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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 Kennebec (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 Kennebec. 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 hospitals and 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.

Kennebec is located in Monona 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 Monona County: Crawford, Harrison, Woodbury, Burt (NE) & Thurston (NE).

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

  • Monona County     (The home county of Kennebec)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Kennebec, with the one closest to Kennebec listed first.
    • Castana
      (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
    • Turin
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
    • Onawa
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Whiting
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
    • Rodney
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
      • Rodney is located in Monona County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rodney
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 57 people
    • Mapleton
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Blencoe
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
      • Blencoe is located in Monona County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blencoe
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 196 people
    • Moorhead
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Soldier
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Albaton
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Albaton is located in Monona County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Albaton
    • Ute
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
      • Ute is located in Monona County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ute
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 337 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Ute <1>
  • Crawford County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Kennebec, with the one closest to Kennebec listed first.
    • Charter Oak
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
    • Ricketts
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
      • Ricketts is located in Crawford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ricketts
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 135 people
    • Kenwood
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
      • Kenwood is located in Crawford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kenwood
    • Bell
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
      • Bell is located in Crawford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bell
    • Schleswig
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
    • Dow City
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Arion
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
      • Arion is located in Crawford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arion
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 107 people
  • Harrison County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Kennebec, with the one closest to Kennebec listed first.
    • Pisgah
      (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
    • Little Sioux
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
    • Orson
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
      • Orson is located in Harrison County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orson
    • Mondamin
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
    • Dunlap
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Magnolia
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
      • Magnolia is located in Harrison County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Magnolia
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 170 people
    • Woodbine
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Ida County
    • Battle Creek
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
  • Woodbury County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Kennebec, with the one closest to Kennebec listed first.
    • Smithland
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Hornick
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Hornick is located in Woodbury County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hornick
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 210 people
    • Oto
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Oto is located in Woodbury County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oto
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 101 people
    • Sloan
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Climbing Hill
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
      • Climbing Hill is located in Woodbury County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Climbing Hill
    • Danbury
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Salix
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Anthon
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
    • Bronson
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
      • Bronson is located in Woodbury County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bronson
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 318 people
    • Lawton
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
      • Lawton is located in Woodbury County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lawton
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 979 people
    • Moville
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
    • Glen Ellen
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Glen Ellen is located in Woodbury County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glen Ellen
  • Burt County (NE)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Kennebec, with the one closest to Kennebec listed first.
    • Decatur
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Bertha
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Bertha is located in Burt County (NE)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bertha
    • Tekamah
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Lyons
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Lyons is located in Burt County (NE)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lyons
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 800 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Lyons <1>
    • Craig
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Craig is located in Burt County (NE)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Craig
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 188 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Craig <1>
    • Oakland
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Cuming County (NE)
    • Bancroft
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
  • Dakota County (NE)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Kennebec, with the one closest to Kennebec listed first.
    • Homer
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Homer is located in Dakota County (NE)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Homer
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 520 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Homer <1>
    • Dakota City
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Thurston County (NE)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Kennebec, with the one closest to Kennebec listed first.
    • Macy
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
    • Walthill
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
    • Rosalie
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
      • Rosalie is located in Thurston County (NE)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rosalie
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 159 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Rosalie <1>
    • Winnebago
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)

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

Cemeteries Near Kennebec ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Kennebec.

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

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

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

  • Kennebec Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Onawa Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Bisbee Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Belvidere Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Center Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
  • Grant Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Whiting Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Smithland Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
  • Clark Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
  • Jordan Cemetery
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
  • Hollister Cemetery
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
  • Hite Cemetery
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
  • Continue List   (98 more) ...
    • Harrison Cemetery
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
    • Willow Cemetery
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
    • Graceland Cemetery
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)

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>

While we didn't find Kennebec in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Kennebec.

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

  • Turin
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
  • Castana
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • Ticonic
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
    • Ticonic is located in Monona County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ticonic
  • Onawa
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Whiting
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
  • Rodney
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Rodney is located in Monona County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rodney
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 57 people
  • Smithland
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
  • Hornick
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Hornick is located in Woodbury County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hornick
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 210 people
  • Maple Landing ‑ Historic
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
    • Maple Landing is located in Monona County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maple Landing
  • Holly Springs
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
    • Holly Springs is located in Woodbury County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holly Springs
  • Blencoe
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
    • Blencoe is located in Monona County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blencoe
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 196 people
  • Mapleton
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Decatur
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Moorhead
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Soldier
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)

We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Kennebec. See our List of 1890's Communities around Kennebec.

Newspapers Published in Kennebec ...

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 106 newspapers that have been published in the area around Kennebec.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Kennebec, 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 Kennebec.

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 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 Kennebec:

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 Kennebec, 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 obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Kennebec) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.