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 Jay (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 Jay. 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 northwest 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 north.
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 north 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.
Jay is located in Clarke 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 Clarke County: Decatur, Lucas, Madison, Ringgold, Union, Warren & Wayne.
Below are the counties that are near Jay. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Jay:
- Clarke County (The home county of Jay)
- The following are listed by their distance from Jay, with the one closest to Jay listed first.
- Liberty
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Liberty is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Liberty
- Woodburn
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Osceola
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Green Bay ‑ Historic
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Green Bay is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Green Bay
- Weldon
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Weldon is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weldon
- Population from the 2020 Census: 104 people
- Lacelle
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Lacelle is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lacelle
- Murray
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Murray is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Murray
- Population from the 2020 Census: 681 people
- Hopeville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Hopeville is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hopeville
- Decatur County
- The following are listed by their distance from Jay, with the one closest to Jay listed first.
- Le Roy
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Le Roy is located in Decatur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Le Roy
- Population from the 2020 Census: 14 people
- Garden Grove
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Garden Grove is located in Decatur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garden Grove
- Population from the 2020 Census: 200 people
- Van Wert
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Van Wert is located in Decatur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Van Wert
- Population from the 2020 Census: 208 people
- Leon
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Grand River
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Grand River is located in Decatur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grand River
- Population from the 2020 Census: 215 people
- Woodland
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Woodland is located in Decatur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodland
- Decatur City
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Decatur City is located in Decatur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Decatur City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 181 people
- Lucas County
- The following are listed by their distance from Jay, with the one closest to Jay listed first.
- Lucas
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Lucas is located in Lucas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lucas
- Population from the 2020 Census: 207 people
- Derby
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Derby is located in Lucas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Derby
- Population from the 2020 Census: 111 people
- Chariton
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Williamson
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Olmitz
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Olmitz is located in Lucas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Olmitz
- Russell
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Zero
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Zero is located in Lucas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zero
- Madison County
- The following are listed by their distance from Jay, with the one closest to Jay listed first.
- Truro
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Saint Charles
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- East Peru
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- East Peru is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Peru
- Population from the 2020 Census: 133 people
- Patterson
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Patterson is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Patterson
- Population from the 2020 Census: 163 people
- Barney
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Barney is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barney
- Winterset
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Ord
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Ord is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ord
- Marion County
- The following are listed by their distance from Jay, with the one closest to Jay listed first.
- Newbern
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Newbern is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newbern
- Bauer
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Bauer is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bauer
- Melcher - Dallas
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Melcher - Dallas is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Melcher - Dallas
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,236 people
- Columbia
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Columbia is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Columbia
- Pleasantville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Swan
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Swan is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Swan
- Population from the 2020 Census: 74 people
- Indiana
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Indiana is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Indiana
- Knoxville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Attica
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Attica is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Attica
- Monroe County
- Melrose
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Polk County
- The following are listed by their distance from Jay, with the one closest to Jay listed first.
- Norwalk
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Carlisle
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Adelphi
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Adelphi is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adelphi
- Levey
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Levey is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Levey
- Runnells
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Union County
- The following are listed by their distance from Jay, with the one closest to Jay listed first.
- Lorimor
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Lorimor is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lorimor
- Population from the 2020 Census: 341 people
- Thayer
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Thayer is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thayer
- Population from the 2020 Census: 58 people
- Warren County
- The following are listed by their distance from Jay, with the one closest to Jay listed first.
- Cool
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Cool is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cool
- Liberty Center
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Liberty Center is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Liberty Center
- New Virginia
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Lacona
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Milo
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Saint Marys
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Saint Marys is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Marys
- Population from the 2020 Census: 127 people
- Indianola
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Clarkson ‑ Historic
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Clarkson is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clarkson
- Ackworth
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Ackworth is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ackworth
- Population from the 2020 Census: 105 people
- Bevington
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Martensdale
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Churchville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Churchville is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Churchville
- Wayne County
- The following are listed by their distance from Jay, with the one closest to Jay listed first.
- Humeston
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Millerton
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Millerton is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millerton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 42 people
- Corydon
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Allerton
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Confidence
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Confidence is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Confidence
- Hodge
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Hodge is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hodge
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Jay, see our County-by-County Page for Jay.
Cemeteries Near Jay ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Jay.
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 Jay - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Jay covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Jay, with the one closest to Jay listed first.
- Harrison Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Walker Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Bethel Chapel Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Wren Hill Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Brinegar Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Rhoades Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Rhodes Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Liberty Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Twyford Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Ottawa Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Norwood Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Fletcher Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Continue List (298 more) ...
- St. Marys Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Woodburn Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Rose Hill Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
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, Jay had a post office and no railroad service.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Jay, with the one closest to Jay listed first.
- Liberty
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Liberty is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Liberty
- Norwood
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Norwood is located in Lucas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Norwood
- Medora
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Medora is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Medora
- Woodburn
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Jamison
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Jamison is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jamison
- Lucas
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Lucas is located in Lucas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lucas
- Population from the 2020 Census: 207 people
- Liberty Center
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Liberty Center is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Liberty Center
- Cool
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Cool is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cool
- New Virginia
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Osceola
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Smyrna
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Smyrna is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smyrna
- Oakley
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Oakley is located in Lucas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakley
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Lacona
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Whitebreast
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Whitebreast is located in Lucas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whitebreast
- Indianola Junction
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Indianola Junction is located in Lucas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Indianola Junction
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Jay. See our List of 1890's Communities around Jay.
Newspapers Published in Jay ...
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 45 newspapers that have been published in the area around Jay.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Jay, 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 Jay.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we begin 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 Jay:
- Websites specific to Iowa
- Pages specific to Clarke County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Decatur County
- Lucas County
- Madison County
- Marion County
- Monroe County
- Polk County
- Union County
- Warren County
- Wayne 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> | 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 Jay, 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 things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Jay) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |