RoadsideThoughts
A Gazetteer for the United States and Canada
Home >> State of Iowa >> Woodbury County >> Lawton >> Genealogy HelperIndex...

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 Lawton (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 Lawton. 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.

Lawton is located in Woodbury 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 Woodbury County: Cherokee, Ida, Monona, Plymouth, Dakota (NE), Thurston (NE) & Union (SD).

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

  • Woodbury County     (The home county of Lawton)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Lawton, with the one closest to Lawton listed first.
    • Bronson
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
      • Bronson is located in Woodbury County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bronson
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 318 people
    • Moville
      (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
    • Glen Ellen
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Glen Ellen is located in Woodbury County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glen Ellen
    • Regency of Sioux City
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
      • Regency of Sioux City is located in Woodbury County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Regency of Sioux City
    • Evergreen Village
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Evergreen Village is located in Woodbury County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Evergreen Village
    • Holiday Village
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
      • Holiday Village is located in Woodbury County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holiday Village
    • Climbing Hill
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Climbing Hill is located in Woodbury County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Climbing Hill
    • Sergeant Bluff
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Sioux City
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
    • Salix
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Pierson
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
      • Pierson is located in Woodbury County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pierson
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 349 people
    • Anthon
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
  • Cherokee County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Lawton, with the one closest to Lawton listed first.
    • Fielding
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
      • Fielding is located in Cherokee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fielding
    • Washta
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
      • Washta is located in Cherokee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Washta
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 222 people
    • Quimby
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
      • Quimby is located in Cherokee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Quimby
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 291 people
    • Marcus
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Monona County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Lawton, with the one closest to Lawton listed first.
    • Albaton
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
      • Albaton is located in Monona County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Albaton
    • Rodney
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Rodney is located in Monona County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rodney
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 57 people
    • Whiting
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
    • Mapleton
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Plymouth County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Lawton, with the one closest to Lawton listed first.
    • James
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
      • James is located in Plymouth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for James
    • Hinton
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Kingsley
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Merrill
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
    • O'Leary
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
      • O'Leary is located in Plymouth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for O'Leary
    • Le Mars
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
    • Adaville
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Adaville is located in Plymouth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adaville
    • Millnerville
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Millnerville is located in Plymouth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millnerville
    • Brunsville
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
      • Brunsville is located in Plymouth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brunsville
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 152 people
    • Oyens
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
      • Oyens is located in Plymouth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oyens
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 102 people
    • Remsen
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Struble
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
      • Struble is located in Plymouth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Struble
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 77 people
  • Dakota County (NE)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Lawton, with the one closest to Lawton listed first.
    • South Sioux City
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
    • Dakota City
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
    • Homer
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
      • 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>
    • Jackson
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
    • Hubbard
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
    • Willis
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
      • Willis is located in Dakota County (NE)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willis
    • Goodwin
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
      • Goodwin is located in Dakota County (NE)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goodwin
  • Dixon County (NE)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Lawton, with the one closest to Lawton listed first.
    • Ponca
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • Ponca is located in Dixon County (NE)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ponca
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 913 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Ponca <1>
    • Waterbury
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
    • Emerson
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Thurston County (NE)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Lawton, with the one closest to Lawton listed first.
    • Winnebago
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Macy
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
    • Walthill
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
  • Union County (SD)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Lawton, with the one closest to Lawton listed first.
    • Dakota Dunes
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
    • North Sioux City
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
    • McCook Lake
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
      • McCook Lake is located in Union County (SD)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McCook Lake
    • Jefferson
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Elk Point
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Richland
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Richland is located in Union County (SD)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Richland
      • Estimated population in 2014: 215 people

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

Cemeteries Near Lawton ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Lawton.

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

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

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

  • Banner Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the north)
  • Eberly Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
  • Concordia Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
  • Floyd Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • Arlington Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
  • Memorial Park Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
  • Grange Twp. Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grange Twp. Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Grange Twp. Cemetery is located 3 miles [4.8 km]<3> to the southeast of Bronson.
    • The Grange Twp. Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Grange Cemetery
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #1979924 <2>
  • Lincoln Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
  • Graceland Park Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
  • Hungerford Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
  • Floyd Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
  • Floyd Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
  • Continue List   (116 more) ...
    • Mt. Carmel Cemetery
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
    • Woodbury Twp. Cemetery
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Liberty Twp. Cemetery
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)

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.<4>

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

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

  • Moville
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • Glen Ellen
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Glen Ellen is located in Woodbury County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glen Ellen
  • Luton
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
    • Luton is located in Woodbury County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Luton
  • James
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
    • James is located in Plymouth County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for James
  • Leeds
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Leeds is located in Woodbury County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leeds
  • Sergeant Bluff
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
  • Climbing Hill
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Climbing Hill is located in Woodbury County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Climbing Hill
  • Hinton
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Sioux City
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
  • Covington ‑ Historic
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
    • Covington is located in Dakota County (NE)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Covington
  • South Sioux City
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
  • Dakota City
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
  • Continue List   (13 more) ...
    • Salix
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Neptune
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
      • Neptune is located in Plymouth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Neptune
    • Kingsley
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)

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

Newspapers Published in Lawton ...

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 153 newspapers that have been published in the area around Lawton.

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

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we first turn to the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These websites either 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 Lawton:

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