Our Genealogy Helper
Introduction ...
So far, we found very little information about Iola. The little that we've found leads us believe that the community is historic.<1>
We've added Iola to our Gazetteer with the hope that we can develop more information. If you can help us with Iola, please Contact Us.
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 Iola (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 Iola. 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.
Although our information shows that the community of Iola is historic, it would have been located within present day Pottawattamie 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 Pottawattamie County: Cass, Harrison, Mills, Montgomery, Shelby, Douglas (NE), Sarpy (NE) & Washington (NE).
Below are the counties that are near Iola. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Iola:
- Pottawattamie County (The home county of Iola)
- The following are listed by their distance from Iola, with the one closest to Iola listed first.
- Oakland
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Hancock
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Hancock is located in Pottawattamie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hancock
- Population from the 2020 Census: 196 people
- Carson
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Macedonia
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Avoca
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- 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 <2>
- Harlan Junction ‑ Historic
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Harlan Junction is located in Pottawattamie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harlan Junction
- Minden
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Walnut
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Walnut is located in Pottawattamie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walnut
- Population from the 2020 Census: 768 people
- Treynor
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Neola
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- McClelland
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Underwood
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Adams County
- The following are listed by their distance from Iola, with the one closest to Iola listed first.
- Lincoln Center
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Lincoln Center is located in Adams County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lincoln Center
- Strand
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Strand is located in Adams County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Strand
- Audubon County
- The following are listed by their distance from Iola, with the one closest to Iola listed first.
- Kimballton
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Brayton
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Cass County
- The following are listed by their distance from Iola, with the one closest to Iola listed first.
- Griswold
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Lewis
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Marne
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Atlantic
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Sycamore Village
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Sycamore Village is located in Cass County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sycamore Village
- Grove City ‑ Historic
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Grove City is located in Cass County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grove City
- Lyman
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Lyman is located in Cass County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lyman
- Wiota
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Cumberland
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Cumberland is located in Cass County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cumberland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 246 people
- Norway Center
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Norway Center is located in Cass County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Norway Center
- Harrison County
- The following are listed by their distance from Iola, with the one closest to Iola listed first.
- Yorkshire
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Yorkshire is located in Harrison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yorkshire
- Persia
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Persia is located in Harrison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Persia
- Population from the 2020 Census: 281 people
- Logan
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Missouri Valley
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Mills County
- The following are listed by their distance from Iola, with the one closest to Iola listed first.
- Henderson
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Mineola
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Silver City
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Silver City is located in Mills County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Silver City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 246 people
- Emerson
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Hastings
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Hastings is located in Mills County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hastings
- Population from the 2020 Census: 149 people
- Malvern
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Clark
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Clark is located in Mills County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clark
- Glenwood
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Folsom
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Folsom is located in Mills County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Folsom
- Hentons ‑ Historic
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Hentons is located in Mills County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hentons
- Mills
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Mills is located in Mills County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mills
- Pacific City
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Pacific City is located in Mills County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pacific City
- Montgomery County
- The following are listed by their distance from Iola, with the one closest to Iola listed first.
- Elliott
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Red Oak
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Grant
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Grant is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grant
- Population from the 2020 Census: 84 people
- Stanton
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Coburg
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Coburg is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coburg
- Population from the 2020 Census: 39 people
- Sciola
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Sciola is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sciola
- Tenville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Tenville is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tenville
- Shelby County
- The following are listed by their distance from Iola, with the one closest to Iola listed first.
- Shelby
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Corley
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Corley is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Corley
- Tennant
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Tennant is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tennant
- Population from the 2020 Census: 63 people
- Harlan
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Portsmouth
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Elk Horn
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Westphalia
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Westphalia is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westphalia
- Population from the 2020 Census: 117 people
- Kirkman
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Kirkman is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kirkman
- Population from the 2020 Census: 61 people
- Panama
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Earling
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Earling is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Earling
- Population from the 2020 Census: 403 people
- Douglas County (NE)
- Home Park
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Home Park is located in Douglas County (NE)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Home Park
- Sarpy County (NE)
- The following are listed by their distance from Iola, with the one closest to Iola listed first.
- Avery
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Avery is located in Sarpy County (NE)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avery
- Bellevue
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Iola, see our County-by-County Page for Iola.
Cemeteries Near Iola ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Iola.
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 Iola - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Iola covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Iola, with the one closest to Iola listed first.
- Oaklawn Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Big Grove Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Belknap Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Oak Hill Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Carson Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Silver Valley Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Wheeler Grove Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Lincoln Twp. Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Fairview Pioneer Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Pioneer Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Macedonia Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Whipple Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Continue List (209 more) ...
- Newton Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Mormon Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- York Twp. Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
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.
While we didn't find Iola in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Iola.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Iola, with the one closest to Iola listed first.
- Oakland
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Hancock
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Hancock is located in Pottawattamie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hancock
- Population from the 2020 Census: 196 people
- Carson
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Taylor
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Taylor is located in Pottawattamie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Taylor
- Macedonia
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- York Center
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- York Center is located in Pottawattamie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for York Center
- Avoca
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- 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 <2>
- Harlan Junction ‑ Historic
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Harlan Junction is located in Pottawattamie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harlan Junction
- Shelby
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Minden
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Henderson
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Walnut
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Walnut is located in Pottawattamie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walnut
- Population from the 2020 Census: 768 people
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- Griswold
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Neola
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Quick
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Quick is located in Pottawattamie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Quick
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Iola. See our List of 1890's Communities around Iola.
Newspapers Published in Iola ...
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 107 newspapers that have been published in the area around Iola.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Iola, 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 Iola.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we start with 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 Iola:
- Websites specific to Iowa
- Pages specific to Pottawattamie County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Adams County
- Audubon County
- Cass County
- Harrison County
- Mills County
- Montgomery County
- Shelby County
- Douglas County
- Sarpy County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Iowa
Footnotes ...
| <1> | 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 Iola, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <2> | While we're fans and frequent users of TripAdvisor, you should know that we're also members of the TripAdvisor affiliate program. |
| <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> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Iola) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |