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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 Malta (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 Malta. 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 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.

Malta is located in Marshall 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 Marshall County: Grundy, Hardin, Jasper, Poweshiek, Story & Tama.

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

  • Marshall County     (The home county of Malta)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Malta, with the one closest to Malta listed first.
    • Melbourne
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
    • State Center Junction
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
      • State Center Junction is located in Marshall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for State Center Junction
    • State Center
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Rhodes
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Rhodes is located in Marshall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rhodes
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 298 people
    • Luray
      (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
      • Luray is located in Marshall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Luray
    • LaMoille
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
      • LaMoille is located in Marshall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for LaMoille
    • Haverhill
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
    • Marietta
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Marietta is located in Marshall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marietta
    • Clemons
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
      • Clemons is located in Marshall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clemons
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 141 people
    • Albion
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Marshalltown
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Saint Anthony
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Saint Anthony is located in Marshall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Anthony
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 101 people
    • Laurel
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Laurel is located in Marshall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Laurel
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 234 people
  • Grundy County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Malta, with the one closest to Malta listed first.
    • Conrad
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Beaman
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Beaman is located in Grundy County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beaman
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 183 people
  • Hardin County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Malta, with the one closest to Malta listed first.
    • Union
      (18 miles [29 km] to the north)
      • Union is located in Hardin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 373 people
    • Whitten
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
      • Whitten is located in Hardin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whitten
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 140 people
    • Gifford
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
    • New Providence
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
      • New Providence is located in Hardin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Providence
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 220 people
    • Garden City
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
      • Garden City is located in Hardin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garden City
    • Hubbard
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Eldora
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
    • Radcliffe
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Sherman
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Sherman is located in Hardin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sherman
    • Steamboat Rock
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
  • Jasper County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Malta, with the one closest to Malta listed first.
    • Baxter
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
    • Clyde
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Clyde is located in Jasper County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clyde
    • Ira
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
      • Ira is located in Jasper County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ira
    • Mingo
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Goddard
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
      • Goddard is located in Jasper County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goddard
    • Green Castle
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Green Castle is located in Jasper County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Green Castle
    • Lambs Grove
      (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
      • Lambs Grove is located in Jasper County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lambs Grove
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 165 people
    • Newton
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
    • Valeria
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Valeria is located in Jasper County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Valeria
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 58 people
    • Kellogg
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Newburg
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Newburg is located in Jasper County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newburg
    • Colfax
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
    • Metz
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
      • Metz is located in Jasper County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Metz
  • Polk County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Malta, with the one closest to Malta listed first.
    • Loring
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Loring is located in Polk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Loring
    • Santiago
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Santiago is located in Polk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Santiago
    • Elkhart
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Mitchellville
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Bondurant
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Alleman
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • Alleman is located in Polk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alleman
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 447 people
    • Altoona
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Ankeny
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Berwick
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Berwick is located in Polk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Berwick
    • Sheldahl
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
      • Sheldahl is located in Polk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sheldahl
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 325 people
  • Poweshiek County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Malta, with the one closest to Malta listed first.
    • Grinnell
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Sheridan
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
      • Sheridan is located in Poweshiek County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sheridan
  • Story County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Malta, with the one closest to Malta listed first.
    • Collins
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Collins is located in Story County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Collins
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 472 people
    • Colo
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
    • Iowa Center
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
      • Iowa Center is located in Story County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Iowa Center
    • Maxwell
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
    • Fernald
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Fernald is located in Story County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fernald
    • Zearing
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Nevada
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
    • McCallsburg
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
      • McCallsburg is located in Story County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McCallsburg
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 320 people
    • Shipley
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
      • Shipley is located in Story County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shipley
    • Cambridge
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
    • Roland
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Roland is located in Story County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roland
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,252 people
    • Huxley
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
    • Midvale
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
      • Midvale is located in Story County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Midvale
  • Tama County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Malta, with the one closest to Malta listed first.
    • Montour
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
    • Garwin
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
      • Garwin is located in Tama County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garwin
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 490 people
    • Gladbrook
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Tama
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
    • Toledo
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
    • Lincoln
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Lincoln is located in Tama County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lincoln
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 148 people

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

Cemeteries Near Malta ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Malta.

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

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

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

  • Wilkey Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
  • Melbourne Memorial Garden Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
  • Maple Grove Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
  • Nicholls Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
  • County Home Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
  • Eden Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
  • St. Josephs Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Hillside Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
  • St. Josephs Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
  • Logan Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
  • LaMoille Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
  • Fairview Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
  • Continue List   (269 more) ...
    • St. Johns Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Day Cemetery
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
    • St. John's UCC Cemetery
      (8 miles [12.9 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.<2>

The Rand McNally Atlas shows that in 1895, Malta had a post office and railroad service.

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

  • Melbourne
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
  • State Center Junction
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
    • State Center Junction is located in Marshall County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for State Center Junction
  • Rhodes
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Rhodes is located in Marshall County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rhodes
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 298 people
  • State Center
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
  • Luray
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
    • Luray is located in Marshall County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Luray
  • LaMoille
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
    • LaMoille is located in Marshall County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for LaMoille
  • Haverhill
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
  • Marietta
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Marietta is located in Marshall County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marietta
  • Collins
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Collins is located in Story County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Collins
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 472 people
  • Clemons
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
    • Clemons is located in Marshall County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clemons
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 141 people
  • Baxter
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
  • Moningers
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
    • Moningers is located in Marshall County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moningers
  • Continue List   (17 more) ...
    • Minerva
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
      • Minerva is located in Marshall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Minerva
    • Bromley
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
      • Bromley is located in Marshall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bromley
    • Colo
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)

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

Newspapers Published in Malta ...

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 187 newspapers that have been published in the area around Malta.

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

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 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 Malta:

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