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 Fort Des Moines (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 Fort Des Moines. 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 Fort Des Moines ...
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.
For example, a typical abbreviation for Fort Des Moines: Ft. Des Moines
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 northeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most hospitals were in the next county to the east. 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 east 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.
Fort Des Moines is located in Polk 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 Polk County: Boone, Dallas, Jasper, Madison, Marion, Story & Warren.
Below are the counties that are near Fort Des Moines. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Fort Des Moines:
- Polk County (The home county of Fort Des Moines)
- The following are listed by their distance from Fort Des Moines, with the one closest to Fort Des Moines listed first.
- Norwalk
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Levey
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Levey is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Levey
- Des Moines
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Carlisle
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Pleasant Hill
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Country Estate Village
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Windsor Heights
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Commerce
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Commerce is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Commerce
- Rising Sun
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Rising Sun is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rising Sun
- West Des Moines
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Adelphi
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Adelphi is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adelphi
- Marquisville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Marquisville is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marquisville
- Altoona
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Boone County
- Madrid
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Clarke County
- Liberty
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Liberty is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Liberty
- Dallas County
- The following are listed by their distance from Fort Des Moines, with the one closest to Fort Des Moines listed first.
- Booneville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Waukee
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Van Meter
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Granger
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- DeSoto
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Dallas Center
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Adel
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- High Bridge
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- High Bridge is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for High Bridge
- Minburn
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Minburn is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Minburn
- Population from the 2020 Census: 357 people
- Panther
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Panther is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Panther
- Woodward
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Xenia
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Xenia is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Xenia
- Bouton
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Jasper County
- The following are listed by their distance from Fort Des Moines, with the one closest to Fort Des Moines listed first.
- Vandalia
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Vandalia is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vandalia
- Prairie City
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Oswalt
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Oswalt is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oswalt
- Valeria
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Valeria is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Valeria
- Population from the 2020 Census: 58 people
- Colfax
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Green Castle
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Green Castle is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Green Castle
- Mingo
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Goddard
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Goddard is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goddard
- Monroe
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Metz
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Metz is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Metz
- Ira
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Ira is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ira
- Clyde
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Clyde is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clyde
- Lambs Grove
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Lambs Grove is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lambs Grove
- Population from the 2020 Census: 165 people
- Madison County
- The following are listed by their distance from Fort Des Moines, with the one closest to Fort Des Moines listed first.
- Patterson
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Patterson is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Patterson
- Population from the 2020 Census: 163 people
- Saint Charles
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Truro
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Winterset
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- East Peru
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- East Peru is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Peru
- Population from the 2020 Census: 133 people
- Earlham
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Ord
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Ord is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ord
- Marion County
- The following are listed by their distance from Fort Des Moines, with the one closest to Fort Des Moines listed first.
- Swan
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Swan is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Swan
- Population from the 2020 Census: 74 people
- Percy ‑ Historic
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Percy is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Percy
- Pleasantville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Bauer
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Bauer is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bauer
- Cordova
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Cordova is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cordova
- Melcher - Dallas
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Melcher - Dallas is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Melcher - Dallas
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,236 people
- Newbern
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Newbern is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newbern
- Otley
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Knoxville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Story County
- The following are listed by their distance from Fort Des Moines, with the one closest to Fort Des Moines listed first.
- Slater
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Huxley
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Cambridge
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Maxwell
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Midvale
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Midvale is located in Story County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Midvale
- Kelley
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Iowa Center
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Iowa Center is located in Story County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Iowa Center
- Collins
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Collins is located in Story County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Collins
- Population from the 2020 Census: 472 people
- Warren County
- The following are listed by their distance from Fort Des Moines, with the one closest to Fort Des Moines listed first.
- Lakewood
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Lakewood is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakewood
- Orillia
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Orillia is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orillia
- Spring Hill
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Spring Hill is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spring Hill
- Population from the 2020 Census: 65 people
- Cumming
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Prole
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Prole is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prole
- Palmyra
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Palmyra is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Palmyra
- Hartford
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Indianola
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Churchville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Churchville is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Churchville
- Martensdale
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Ackworth
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Ackworth is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ackworth
- Population from the 2020 Census: 105 people
- Bevington
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Clarkson ‑ Historic
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Clarkson is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clarkson
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Fort Des Moines, see our County-by-County Page for Fort Des Moines.
Cemeteries Near Fort Des Moines ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Fort Des Moines.
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 Fort Des Moines - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Fort Des Moines covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Fort Des Moines, with the one closest to Fort Des Moines listed first.
- Ft. Des Moines Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Sunset Memorial Gardens
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Elm Grove Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Oak Grove Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Scotch Ridge Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Avon Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avon Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Avon Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the southeast of Des Moines.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #94191 <2>
- St. Ambrose Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- North River Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Woodland Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Emmanuel Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Pleasant Ridge Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Webb Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Continue List (303 more) ...
- Carlisle Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Oakwood Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Laurel Hill Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
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 Fort Des Moines in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Fort Des Moines.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Fort Des Moines, with the one closest to Fort Des Moines listed first.
- Norwalk
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Avon
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Avon is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avon
- East Des Moines
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- East Des Moines is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Des Moines
- Des Moines
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Levey
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Levey is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Levey
- Valley Junction
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Valley Junction is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Valley Junction
- Orillia
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Orillia is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orillia
- Carlisle
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Cumming
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Spring Hill
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Spring Hill is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spring Hill
- Population from the 2020 Census: 65 people
- Summerset
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Summerset is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Summerset
- Hastie
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Hastie is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hastie
- Continue List (16 more) ...
- Commerce
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Commerce is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Commerce
- Rising Sun
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Rising Sun is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rising Sun
- Ashawa
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Ashawa is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ashawa
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Fort Des Moines. See our List of 1890's Communities around Fort Des Moines.
Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Fort Des Moines ...
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 38 newspapers that have been published in the area around Fort Des Moines.
We have organized these newspapers into two lists:
- A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Fort Des Moines. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Fort Des Moines and those printed in the larger area surrounding Fort Des Moines.
- An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 26 miles [41.8 km]<4> of Fort Des Moines.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we like to start with the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These helpful 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 Fort Des Moines:
- Websites specific to Iowa
- Pages specific to Polk County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Boone County
- Clarke County
- Dallas County
- Jasper County
- Madison County
- Marion County
- Story County
- Warren 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 Fort Des Moines, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <4> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Fort Des Moines) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |