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 Griffen (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 Griffen. 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 and hospitals 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.
Griffen is located in Boone 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 Boone County: Dallas, Greene, Hamilton, Polk, Story & Webster.
Below are the counties that are near Griffen. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Griffen:
- Boone County (The home county of Griffen)
- The following are listed by their distance from Griffen, with the one closest to Griffen listed first.
- Mackey
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Mackey is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mackey
- Jordan
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Jordan is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jordan
- Boone
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Centerville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Centerville is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Centerville
- Fraser
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Fraser is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fraser
- Population from the 2020 Census: 103 people
- Pilot Mound
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Pilot Mound is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pilot Mound
- Population from the 2020 Census: 170 people
- Moingona
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Moingona is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moingona
- Luther
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Luther is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Luther
- Population from the 2020 Census: 133 people
- Ogden
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Boxholm
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Beaver
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Beaver is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beaver
- Population from the 2020 Census: 50 people
- Madrid
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Berkley
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Berkley is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Berkley
- Population from the 2020 Census: 33 people
- Dallas County
- The following are listed by their distance from Griffen, with the one closest to Griffen listed first.
- Woodward
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Xenia
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Xenia is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Xenia
- High Bridge
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- High Bridge is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for High Bridge
- Bouton
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Perry
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Granger
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Greene County
- The following are listed by their distance from Griffen, with the one closest to Griffen listed first.
- Dana
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Dana is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dana
- Population from the 2020 Census: 67 people
- Paton
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Grand Junction
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Rippey
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Rippey is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rippey
- Population from the 2020 Census: 269 people
- Hamilton County
- The following are listed by their distance from Griffen, with the one closest to Griffen listed first.
- Stanhope
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Stanhope is located in Hamilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stanhope
- Population from the 2020 Census: 394 people
- Stratford
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Randall
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Randall is located in Hamilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Randall
- Population from the 2020 Census: 166 people
- Jewell
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Jewell is located in Hamilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jewell
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,138 people
- Jewell has also been known as:
- Jewell Junction
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Jewell <1>
- Kamrar
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Ellsworth
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Webster City
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Blairsburg
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Blairsburg is located in Hamilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blairsburg
- Population from the 2020 Census: 199 people
- Williams
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Hardin County
- The following are listed by their distance from Griffen, with the one closest to Griffen listed first.
- Garden City
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Garden City is located in Hardin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garden City
- Radcliffe
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Sherman
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Sherman is located in Hardin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sherman
- Hubbard
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Buckeye
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Buckeye is located in Hardin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buckeye
- Population from the 2020 Census: 107 people
- Marshall County
- Saint Anthony
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Saint Anthony is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Anthony
- Population from the 2020 Census: 101 people
- Polk County
- The following are listed by their distance from Griffen, with the one closest to Griffen listed first.
- Sheldahl
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Sheldahl is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sheldahl
- Population from the 2020 Census: 325 people
- Alleman
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Alleman is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alleman
- Population from the 2020 Census: 447 people
- Polk City Junction
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Polk City Junction is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Polk City Junction
- Polk City
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Andrews
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Andrews is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Andrews
- Elkhart
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Loring
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Loring is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Loring
- Story County
- The following are listed by their distance from Griffen, with the one closest to Griffen listed first.
- Zenorsville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Zenorsville is located in Story County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zenorsville
- Gilbert
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Story City
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Ontario
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Ontario is located in Story County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ontario
- Ames
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Roland
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Roland is located in Story County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,252 people
- Kelley
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- McCallsburg
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- McCallsburg is located in Story County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McCallsburg
- Population from the 2020 Census: 320 people
- Midvale
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Midvale is located in Story County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Midvale
- Shipley
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Shipley is located in Story County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shipley
- Nevada
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Fernald
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Fernald is located in Story County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fernald
- Huxley
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Webster County
- The following are listed by their distance from Griffen, with the one closest to Griffen listed first.
- Dayton
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Lehigh
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Border Plains
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Border Plains is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Border Plains
- Burnside
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Burnside is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burnside
- Brushy
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Brushy is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brushy
- Harcourt
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Harcourt is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harcourt
- Population from the 2020 Census: 278 people
- Lanyon
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Lanyon is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lanyon
- Duncombe
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Evanston
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Evanston is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Evanston
- Palm Grove
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Palm Grove is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Palm Grove
- Coalville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Coalville is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coalville
- Kalo
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Kalo is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kalo
- Otho
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Wright County
- Woolstock
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Woolstock is located in Wright County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woolstock
- Population from the 2020 Census: 159 people
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Griffen, see our County-by-County Page for Griffen.
Cemeteries Near Griffen ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Griffen.
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 Griffen - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Griffen covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Griffen, with the one closest to Griffen listed first.
- St. Paul's Lutheran Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Mackey Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Leininger Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Lake Center Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Mitchell Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- St.s Peter & Paul Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Clear Lake - Ellsworth Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Ellsworth Clear Lake Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- St. Paul Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for St. Paul Cemetery
- The St. Paul Cemetery has also been known as:
- St. Paul's Church Cemetery
- St. Paul's Lutheran Church Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2181833 <2>
- Lawn Hill Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- South Marion Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Boone County Farm Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Continue List (214 more) ...
- Mineral Ridge Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Bass Point Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bass Point Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Bass Point Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located 2 miles [3.2 km]<3> to the north of Boone.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #94210 <2>
- South St. Petri Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 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>
While we didn't find Griffen in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Griffen.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Griffen, with the one closest to Griffen listed first.
- Mackey
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Mackey is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mackey
- Rosendale
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Rosendale is located in Hamilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rosendale
- Stanhope
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Stanhope is located in Hamilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stanhope
- Population from the 2020 Census: 394 people
- Stratford
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Boone
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Gilbert
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Story City
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Randall
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Randall is located in Hamilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Randall
- Population from the 2020 Census: 166 people
- Ontario
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Ontario is located in Story County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ontario
- Jewell
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Jewell is located in Hamilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jewell
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,138 people
- Jewell has also been known as:
- Jewell Junction
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Jewell <1>
- Pilot Mound
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Pilot Mound is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pilot Mound
- Population from the 2020 Census: 170 people
- Moingona
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Moingona is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moingona
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Ames
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Homer
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Homer is located in Hamilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Homer
- Ellsworth
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Griffen. See our List of 1890's Communities around Griffen.
Newspapers Published in Griffen ...
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 55 newspapers that have been published in the area around Griffen.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Griffen, 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 Griffen.
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 Griffen:
- Websites specific to Iowa
- Pages specific to Boone County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Dallas County
- Greene County
- Hamilton County
- Hardin County
- Marshall County
- Polk County
- Story County
- Webster County
- Wright 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> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'point-to-point' distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Griffen) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |
| <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 Griffen, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |