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 Levey (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 Levey. 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 northeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most hospitals and doctors were in the next county to the east. 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 east 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.
Levey is located in Polk 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 Polk County: Boone, Dallas, Jasper, Madison, Marion, Story & Warren.
Below are the counties that are near Levey. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Levey:
- Polk County (The home county of Levey)
- The following are listed by their distance from Levey, with the one closest to Levey listed first.
- Pleasant Hill
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Rising Sun
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Rising Sun is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rising Sun
- Carlisle
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Adelphi
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Adelphi is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adelphi
- Country Estate Village
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Des Moines
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Altoona
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Runnells
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Berwick
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Berwick is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Berwick
- Marquisville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Marquisville is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marquisville
- Norwalk
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Bondurant
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Carney
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Carney is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carney
- Boone County
- Madrid
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Clarke County
- Liberty
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Liberty is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Liberty
- Dallas County
- The following are listed by their distance from Levey, with the one closest to Levey listed first.
- Booneville
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Waukee
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Granger
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Van Meter
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- High Bridge
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- High Bridge is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for High Bridge
- Dallas Center
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- DeSoto
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Adel
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Xenia
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Xenia is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Xenia
- Minburn
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Minburn is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Minburn
- Population from the 2020 Census: 357 people
- Woodward
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Jasper County
- The following are listed by their distance from Levey, with the one closest to Levey listed first.
- Vandalia
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Vandalia is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vandalia
- Prairie City
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Oswalt
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Oswalt is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oswalt
- Colfax
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Valeria
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Valeria is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Valeria
- Population from the 2020 Census: 58 people
- Green Castle
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Green Castle is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Green Castle
- Mingo
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Goddard
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Goddard is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goddard
- Monroe
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Metz
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Metz is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Metz
- Ira
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Ira is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ira
- Clyde
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Clyde is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clyde
- Lambs Grove
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Lambs Grove is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lambs Grove
- Population from the 2020 Census: 165 people
- Madison County
- The following are listed by their distance from Levey, with the one closest to Levey listed first.
- Patterson
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Patterson is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Patterson
- Population from the 2020 Census: 163 people
- Saint Charles
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Truro
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Winterset
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- East Peru
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- East Peru is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Peru
- Population from the 2020 Census: 133 people
- Marion County
- The following are listed by their distance from Levey, with the one closest to Levey listed first.
- Swan
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Swan is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Swan
- Population from the 2020 Census: 74 people
- Percy ‑ Historic
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Percy is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Percy
- Pleasantville
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Cordova
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Cordova is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cordova
- Otley
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Bauer
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Bauer is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bauer
- Knoxville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Melcher - Dallas
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Melcher - Dallas is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Melcher - Dallas
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,236 people
- Newbern
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Newbern is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newbern
- Howell ‑ Historic
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Howell is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Howell
- Story County
- The following are listed by their distance from Levey, with the one closest to Levey listed first.
- Cambridge
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Huxley
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Maxwell
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Slater
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Midvale
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Midvale is located in Story County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Midvale
- Iowa Center
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Iowa Center is located in Story County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Iowa Center
- Collins
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Collins is located in Story County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Collins
- Population from the 2020 Census: 472 people
- Kelley
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Shipley
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Shipley is located in Story County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shipley
- Warren County
- The following are listed by their distance from Levey, with the one closest to Levey listed first.
- Hartford
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Palmyra
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Palmyra is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Palmyra
- Lakewood
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Lakewood is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakewood
- Spring Hill
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Spring Hill is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spring Hill
- Population from the 2020 Census: 65 people
- Orillia
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Orillia is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orillia
- Ackworth
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Ackworth is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ackworth
- Population from the 2020 Census: 105 people
- Indianola
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Cumming
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Sandyville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Sandyville is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sandyville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 54 people
- Prole
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Prole is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prole
- Clarkson ‑ Historic
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Clarkson is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clarkson
- Churchville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Churchville is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Churchville
- Martensdale
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Levey, see our County-by-County Page for Levey.
Cemeteries Near Levey ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Levey.
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 Levey - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Levey covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Levey, with the one closest to Levey listed first.
- Avon Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avon Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Avon Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the southeast of Des Moines.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #94191 <2>
- Oakwood Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Elm Grove Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Sims Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Laurel Hill Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Ft. Des Moines Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Carlisle Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Stuart Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Rising Sun Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Harvey Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Scotch Ridge Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Powers - Warren Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Continue List (315 more) ...
- Oak Grove Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Sunset Memorial Gardens
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Middle River 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.<3>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that in 1895, Levey had a post office and railroad service.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Levey, with the one closest to Levey listed first.
- Avon
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Avon is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avon
- Hastie
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Hastie is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hastie
- East Des Moines
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- East Des Moines is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Des Moines
- Carlisle
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Rising Sun
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Rising Sun is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rising Sun
- Adelphi
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Adelphi is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adelphi
- Des Moines
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Ivy
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Ivy is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ivy
- Altoona
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Summerset
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Summerset is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Summerset
- Palmyra
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Palmyra is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Palmyra
- Hartford
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Ford
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Ford is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ford
- Runnells
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Berwick
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Berwick is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Berwick
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Levey. See our List of 1890's Communities around Levey.
Newspapers Published in Levey ...
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 267 newspapers that have been published in the area around Levey.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Levey, there are papers which were published within 26 miles [41.8 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Levey.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we like to start 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 Levey:
- Websites specific to Iowa
- Pages specific to Polk County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Boone County
- Clarke County
- Dallas County
- Jasper County
- Madison County
- Marion County
- Story County
- Warren 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> | 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 Levey, 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 things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Levey) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |