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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 Gray (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 Gray. 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 southeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors were in the next county to the east. 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 east 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.

Gray is located in Audubon 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 Audubon County: Adair, Carroll, Cass, Crawford, Guthrie & Shelby.

Below are the counties that are near Gray. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Gray:

  • Audubon County     (The home county of Gray)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Gray, with the one closest to Gray listed first.
    • Ross
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
      • Ross is located in Audubon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ross
    • Audubon
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
    • Fiscus
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Fiscus is located in Audubon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fiscus
    • Hamlin
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
      • Hamlin is located in Audubon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hamlin
    • Kimballton
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
    • Exira
      (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
    • Brayton
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
  • Carroll County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Gray, with the one closest to Gray listed first.
    • Templeton
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
    • Manning
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Dedham
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Halbur
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
      • Halbur is located in Carroll County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Halbur
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 252 people
    • Roselle
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
      • Roselle is located in Carroll County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roselle
    • Willey
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Willey is located in Carroll County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willey
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 97 people
    • Coon Rapids
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
    • Carroll
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
    • Carroll Community Estates
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Arcadia
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
      • Arcadia is located in Carroll County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arcadia
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 531 people
    • Glidden
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
    • Lidderdale
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Lidderdale is located in Carroll County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lidderdale
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 167 people
  • Cass County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Gray, with the one closest to Gray listed first.
    • Marne
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
    • Anita
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Atlantic
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
    • Sycamore Village
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
      • Sycamore Village is located in Cass County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sycamore Village
    • Wiota
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
  • Crawford County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Gray, with the one closest to Gray listed first.
    • Aspinwall
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Aspinwall is located in Crawford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aspinwall
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 40 people
    • Manilla
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
    • Astor
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
      • Astor is located in Crawford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Astor
    • Westside
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
    • Vail
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
      • Vail is located in Crawford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vail
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 413 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Vail <1>
    • Buck Grove
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
      • Buck Grove is located in Crawford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buck Grove
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 43 people
    • Denison
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Sunset Village
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Sunset Village is located in Crawford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sunset Village
    • Deloit
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Deloit is located in Crawford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deloit
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 254 people
    • Arion
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
      • Arion is located in Crawford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arion
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 107 people
    • Boyer
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Boyer is located in Crawford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boyer
    • Dow City
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
  • Greene County
    • Scranton
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
  • Guthrie County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Gray, with the one closest to Gray listed first.
    • North Branch
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
      • North Branch is located in Guthrie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Branch
    • Bayard
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
    • Guthrie Center
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Bagley
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
      • Bagley is located in Guthrie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bagley
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 285 people
    • Adair
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Pottawattamie County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Gray, with the one closest to Gray listed first.
    • Walnut
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Walnut is located in Pottawattamie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walnut
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 768 people
    • Avoca
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
      • 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>
    • Harlan Junction ‑ Historic
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Harlan Junction is located in Pottawattamie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harlan Junction
  • Sac County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Gray, with the one closest to Gray listed first.
    • Auburn
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
    • Herring ‑ Historic
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
      • Herring is located in Sac County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Herring
    • Grant City
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
      • Grant City is located in Sac County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grant City
    • Sac City Junction ‑ Historic
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
      • Sac City Junction is located in Sac County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sac City Junction
    • Wall Lake
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • Wall Lake is located in Sac County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wall Lake
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 753 people
  • Shelby County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Gray, with the one closest to Gray listed first.
    • Botna
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
      • Botna is located in Shelby County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Botna
    • Irwin
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
    • Kirkman
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Kirkman is located in Shelby County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kirkman
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 61 people
    • Elk Horn
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
    • Defiance
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
      • Defiance is located in Shelby County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Defiance
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 260 people
    • Harlan
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Earling
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
      • Earling is located in Shelby County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Earling
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 403 people
    • Westphalia
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
      • Westphalia is located in Shelby County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westphalia
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 117 people
    • Corley
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Corley is located in Shelby County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Corley
    • Panama
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
    • Tennant
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Tennant is located in Shelby County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tennant
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 63 people
    • Portsmouth
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)

For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Gray, see our County-by-County Page for Gray.

Cemeteries Near Gray ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Gray.

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 Gray - one of the links might be able to help.

If not found below, our Cemetery List for Gray covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.

The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Gray, with the one closest to Gray listed first.

  • Gray Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the west)
  • Lincoln Twp. Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Cameron Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
  • Douglas Twp. Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • Elba Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
  • Sacred Heart Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Manning Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
  • Sacred Heart Catholic Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Ebenezer Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
  • Arlington Heights Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
  • Maple Grove Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
  • Aretas Lodge Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
  • Continue List   (155 more) ...
    • Luccocks Grove Cemetery
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Iowa Twp. Cemetery
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Viola Center Cemetery
      (9 miles [14.5 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.<2>

The Rand McNally Atlas shows that in 1895, Gray had a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Gray had a population of 57 people.

These communities are listed based on their distance from Gray, with the one closest to Gray listed first.

  • Ross
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
    • Ross is located in Audubon County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ross
  • Templeton
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
  • Manning
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Botna
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
    • Botna is located in Shelby County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Botna
  • Fiscus
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Fiscus is located in Audubon County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fiscus
  • Audubon
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
  • Viola Center
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
    • Viola Center is located in Audubon County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Viola Center
  • Dedham
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
  • Aspinwall
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Aspinwall is located in Crawford County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aspinwall
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 40 people
  • Irwin
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
  • Roselle
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
    • Roselle is located in Carroll County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roselle
  • Halbur
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
    • Halbur is located in Carroll County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Halbur
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 252 people
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Hamlin
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
      • Hamlin is located in Audubon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hamlin
    • Willey
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Willey is located in Carroll County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willey
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 97 people
    • Manilla
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)

We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Gray. See our List of 1890's Communities around Gray.

Newspapers Published in Gray ...

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 36 newspapers that have been published in the area around Gray.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Gray, 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 Gray.

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 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 Gray:

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 Gray, 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 from Point A (ie- Gray) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.