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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 Lavinia (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 Lavinia. 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.

Lavinia is located in Calhoun 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 Calhoun County: Buena Vista, Carroll, Greene, Pocahontas, Sac & Webster.

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

  • Calhoun County     (The home county of Lavinia)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Lavinia, with the one closest to Lavinia listed first.
    • Sherwood
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
      • Sherwood is located in Calhoun County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sherwood
    • Rockwell City
      (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
    • Jolley
      (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
      • Jolley is located in Calhoun County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jolley
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 37 people
    • Lytton
      (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
      • Lytton is located in Calhoun County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lytton
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 285 people
    • Twin Lakes
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Twin Lakes is located in Calhoun County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Twin Lakes
    • Yetter
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Yetter is located in Calhoun County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yetter
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 31 people
    • Lake City
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
    • Pomeroy
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
    • Rands
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Rands is located in Calhoun County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rands
    • Manson
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Lohrville
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Wightman
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Wightman is located in Calhoun County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wightman
    • Rinard
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
      • Rinard is located in Calhoun County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rinard
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 48 people
  • Buena Vista County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Lavinia, with the one closest to Lavinia listed first.
    • Newell
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Newell is located in Buena Vista County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newell
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 859 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Newell <1>
    • Juniata
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
      • Juniata is located in Buena Vista County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Juniata
    • Lakeside
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Lakeside is located in Buena Vista County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakeside
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 690 people
    • Albert City
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
    • Casino Beach
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Casino Beach is located in Buena Vista County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Casino Beach
    • Storm Lake
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
  • Carroll County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Lavinia, with the one closest to Lavinia listed first.
    • Lanesboro
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
      • Lanesboro is located in Carroll County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lanesboro
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 108 people
    • Lidderdale
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
      • Lidderdale is located in Carroll County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lidderdale
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 167 people
    • Breda
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Breda is located in Carroll County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Breda
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 471 people
    • Carroll Community Estates
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
    • Carroll
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
    • Glidden
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
    • Ralston
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
      • Ralston is located in Carroll County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ralston
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 72 people
    • Arcadia
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Arcadia is located in Carroll County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arcadia
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 531 people
    • Roselle
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
      • Roselle is located in Carroll County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roselle
    • Willey
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
      • Willey is located in Carroll County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willey
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 97 people
    • Halbur
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
      • Halbur is located in Carroll County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Halbur
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 252 people
  • Crawford County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Lavinia, with the one closest to Lavinia listed first.
    • Boyer
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Boyer is located in Crawford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boyer
    • Westside
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Greene County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Lavinia, with the one closest to Lavinia listed first.
    • Churdan
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Churdan is located in Greene County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Churdan
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 363 people
    • Farlin
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Farlin is located in Greene County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Farlin
    • Scranton
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
    • Paton
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Humboldt County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Lavinia, with the one closest to Lavinia listed first.
    • Pioneer
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Pioneer is located in Humboldt County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pioneer
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 22 people
    • Gilmore City
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
  • Pocahontas County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Lavinia, with the one closest to Lavinia listed first.
    • Fonda
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Fonda is located in Pocahontas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fonda
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 566 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Fonda <1>
    • Palmer
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Varina
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
      • Varina is located in Pocahontas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Varina
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 64 people
    • Pocahontas
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
    • Havelock
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
    • Laurens
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
    • Rolfe
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • Rolfe is located in Pocahontas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rolfe
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 530 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Rolfe <1>
  • Sac County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Lavinia, with the one closest to Lavinia listed first.
    • Auburn
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Grant City
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Grant City is located in Sac County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grant City
    • Sac City
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
    • Lake View
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Nemaha
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
      • Nemaha is located in Sac County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nemaha
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 80 people
    • Sac City Junction ‑ Historic
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Sac City Junction is located in Sac County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sac City Junction
    • Wall Lake
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Wall Lake is located in Sac County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wall Lake
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 753 people
    • Early
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
    • Herring ‑ Historic
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Herring is located in Sac County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Herring
    • Odebolt
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
      • Odebolt is located in Sac County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Odebolt
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 933 people
    • Schaller
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
  • Webster County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Lavinia, with the one closest to Lavinia listed first.
    • Slifer
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
      • Slifer is located in Webster County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Slifer
    • Barnum
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
      • Barnum is located in Webster County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barnum
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 181 people
    • Callender
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
      • Callender is located in Webster County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Callender
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 346 people
    • Moorland
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
    • Tara
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
      • Tara is located in Webster County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tara
    • Clare
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
      • Clare is located in Webster County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clare
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 133 people
    • Gowrie
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
    • Palm Grove
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
      • Palm Grove is located in Webster County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Palm Grove
    • Fort Dodge
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
    • Harcourt
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
      • Harcourt is located in Webster County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harcourt
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 278 people
    • Otho
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
      • Otho is located in Webster County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Otho
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 505 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Otho <1>
    • Lanyon
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Lanyon is located in Webster County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lanyon

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

Cemeteries Near Lavinia ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Lavinia.

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

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

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

  • Garfield Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
  • Twin Lakes Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
  • Crown Hill Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Lake Creek Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Roby Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
  • St. Francis Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
  • Rosehill Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
  • Emmanuel Lutheran Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
  • Lutheran Emanuel Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
  • Reformatory Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
  • Greenwood Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
  • St. John Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Continue List   (149 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.<3>

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

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

  • Rockwell City
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • Jolley
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
    • Jolley is located in Calhoun County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jolley
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 37 people
  • Twin Lakes
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Twin Lakes is located in Calhoun County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Twin Lakes
  • Lake City
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
  • Rands
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Rands is located in Calhoun County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rands
  • Pomeroy
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
  • Grant City
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Grant City is located in Sac County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grant City
  • Auburn
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Sac City
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
  • Lohrville
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
  • Fonda
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Fonda is located in Pocahontas County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fonda
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 566 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Fonda <1>
  • Manson
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
  • Continue List   (19 more) ...
    • Lake View
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Carnarvon
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Kentner
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
      • Kentner is located in Carroll County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kentner

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

Newspapers Published in Lavinia ...

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 41 newspapers that have been published in the area around Lavinia.

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

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 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 Lavinia:

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 Lavinia, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.
<4>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 drawn from Point A (ie- Lavinia) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.