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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 Holbrook (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 Holbrook. 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 and hospitals 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.

Holbrook is located in Iowa 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 Iowa County: Benton, Johnson, Keokuk, Linn, Poweshiek, Tama & Washington.

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

  • Iowa County     (The home county of Holbrook)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Holbrook, with the one closest to Holbrook listed first.
    • Parnell
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
    • Williamsburg
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
    • North English
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Conroy
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Conroy is located in Iowa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Conroy
    • Millersburg
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
      • Millersburg is located in Iowa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millersburg
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 139 people
    • South Amana
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
    • Amana
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
    • Middle Amana
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
    • West Amana
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
      • West Amana is located in Iowa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Amana
    • Marengo
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Ambrose
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
      • Ambrose is located in Iowa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ambrose
    • Ladora
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
    • Dayton
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Dayton is located in Iowa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dayton
  • Benton County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Holbrook, with the one closest to Holbrook listed first.
    • Norway
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
    • Watkins
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
      • Watkins is located in Benton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Watkins
    • Blairstown
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
    • Luzerne
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Luzerne is located in Benton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Luzerne
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 92 people
    • Newhall
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
    • Atkins
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
    • Belle Plaine
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Van Horne
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • Van Horne is located in Benton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Van Horne
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 646 people
  • Cedar County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Holbrook, with the one closest to Holbrook listed first.
    • Downey
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
      • Downey is located in Cedar County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Downey
    • West Branch
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
  • Jefferson County
    • Pleasant Plain
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
      • Pleasant Plain is located in Jefferson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Plain
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 98 people
  • Johnson County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Holbrook, with the one closest to Holbrook listed first.
    • Windham
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
      • Windham is located in Johnson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Windham
    • Amish
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Amish is located in Johnson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Amish
    • Cosgrove
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
      • Cosgrove is located in Johnson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cosgrove
    • Frytown
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
      • Frytown is located in Johnson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frytown
    • Williamstown
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
      • Williamstown is located in Johnson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Williamstown
    • Oxford
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Tiffin
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Coralville
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Oakdale
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Oakdale is located in Johnson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakdale
    • University Heights
      (18 miles [29 km] to the east)
      • University Heights is located in Johnson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for University Heights
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,025 people
    • North Liberty
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
    • Hills
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
    • Cou Falls
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Cou Falls is located in Johnson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cou Falls
  • Keokuk County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Holbrook, with the one closest to Holbrook listed first.
    • Kinross
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
      • Kinross is located in Keokuk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kinross
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 71 people
    • South English
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
      • South English is located in Keokuk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South English
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 211 people
    • Keota
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
    • Harper
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Harper is located in Keokuk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harper
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 107 people
    • Webster
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Webster is located in Keokuk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Webster
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 71 people
    • Aurora
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
      • Aurora is located in Keokuk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aurora
    • Keswick
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Talleyrand
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
      • Talleyrand is located in Keokuk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Talleyrand
    • Sigourney
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
    • Thornburg
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
      • Thornburg is located in Keokuk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thornburg
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 67 people
    • Gibson
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
      • Gibson is located in Keokuk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gibson
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 59 people
    • What Cheer
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Coal Creek
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Coal Creek is located in Keokuk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coal Creek
  • Linn County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Holbrook, with the one closest to Holbrook listed first.
    • Walford
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
      • Walford is located in Linn County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walford
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,436 people
    • Fairfax
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
    • Western
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
      • Western is located in Linn County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Western
    • Ely
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Ely is located in Linn County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ely
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,382 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Ely <1>
    • Grand View Village
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
      • Grand View Village is located in Linn County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grand View Village
    • Lincolnway Village
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Lincolnway Village is located in Linn County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lincolnway Village
    • Cedar Hills
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
      • Cedar Hills is located in Linn County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar Hills
    • Covington
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
      • Covington is located in Linn County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Covington
    • Cedar Rapids
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Louisa County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Holbrook, with the one closest to Holbrook listed first.
    • Gladwin
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Gladwin is located in Louisa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gladwin
    • Cotter
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Cotter is located in Louisa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cotter
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 42 people
  • Mahaska County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Holbrook, with the one closest to Holbrook listed first.
    • Barnes City
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
    • Indianapolis
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Indianapolis is located in Mahaska County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Indianapolis
  • Poweshiek County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Holbrook, with the one closest to Holbrook listed first.
    • Victor
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Guernsey
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
    • Deep River
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
      • Deep River is located in Poweshiek County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deep River
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 268 people
    • Tilton
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
      • Tilton is located in Poweshiek County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tilton
    • Hartwick
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Hartwick is located in Poweshiek County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hartwick
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 81 people
    • Brooklyn
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
  • Washington County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Holbrook, with the one closest to Holbrook listed first.
    • Nira
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
      • Nira is located in Washington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nira
    • Wellman
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Kalona
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Kalona is located in Washington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kalona
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,560 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Kalona <1>
    • West Chester
      (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
      • West Chester is located in Washington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Chester
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 147 people
    • Riverside
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
    • Washington
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
    • Rubio
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
      • Rubio is located in Washington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rubio
    • Ainsworth
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Havre
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Havre is located in Washington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Havre
    • Brighton
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)

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

Cemeteries Near Holbrook ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Holbrook.

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

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

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

  • St. Michaels Catholic Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
  • Ricord Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the east)
  • Champion Hill Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
  • McArtor Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
  • Piersol Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
  • West Union Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • St. Josephs Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
  • Dane Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Bethel Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bethel Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Bethel Cemetery is located 3 miles [4.8 km]<2> to the west of Frytown.
    • The Bethel Cemetery has also been known as:
    • John Eich Graham Cemetery
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #94248 <3>
  • Harrington Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Yankee Point Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Watters Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Continue List   (334 more) ...

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>

The Rand McNally Atlas shows that in 1895, Holbrook had a post office and no railroad service.

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

  • Green Center
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
    • Green Center is located in Iowa County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Green Center
  • Parnell
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
  • Amish
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Amish is located in Johnson County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Amish
  • Windham
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
    • Windham is located in Johnson County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Windham
  • Williamsburg
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
  • North English
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
  • Kinross
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
    • Kinross is located in Keokuk County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kinross
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 71 people
  • Nira
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
    • Nira is located in Washington County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nira
  • Wellman
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
  • Cosgrove
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
    • Cosgrove is located in Johnson County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cosgrove
  • Conroy
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Conroy is located in Iowa County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Conroy
  • Oxford
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Homestead
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
    • Millersburg
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
      • Millersburg is located in Iowa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millersburg
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 139 people
    • South Amana
      (13 miles [20.9 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 Holbrook. See our List of 1890's Communities around Holbrook.

Newspapers Published in Holbrook ...

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 47 newspapers that have been published in the area around Holbrook.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Holbrook, there are papers which were published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Holbrook.

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 Holbrook:

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>Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' (or 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- Holbrook) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.
<3>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.
<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 Holbrook, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.