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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 Neola (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 Neola. 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 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 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.

Neola is located in Pottawattamie 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 Pottawattamie County: Cass, Harrison, Mills, Montgomery, Shelby, Douglas (NE), Sarpy (NE) & Washington (NE).

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

  • Pottawattamie County     (The home county of Neola)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Neola, with the one closest to Neola listed first.
    • Minden
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
      • Minden is located in Pottawattamie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Minden
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 597 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Minden <1>
    • Underwood
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
    • Pigeon
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
    • McClelland
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
    • Weston
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Honey Creek
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
      • Honey Creek is located in Pottawattamie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Honey Creek
    • Hancock
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
      • Hancock is located in Pottawattamie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hancock
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 196 people
    • Harlan Junction ‑ Historic
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
      • Harlan Junction is located in Pottawattamie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harlan Junction
    • Crescent
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Avoca
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
      • Avoca is located in Pottawattamie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avoca
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,537 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Avoca <1>
    • Chautauqua
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Loveland
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
      • Loveland is located in Pottawattamie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Loveland
    • Oakland
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
  • Audubon County
  • Cass County
  • Harrison County
  • Mills County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Neola, with the one closest to Neola listed first.
    • Mineola
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
    • Silver City
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
    • Henderson
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
    • Folsom
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
      • Folsom is located in Mills County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Folsom
    • Hentons ‑ Historic
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Hentons is located in Mills County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hentons
    • Glenwood
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
    • Pacific City
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
      • Pacific City is located in Mills County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pacific City
    • Hastings
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
      • Hastings is located in Mills County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hastings
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 149 people
    • Malvern
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
    • Mills
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
  • Shelby County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Neola, with the one closest to Neola listed first.
    • Shelby
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Tennant
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Portsmouth
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
    • Corley
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Panama
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
    • Harlan
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Westphalia
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Westphalia is located in Shelby County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westphalia
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 117 people
    • Earling
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Earling is located in Shelby County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Earling
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 403 people
    • Kirkman
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Kirkman is located in Shelby County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kirkman
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 61 people
    • Defiance
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Defiance is located in Shelby County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Defiance
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 260 people
    • Elk Horn
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
  • Douglas County (NE)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Neola, with the one closest to Neola listed first.
    • Home Park
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Briggs
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
      • Briggs is located in Douglas County (NE)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Briggs
    • Omaha
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Irvington
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
    • Ralston
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Ralston is located in Douglas County (NE)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ralston
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 7,254 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Ralston <1>
    • Bennington
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
    • Boys Town
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Sarpy County (NE)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Neola, with the one closest to Neola listed first.
    • Avery
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Avery is located in Sarpy County (NE)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avery
    • Bellevue
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Gilmore
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Gilmore is located in Sarpy County (NE)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gilmore
    • La Vista
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
    • La Platte
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Papillion
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Portal
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Portal is located in Sarpy County (NE)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Portal
  • Washington County (NE)

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

Cemeteries Near Neola ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Neola.

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

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

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

  • St. Patricks Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the north)
  • Neola Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the north)
  • St. Patricks Catholic Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the north)
  • Castor Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Minden Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • Champlin Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • Graybill Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • Spears Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • Cox Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
  • Fisher Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
  • York Twp. Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
  • Silver Valley Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Continue List   (202 more) ...
    • St. Pauls Lutheran Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
    • Downsville Cemetery
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Schley Cemetery
      (8 miles [12.9 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.<3>

The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Neola had a population of 917 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Neola had a population of 890 people.

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

  • Minden
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
    • Minden is located in Pottawattamie County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Minden
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 597 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Minden <1>
  • Underwood
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Yorkshire
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Union Burg ‑ Historic
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
    • Union Burg is located in Harrison County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union Burg
  • York Center
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
    • York Center is located in Pottawattamie County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for York Center
  • Beebeetown
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Beebeetown is located in Harrison County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beebeetown
  • Pigeon
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
  • Shelby
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
  • Persia
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
    • Persia is located in Harrison County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Persia
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 281 people
  • Weston
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
  • Quick
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
    • Quick is located in Pottawattamie County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Quick
  • Honey Creek
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
    • Honey Creek is located in Pottawattamie County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Honey Creek
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Crescent
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Taylor
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Taylor is located in Pottawattamie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Taylor
    • Hancock
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
      • Hancock is located in Pottawattamie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hancock
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 196 people

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

Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Neola ...

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 419 newspapers that have been published in the area around Neola.

We have organized these newspapers into two lists:

  • A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Neola. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Neola and those printed in the larger area surrounding Neola.
  • An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<4> of Neola.

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 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 Neola:

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 Neola, 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 drawn from Point A (ie- Neola) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.