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 Last Chance (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 Last Chance. 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.
Last Chance is located in Lucas 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 Lucas County: Appanoose, Clarke, Decatur, Marion, Monroe, Warren & Wayne.
Below are the counties that are near Last Chance. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Last Chance:
- Lucas County (The home county of Last Chance)
- The following are listed by their distance from Last Chance, with the one closest to Last Chance listed first.
- Derby
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Derby is located in Lucas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Derby
- Population from the 2020 Census: 111 people
- Lucas
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Lucas is located in Lucas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lucas
- Population from the 2020 Census: 207 people
- Chariton
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Williamson
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Russell
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Olmitz
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Olmitz is located in Lucas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Olmitz
- Zero
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Zero is located in Lucas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zero
- Appanoose County
- Plano
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Clarke County
- The following are listed by their distance from Last Chance, with the one closest to Last Chance listed first.
- Woodburn
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Weldon
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Weldon is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weldon
- Population from the 2020 Census: 104 people
- Green Bay ‑ Historic
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Green Bay is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Green Bay
- Osceola
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Liberty
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Liberty is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Liberty
- Lacelle
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Lacelle is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lacelle
- Murray
(21 miles [33.8 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
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Hopeville is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hopeville
- Decatur County
- The following are listed by their distance from Last Chance, with the one closest to Last Chance listed first.
- Le Roy
(5 miles [8 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
(9 miles [14.5 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
(13 miles [20.9 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
- Woodland
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Woodland is located in Decatur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodland
- Leon
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Decatur City
(20 miles [32.2 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
- Grand River
(23 miles [37 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
- Morgan
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Morgan is located in Decatur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morgan
- Davis City
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Davis City is located in Decatur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Davis City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 187 people
- Pleasanton
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Pleasanton is located in Decatur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasanton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 44 people
- Lamoni
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Madison County
- The following are listed by their distance from Last Chance, with the one closest to Last Chance listed first.
- Truro
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- East Peru
(26 miles [41.8 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
- Saint Charles
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Barney
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Barney is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barney
- Marion County
- The following are listed by their distance from Last Chance, with the one closest to Last Chance listed first.
- Newbern
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Newbern is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newbern
- Bauer
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Bauer is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bauer
- Melcher - Dallas
(24 miles [38.6 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
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Columbia is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Columbia
- Monroe County
- Melrose
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Ringgold County
- The following are listed by their distance from Last Chance, with the one closest to Last Chance listed first.
- Beaconsfield
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Beaconsfield is located in Ringgold County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beaconsfield
- Population from the 2020 Census: 15 people
- Ellston
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Ellston is located in Ringgold County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ellston
- Population from the 2020 Census: 38 people
- Union County
- The following are listed by their distance from Last Chance, with the one closest to Last Chance listed first.
- Thayer
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Thayer is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thayer
- Population from the 2020 Census: 58 people
- Lorimor
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Lorimor is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lorimor
- Population from the 2020 Census: 341 people
- Warren County
- The following are listed by their distance from Last Chance, with the one closest to Last Chance listed first.
- Liberty Center
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Liberty Center is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Liberty Center
- Cool
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Cool is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cool
- Lacona
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- New Virginia
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Milo
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Clarkson ‑ Historic
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Clarkson is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clarkson
- Saint Marys
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Saint Marys is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Marys
- Population from the 2020 Census: 127 people
- Ackworth
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Ackworth is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ackworth
- Population from the 2020 Census: 105 people
- Indianola
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Sandyville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Sandyville is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sandyville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 54 people
- Martensdale
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Bevington
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Wayne County
- The following are listed by their distance from Last Chance, with the one closest to Last Chance listed first.
- Humeston
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Millerton
(14 miles [22.5 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
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Allerton
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Hodge
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Hodge is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hodge
- Clio
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Clio is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clio
- Population from the 2020 Census: 73 people
- Confidence
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Confidence is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Confidence
- Lineville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Lineville is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lineville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 217 people
- Promise City
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Promise City is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Promise City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 110 people
- Seymour
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Mercer County (MO)
- The following are listed by their distance from Last Chance, with the one closest to Last Chance listed first.
- South Lineville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- South Lineville is located in Mercer County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Lineville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 27 people
- Mercer
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Last Chance, see our County-by-County Page for Last Chance.
Cemeteries Near Last Chance ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Last Chance.
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 Last Chance - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Last Chance covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Last Chance, with the one closest to Last Chance listed first.
- Last Chance Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Smyrna Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Clarke Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Blair Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Gwinn Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Ottawa Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Webb Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Goshen Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Woodburn Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Horton Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Humeston Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Derby Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Continue List (314 more) ...
- St. Marys Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Lewis Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Rose Hill Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 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.<2>
While we didn't find Last Chance in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Last Chance.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Last Chance, with the one closest to Last Chance listed first.
- Smyrna
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Smyrna is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smyrna
- Woodburn
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Le Roy
(5 miles [8 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
- Derby
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Derby is located in Lucas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Derby
- Population from the 2020 Census: 111 people
- Humeston
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Lucas
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Lucas is located in Lucas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lucas
- Population from the 2020 Census: 207 people
- Garden Grove
(9 miles [14.5 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
- Weldon
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Weldon is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weldon
- Population from the 2020 Census: 104 people
- Jay
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Jay is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jay
- Green Bay ‑ Historic
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Green Bay is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Green Bay
- Cambria
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Cambria is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cambria
- Indianola Junction
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Indianola Junction is located in Lucas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Indianola Junction
- Continue List (13 more) ...
- Whitebreast
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Whitebreast is located in Lucas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whitebreast
- Norwood
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Norwood is located in Lucas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Norwood
- Osceola
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Last Chance. See our List of 1890's Communities around Last Chance.
Newspapers Published in Last Chance ...
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 120 newspapers that have been published in the area around Last Chance.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Last Chance, 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 Last Chance.
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 Last Chance:
- Websites specific to Iowa
- Pages specific to Lucas County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Appanoose County
- Clarke County
- Decatur County
- Madison County
- Marion County
- Monroe County
- Ringgold County
- Union County
- Warren County
- Wayne County
- Mercer 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 Last Chance, 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 obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Last Chance) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |