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 Gibson (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 Gibson. 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 northeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most hospitals and doctors 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.
Gibson is located in Keokuk 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 Keokuk County: Iowa, Jefferson, Mahaska, Poweshiek, Wapello & Washington.
Below are the counties that are near Gibson. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Gibson:
- Keokuk County (The home county of Gibson)
- The following are listed by their distance from Gibson, with the one closest to Gibson listed first.
- Coal Creek
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Coal Creek is located in Keokuk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coal Creek
- Thornburg
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Thornburg is located in Keokuk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thornburg
- Population from the 2020 Census: 67 people
- What Cheer
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Aurora
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Aurora is located in Keokuk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aurora
- Keswick
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Webster
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Webster is located in Keokuk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Webster
- Population from the 2020 Census: 71 people
- Delta
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Delta is located in Keokuk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Delta
- Population from the 2020 Census: 313 people
- Sigourney
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- South English
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- South English is located in Keokuk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South English
- Population from the 2020 Census: 211 people
- Hayesville
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Hayesville is located in Keokuk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hayesville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 48 people
- Harper
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Harper is located in Keokuk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harper
- Population from the 2020 Census: 107 people
- Kinross
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Kinross is located in Keokuk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kinross
- Population from the 2020 Census: 71 people
- Hedrick
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Hedrick is located in Keokuk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hedrick
- Population from the 2020 Census: 743 people
- Benton County
- Belle Plaine
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Iowa County
- The following are listed by their distance from Gibson, with the one closest to Gibson listed first.
- Ambrose
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Ambrose is located in Iowa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ambrose
- Millersburg
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Millersburg is located in Iowa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millersburg
- Population from the 2020 Census: 139 people
- North English
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Parnell
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Ladora
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Williamsburg
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Conroy
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Conroy is located in Iowa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Conroy
- Dayton
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Dayton is located in Iowa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dayton
- Marengo
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- South Amana
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Jasper County
- The following are listed by their distance from Gibson, with the one closest to Gibson listed first.
- Lynnville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Sully
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Oakland Acres
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Oakland Acres is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakland Acres
- Population from the 2020 Census: 161 people
- Killduff
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Killduff is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Killduff
- Galesburg
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Galesburg is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Galesburg
- Newburg
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Newburg is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newburg
- Jefferson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Gibson, with the one closest to Gibson listed first.
- Pekin
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Pekin is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pekin
- Linby
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Linby is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Linby
- Packwood
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Packwood is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Packwood
- Population from the 2020 Census: 225 people
- Abingdon
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Abingdon is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Abingdon
- Mahaska County
- The following are listed by their distance from Gibson, with the one closest to Gibson listed first.
- Barnes City
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Indianapolis
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Indianapolis is located in Mahaska County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Indianapolis
- Union Mills
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Union Mills is located in Mahaska County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union Mills
- Rose Hill
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Rose Hill is located in Mahaska County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rose Hill
- Population from the 2020 Census: 161 people
- Lacey
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Lacey is located in Mahaska County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lacey
- New Sharon
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Keomah Village
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Keomah Village is located in Mahaska County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keomah Village
- Population from the 2020 Census: 99 people
- Exeelsior
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Exeelsior is located in Mahaska County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Exeelsior
- University Park
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- University Park is located in Mahaska County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for University Park
- Population from the 2020 Census: 468 people
- Wright
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Wright is located in Mahaska County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wright
- Fremont
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Oskaloosa
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Taintor
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Taintor is located in Mahaska County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Taintor
- Marion County
- The following are listed by their distance from Gibson, with the one closest to Gibson listed first.
- Pella
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Tracy
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Tracy is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tracy
- Harvey
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Harvey is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harvey
- Population from the 2020 Census: 243 people
- Howell ‑ Historic
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Howell is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Howell
- Poweshiek County
- The following are listed by their distance from Gibson, with the one closest to Gibson listed first.
- Tilton
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Tilton is located in Poweshiek County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tilton
- Deep River
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Deep River is located in Poweshiek County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deep River
- Population from the 2020 Census: 268 people
- Montezuma
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Guernsey
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Brooklyn
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Malcom
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Searsboro
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Searsboro is located in Poweshiek County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Searsboro
- Population from the 2020 Census: 145 people
- Victor
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Hartwick
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Hartwick is located in Poweshiek County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hartwick
- Population from the 2020 Census: 81 people
- Grinnell
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Sheridan
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Sheridan is located in Poweshiek County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sheridan
- Tama County
- Chelsea
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Wapello County
- The following are listed by their distance from Gibson, with the one closest to Gibson listed first.
- Highland Center
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Highland Center is located in Wapello County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Highland Center
- Kirkville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Kirkville is located in Wapello County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kirkville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 177 people
- Eddyville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Competine
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Competine is located in Wapello County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Competine
- Keb ‑ Historic
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Keb is located in Wapello County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keb
- Chillicothe
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Chillicothe is located in Wapello County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chillicothe
- Population from the 2020 Census: 97 people
- Dahlonega
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Dahlonega is located in Wapello County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dahlonega
- Dudley
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Dudley is located in Wapello County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dudley
- Washington County
- The following are listed by their distance from Gibson, with the one closest to Gibson listed first.
- Nira
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Nira is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nira
- Wellman
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Rubio
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Rubio is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rubio
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Gibson, see our County-by-County Page for Gibson.
Cemeteries Near Gibson ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Gibson.
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 Gibson - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Gibson covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Gibson, with the one closest to Gibson listed first.
- Friends Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Sixteen Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Barnes City Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barnes City Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Barnes City Cemetery is located outside and to the southwest of Barnes City.
- Indianapolis Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- McFarlan Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Lisor Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Harper Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Mormon Point Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Rice Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Highland Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- St. Josephs Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Humes Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Continue List (342 more) ...
- Lutheran Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Bailey Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Dresden 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.<2>
While we didn't find Gibson in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Gibson.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Gibson, with the one closest to Gibson listed first.
- Coal Creek
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Coal Creek is located in Keokuk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coal Creek
- Tilton
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Tilton is located in Poweshiek County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tilton
- Thornburg
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Thornburg is located in Keokuk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thornburg
- Population from the 2020 Census: 67 people
- Barnes City
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- What Cheer
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Indianapolis
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Indianapolis is located in Mahaska County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Indianapolis
- Deep River
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Deep River is located in Poweshiek County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deep River
- Population from the 2020 Census: 268 people
- Keswick
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Union Mills
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Union Mills is located in Mahaska County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union Mills
- Montezuma
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Atwood
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Atwood is located in Keokuk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Atwood
- Rose Hill
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Rose Hill is located in Mahaska County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rose Hill
- Population from the 2020 Census: 161 people
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Delta
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Delta is located in Keokuk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Delta
- Population from the 2020 Census: 313 people
- Webster
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Webster is located in Keokuk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Webster
- Population from the 2020 Census: 71 people
- Guernsey
(11 miles [17.7 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 Gibson. See our List of 1890's Communities around Gibson.
Newspapers Published in Gibson ...
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 40 newspapers that have been published in the area around Gibson.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Gibson, 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 Gibson.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we first visit 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 Gibson:
- Websites specific to Iowa
- Pages specific to Keokuk County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Benton County
- Iowa County
- Jasper County
- Jefferson County
- Mahaska County
- Marion County
- Poweshiek County
- Tama County
- Wapello County
- Washington 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 Gibson, 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' distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Gibson) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |