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 Geneva (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 Geneva. 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.
Geneva is located in Benton 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 Benton County: Black Hawk, Buchanan, Iowa, Johnson, Linn, Poweshiek & Tama.
Below are the counties that are near Geneva. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Geneva:
- Benton County (The home county of Geneva)
- The following are listed by their distance from Geneva, with the one closest to Geneva listed first.
- Garrison
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Garrison is located in Benton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garrison
- Population from the 2020 Census: 355 people
- Vinton
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Van Horne
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Van Horne is located in Benton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Van Horne
- Population from the 2020 Census: 646 people
- Keystone
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Mount Auburn
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Mount Auburn is located in Benton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Auburn
- Population from the 2020 Census: 144 people
- Benton City ‑ Historic
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Benton City is located in Benton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Benton City
- Newhall
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Shellsburg
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Urbana
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Blairstown
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Luzerne
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Luzerne is located in Benton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Luzerne
- Population from the 2020 Census: 92 people
- Irving
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Irving is located in Benton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Irving
- Atkins
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Black Hawk County
- The following are listed by their distance from Geneva, with the one closest to Geneva listed first.
- La Porte City
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Jubilee
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Jubilee is located in Black Hawk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jubilee
- Eagle Center
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Eagle Center is located in Black Hawk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eagle Center
- Gilbertville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Gilbertville is located in Black Hawk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gilbertville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 725 people
- Blessing
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Blessing is located in Black Hawk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blessing
- Voorhies
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Voorhies is located in Black Hawk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Voorhies
- Elk Run Heights
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Elk Run Heights is located in Black Hawk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elk Run Heights
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,135 people
- Jesup
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Raymond
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Raymond is located in Black Hawk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Raymond
- Population from the 2020 Census: 788 people
- Evansdale
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Hudson
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Dewar
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Dewar is located in Black Hawk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dewar
- Waterloo
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Buchanan County
- The following are listed by their distance from Geneva, with the one closest to Geneva listed first.
- Brandon
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Brandon is located in Buchanan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brandon
- Population from the 2020 Census: 320 people
- Shady Grove
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Shady Grove is located in Buchanan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shady Grove
- Hamerville
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Hamerville is located in Buchanan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hamerville
- Rowley
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Quasqueton
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Independence
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Doris
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Doris is located in Buchanan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Doris
- Monti
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Monti is located in Buchanan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monti
- Grundy County
- Reinbeck
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Iowa County
- The following are listed by their distance from Geneva, with the one closest to Geneva listed first.
- Dayton
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Dayton is located in Iowa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dayton
- Marengo
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- West Amana
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- West Amana is located in Iowa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Amana
- South Amana
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Middle Amana
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Ladora
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Amana
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Conroy
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Conroy is located in Iowa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Conroy
- Johnson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Geneva, with the one closest to Geneva listed first.
- Swisher
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Shueyville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Shueyville is located in Johnson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shueyville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 655 people
- Linn County
- The following are listed by their distance from Geneva, with the one closest to Geneva listed first.
- Palo
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Center Point
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Covington
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Covington is located in Linn County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Covington
- Toddville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Walker
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Walker is located in Linn County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walker
- Population from the 2020 Census: 782 people
- Hiawatha
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Lafayette
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Lafayette is located in Linn County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lafayette
- Cedar Hills
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Cedar Hills is located in Linn County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar Hills
- Fairfax
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Grand View Village
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Grand View Village is located in Linn County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grand View Village
- Walford
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Walford is located in Linn County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walford
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,436 people
- Robins
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Robins is located in Linn County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Robins
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,570 people
- Sunset Village
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Sunset Village is located in Linn County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sunset Village
- Poweshiek County
- The following are listed by their distance from Geneva, with the one closest to Geneva listed first.
- Hartwick
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Hartwick is located in Poweshiek County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hartwick
- Population from the 2020 Census: 81 people
- Victor
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Sheridan
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Sheridan is located in Poweshiek County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sheridan
- Tama County
- The following are listed by their distance from Geneva, with the one closest to Geneva listed first.
- Dysart
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Elberon
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Clutier
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Vining
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Vining is located in Tama County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vining
- Population from the 2020 Census: 49 people
- Traer
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Chelsea
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Buckingham
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Buckingham is located in Tama County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buckingham
- Gladstone
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Gladstone is located in Tama County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gladstone
- Long Point
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Long Point is located in Tama County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Long Point
- Dinsdale
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Dinsdale is located in Tama County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dinsdale
- Toledo
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Tama
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Garwin
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Garwin is located in Tama County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garwin
- Population from the 2020 Census: 490 people
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Geneva, see our County-by-County Page for Geneva.
Cemeteries Near Geneva ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Geneva.
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 Geneva - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Geneva covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Geneva, with the one closest to Geneva listed first.
- Indian Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Big Grove Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Van Metre Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Garrison Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Carlisle Grove Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Bishop Grove Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- LaRue Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Bender Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Bellar Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- St. Marys Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Maplewood Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Evergreen Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Evergreen Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Evergreen Cemetery is located outside and to the east of Vinton.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #94709 <2>
- Continue List (264 more) ...
- Pratt Creek Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Urmy Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Gnagy Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 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.<3>
While we didn't find Geneva in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Geneva.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Geneva, with the one closest to Geneva listed first.
- Garrison
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Garrison is located in Benton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garrison
- Population from the 2020 Census: 355 people
- Vinton
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Van Horne
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Van Horne is located in Benton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Van Horne
- Population from the 2020 Census: 646 people
- Keystone
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Mount Auburn
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Mount Auburn is located in Benton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Auburn
- Population from the 2020 Census: 144 people
- Dysart
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Newhall
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Mooreville ‑ Historic
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Mooreville is located in Tama County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mooreville
- Shellsburg
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- La Porte City
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Irving
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Irving is located in Benton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Irving
- Luzerne
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Luzerne is located in Benton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Luzerne
- Population from the 2020 Census: 92 people
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Blairstown
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Brandon
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Brandon is located in Buchanan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brandon
- Population from the 2020 Census: 320 people
- Vining
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Vining is located in Tama County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vining
- Population from the 2020 Census: 49 people
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Geneva. See our List of 1890's Communities around Geneva.
Newspapers Published in Geneva ...
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 31 newspapers that have been published in the area around Geneva.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Geneva, 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 Geneva.
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 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 Geneva:
- Websites specific to Iowa
- Pages specific to Benton County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Black Hawk County
- Buchanan County
- Grundy County
- Iowa County
- Johnson County
- Linn County
- Poweshiek County
- Tama 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 Geneva, 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' (or point-to-point) distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Geneva) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |