Rock Island County
- Whiteside 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 '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- Elwood) 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 Elwood, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |