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 Hayfield (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 Hayfield. 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.
Hayfield is located in Hancock 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 Hancock County: Cerro Gordo, Franklin, Humboldt, Kossuth, Winnebago, Worth & Wright.
Below are the counties that are near Hayfield. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Hayfield:
- Hancock County (The home county of Hayfield)
- The following are listed by their distance from Hayfield, with the one closest to Hayfield listed first.
- Crystal Lake
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Crystal Lake is located in Hancock County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crystal Lake
- Population from the 2020 Census: 228 people
- Duncan
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Duncan is located in Hancock County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Duncan
- Garner
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Britt
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Hutchins
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Hutchins is located in Hancock County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hutchins
- Woden
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Klemme
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Goodell
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Goodell is located in Hancock County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goodell
- Population from the 2020 Census: 126 people
- Kanawha
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Corwith
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Corwith is located in Hancock County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Corwith
- Population from the 2020 Census: 245 people
- Cerro Gordo County
- The following are listed by their distance from Hayfield, with the one closest to Hayfield listed first.
- Ventura
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Clear Lake
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Creamery
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Creamery is located in Cerro Gordo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Creamery
- Meservey
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Meservey is located in Cerro Gordo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meservey
- Population from the 2020 Census: 237 people
- Burchinal
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Burchinal is located in Cerro Gordo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burchinal
- Thornton
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Thornton is located in Cerro Gordo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thornton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 401 people
- Swaledale
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Swaledale is located in Cerro Gordo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Swaledale
- Population from the 2020 Census: 157 people
- Mason City Junction
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Mason City Junction is located in Cerro Gordo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mason City Junction
- Mason City
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Cameron
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Cameron is located in Cerro Gordo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cameron
- Plymouth Junction
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Plymouth Junction is located in Cerro Gordo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plymouth Junction
- Portland
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Portland is located in Cerro Gordo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Portland
- Franklin County
- Alexander
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Alexander is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alexander
- Population from the 2020 Census: 159 people
- Humboldt County
- Renwick
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Kossuth County
- The following are listed by their distance from Hayfield, with the one closest to Hayfield listed first.
- Wesley
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Wesley is located in Kossuth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wesley
- Population from the 2020 Census: 364 people
- Titonka
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Titonka is located in Kossuth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Titonka
- Population from the 2020 Census: 433 people
- German Valley
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- German Valley is located in Kossuth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for German Valley
- Sexton
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Sexton is located in Kossuth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sexton
- Lakota
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Lakota is located in Kossuth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakota
- Population from the 2020 Census: 275 people
- Lu Verne
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Burt
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Burt is located in Kossuth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burt
- Population from the 2020 Census: 493 people
- Irvington
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Irvington is located in Kossuth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Irvington
- Algona
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Bancroft
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Bancroft is located in Kossuth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bancroft
- Population from the 2020 Census: 684 people
- Gerled
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Gerled is located in Kossuth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gerled
- Ledyard
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Winnebago County
- The following are listed by their distance from Hayfield, with the one closest to Hayfield listed first.
- Forest City
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Leland
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Leland is located in Winnebago County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 268 people
- Thompson
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Lake Mills
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Buffalo Center
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Scarville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Vinje
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Vinje is located in Winnebago County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vinje
- Rake
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Rake is located in Winnebago County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rake
- Population from the 2020 Census: 206 people
- Worth County
- The following are listed by their distance from Hayfield, with the one closest to Hayfield listed first.
- Fertile
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Hanlontown
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Hanlontown is located in Worth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hanlontown
- Population from the 2020 Census: 220 people
- Joice
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Joice is located in Worth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Joice
- Population from the 2020 Census: 209 people
- Bristol
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Bristol is located in Worth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bristol
- Manly
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Silver Lake
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Silver Lake is located in Worth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Silver Lake
- Kensett
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Kensett is located in Worth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kensett
- Population from the 2020 Census: 249 people
- Northwood
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Wright County
- The following are listed by their distance from Hayfield, with the one closest to Hayfield listed first.
- Olaf
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Olaf is located in Wright County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Olaf
- Belmond
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Cornelia
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Cornelia is located in Wright County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cornelia
- Clarion
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Holmes
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Holmes is located in Wright County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holmes
- Rowan
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Solberg ‑ Historic
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Solberg is located in Wright County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Solberg
- Faribault County (MN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Hayfield, with the one closest to Hayfield listed first.
- Kiester
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Bricelyn
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Bricelyn is located in Faribault County (MN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bricelyn
- Population from the 2020 Census: 334 people
- Walters
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Walters is located in Faribault County (MN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walters
- Population from the 2020 Census: 67 people
- Elmore
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Elmore is located in Faribault County (MN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elmore
- Population from the 2020 Census: 613 people
- Frost
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Frost is located in Faribault County (MN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frost
- Population from the 2020 Census: 181 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Frost <1>
- Freeborn County (MN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Hayfield, with the one closest to Hayfield listed first.
- Emmons
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Emmons is located in Freeborn County (MN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Emmons
- Population from the 2020 Census: 380 people
- Twin Lakes
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Twin Lakes is located in Freeborn County (MN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Twin Lakes
- Population from the 2020 Census: 149 people
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Hayfield, see our County-by-County Page for Hayfield.
Cemeteries Near Hayfield ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Hayfield.
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 Hayfield - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Hayfield covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Hayfield, with the one closest to Hayfield listed first.
- St. John Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- St. Boniface Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Madison Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Madison Twp. Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- St. James Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Crystal Twp. Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Evergreen Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Evergreen Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Evergreen Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the northeast of Britt.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #94704 <2>
- National Hobo Memorial
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- St. Patricks Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Concord Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Oakland Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Ellington Prairie Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Continue List (170 more) ...
- Ellington Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- St. Johns Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Pilot Knob Lutheran Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 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>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that in 1895, Hayfield had a post office and railroad service.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Hayfield, with the one closest to Hayfield listed first.
- Miller
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Miller is located in Hancock County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Miller
- Crystal Lake
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Crystal Lake is located in Hancock County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crystal Lake
- Population from the 2020 Census: 228 people
- Forest City
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Britt
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Garner
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Hutchins
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Hutchins is located in Hancock County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hutchins
- Leland
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Leland is located in Winnebago County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 268 people
- Klemme
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Stilson
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Stilson is located in Hancock County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stilson
- Thompson
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Fertile
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Wesley
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Wesley is located in Kossuth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wesley
- Population from the 2020 Census: 364 people
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- Clear Lake
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Goodell
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Goodell is located in Hancock County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goodell
- Population from the 2020 Census: 126 people
- Corwith
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Corwith is located in Hancock County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Corwith
- Population from the 2020 Census: 245 people
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Hayfield. See our List of 1890's Communities around Hayfield.
Newspapers Published in Hayfield ...
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 110 newspapers that have been published in the area around Hayfield.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Hayfield, 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 Hayfield.
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 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 Hayfield:
- Websites specific to Iowa
- Pages specific to Hancock County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Cerro Gordo County
- Franklin County
- Humboldt County
- Kossuth County
- Winnebago County
- Worth County
- Wright County
- Faribault County
- Freeborn 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 Hayfield, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <4> | 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 from Point A (ie- Hayfield) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |