Our Genealogy Helper for Neska ...
We have a couple of goals for our Gazetteer:
- That it be a tool that can help us with planning our trips.
- That it also helps us to understand the community in which our ancestors lived, the community that was part of their daily lives.
By learning about Neska (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 Neska. 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.
It's still very early in our research, but as we gather more information it will be added to this page.
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 southeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors were in the next county to the east. 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 east 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.
Neska is located in Mahaska County.
The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Mahaska County: Jasper, Keokuk, Marion, Monroe, Poweshiek & Wapello.
Below are the counties that are near Neska. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Neska:
| Dir | Distance | ||
| Mahaska (The home county for Neska) | |||
| Indianapolis [Map] | E | 4 miles [6.4 km]<1> | |
| Union Mills [Map] | NW | 4 miles [6.4 km] | |
| Rose Hill [Map] | SE | 6 miles [9.7 km] | |
| Lacey [Map] | W | 6 miles [9.7 km] | |
| Barnes City [Map] | N | 7 miles [11.3 km] | |
| New Sharon [Map] | NW | 8 miles [12.9 km] | |
| Keomah Village [Map] | S | 8 miles [12.9 km] | |
| Wright [Map] | S | 10 miles [16.1 km] | |
| Oskaloosa [Map] | SW | 10 miles [16.1 km] | |
| University Park [Map] | SW | 10 miles [16.1 km] | |
| Beacon [Map] | SW | 12 miles [19.3 km] | |
| Cedar [Map] | S | 13 miles [20.9 km] | |
| Evans [Map] | SW | 13 miles [20.9 km] | |
| Appanoose | |||
| Moravia [Map] | SW | 39 miles [62.8 km] | |
| Benton | |||
| Belle Plaine [Map] | N | 35 miles [56.3 km] | |
| Irving [Map] | N | 38 miles [61.2 km] | |
| Luzerne [Map] | NE | 38 miles [61.2 km] | |
| Blairstown [Map] | NE | 40 miles [64.4 km] | |
| Davis | |||
| Carbon [Map] | S | 35 miles [56.3 km] | |
| Floris [Map] | S | 38 miles [61.2 km] | |
| Iowa | |||
| Millersburg [Map] | NE | 21 miles [33.8 km] | |
| North English [Map] | E | 23 miles [37 km] | |
| Victor [Map] | NE | 24 miles [38.6 km] | |
| Parnell [Map] | NE | 28 miles [45.1 km] | |
| Ladora [Map] | NE | 29 miles [46.7 km] | |
| Williamsburg [Map] | NE | 31 miles [49.9 km] | |
| Conroy [Map] | NE | 34 miles [54.7 km] | |
| Dayton [Map] | NE | 34 miles [54.7 km] | |
| Marengo [Map] | NE | 35 miles [56.3 km] | |
| South Amana [Map] | NE | 37 miles [59.5 km] | |
| Jasper | |||
| Lynnville [Map] | NW | 18 miles [29 km] | |
| Sully [Map] | NW | 20 miles [32.2 km] | |
| Galesburg [Map] | NW | 24 miles [38.6 km] | |
| Killduff [Map] | NW | 24 miles [38.6 km] | |
| Oakland Acres [Map] | NW | 26 miles [41.8 km] | |
| Reasnor [Map] | NW | 28 miles [45.1 km] | |
| Kellogg [Map] | NW | 29 miles [46.7 km] | |
| Newburg [Map] | NW | 31 miles [49.9 km] | |
| Monroe [Map] | W | 31 miles [49.9 km] | |
| Newton [Map] | NW | 33 miles [53.1 km] | |
| Lambs Grove [Map] | NW | 35 miles [56.3 km] | |
| Metz [Map] | NW | 36 miles [57.9 km] | |
| Prairie City [Map] | W | 39 miles [62.8 km] | |
| Jefferson | |||
| Pekin [Map] | SE | 24 miles [38.6 km] | |
| Linby [Map] | SE | 26 miles [41.8 km] | |
| Abingdon [Map] | SE | 29 miles [46.7 km] | |
| Packwood [Map] | SE | 29 miles [46.7 km] | |
| Batavia [Map] | SE | 33 miles [53.1 km] | |
| Maharishi Vedic City [Map] | SE | 35 miles [56.3 km] | |
| Pleasant Plain [Map] | SE | 38 miles [61.2 km] | |
| Fairfield [Map] | SE | 39 miles [62.8 km] | |
| Libertyville [Map] | SE | 39 miles [62.8 km] | |
| Johnson | |||
| Amish [Map] | E | 38 miles [61.2 km] | |
| Keokuk | |||
| What Cheer [Map] | E | 8 miles [12.9 km] | |
| Gibson [Map] | NE | 8 miles [12.9 km] | |
| Thornburg [Map] | E | 9 miles [14.5 km] | |
| Delta [Map] | SE | 11 miles [17.7 km] | |
| Keswick [Map] | E | 14 miles [22.5 km] | |
| Aurora [Map] | NE | 15 miles [24.1 km] | |
| Sigourney [Map] | E | 16 miles [25.7 km] | |
| Hayesville [Map] | SE | 16 miles [25.7 km] | |
| Webster [Map] | E | 17 miles [27.4 km] | |
| Hedrick [Map] | SE | 19 miles [30.6 km] | |
| Martinsburg [Map] | SE | 20 miles [32.2 km] | |
| South English [Map] | E | 22 miles [35.4 km] | |
| Harper [Map] | E | 24 miles [38.6 km] | |
| Marion | |||
| Tracy [Map] | SW | 20 miles [32.2 km] | |
| Pella [Map] | W | 20 miles [32.2 km] | |
| Harvey [Map] | W | 22 miles [35.4 km] | |
| Bussey [Map] | SW | 23 miles [37 km] | |
| Hamilton [Map] | SW | 26 miles [41.8 km] | |
| Marysville [Map] | SW | 27 miles [43.5 km] | |
| Otley [Map] | W | 27 miles [43.5 km] | |
| Pershing [Map] | W | 27 miles [43.5 km] | |
| Attica [Map] | SW | 28 miles [45.1 km] | |
| Indiana [Map] | SW | 30 miles [48.3 km] | |
| Knoxville [Map] | W | 31 miles [49.9 km] | |
| Columbia [Map] | SW | 36 miles [57.9 km] | |
| Melcher-Dallas [Map] | W | 39 miles [62.8 km] | |
| Marshall | |||
| Gilman [Map] | NW | 35 miles [56.3 km] | |
| Dunbar [Map] | N | 39 miles [62.8 km] | |
| Laurel [Map] | NW | 39 miles [62.8 km] | |
| Ferguson [Map] | NW | 40 miles [64.4 km] | |
| Monroe | |||
| Lovilia [Map] | SW | 27 miles [43.5 km] | |
| Albia [Map] | SW | 30 miles [48.3 km] | |
| Melrose [Map] | SW | 40 miles [64.4 km] | |
| Poweshiek | |||
| Montezuma [Map] | N | 12 miles [19.3 km] | |
| Deep River [Map] | NE | 13 miles [20.9 km] | |
| Searsboro [Map] | NW | 15 miles [24.1 km] | |
| Guernsey [Map] | NE | 18 miles [29 km] | |
| Malcom [Map] | N | 20 miles [32.2 km] | |
| Brooklyn [Map] | N | 22 miles [35.4 km] | |
| Grinnell [Map] | NW | 25 miles [40.2 km] | |
| Hartwick [Map] | N | 27 miles [43.5 km] | |
| Sheridan [Map] | N | 29 miles [46.7 km] | |
| Tama | |||
| Chelsea [Map] | N | 35 miles [56.3 km] | |
| Gladstone [Map] | N | 38 miles [61.2 km] | |
| Tama [Map] | N | 38 miles [61.2 km] | |
| Montour [Map] | N | 40 miles [64.4 km] | |
| Toledo [Map] | N | 40 miles [64.4 km] | |
| Vining [Map] | N | 40 miles [64.4 km] | |
| Wapello | |||
| Eddyville [Map] | S | 18 miles [29 km] | |
| Kirkville [Map] | S | 18 miles [29 km] | |
| Chillicothe [Map] | S | 22 miles [35.4 km] | |
| Competine [Map] | SE | 24 miles [38.6 km] | |
| Ottumwa [Map] | S | 27 miles [43.5 km] | |
| Agency [Map] | S | 30 miles [48.3 km] | |
| Blakesburg [Map] | S | 31 miles [49.9 km] | |
| Cliffland [Map] | S | 32 miles [51.5 km] | |
| Eldon [Map] | SE | 37 miles [59.5 km] | |
| Washington | |||
| Rubio [Map] | SE | 32 miles [51.5 km] | |
| Wellman [Map] | E | 35 miles [56.3 km] | |
| West Chester [Map] | E | 36 miles [57.9 km] | |
| Brighton [Map] | SE | 39 miles [62.8 km] | |
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Neska, see our County-by-County Page for Neska.
Cemeteries Near Neska ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Neska.
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.
If you click on the [Map] that follows each cemetery's name, a Google map will open showing a satellite view of the area where the cemetery is located. We have tried to place the cemetery in the center of the map, but we're still working on our data and the map might not not be centered properly. If you don't see the cemetery right away, try zooming-in. Usually, but not always, you can see the outline of the cemetery or some of the headstones.
If you need information about a burial or interment, photos, transcripts, how to contact the cemetery or local authorities, please visit our selection of Genealogy Websites (see below).
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Neska covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
Newspapers Published in Neska ...
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 89 newspapers that have been published in the area around Neska.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Neska, there are papers which were published within 31 miles [49.9 km]. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Neska.
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 Neska in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Neska.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Neska, with the one closest to Neska listed first.
| Indianapolis [Map] | |
| - | Located 4 miles [6.4 km] to the East (E) from Neska |
| - | 1895 population of 142 people |
| - | Indianapolis had a post office and no railroad service |
| Union Mills [Map] | |
| - | Located 4 miles [6.4 km] to the Northwest (NW) from Neska |
| - | Union Mills had a post office and no railroad service |
| Rose Hill [Map] | |
| - | Located 6 miles [9.7 km] to the South Southeast (SSE) from Neska |
| - | 1895 population of 200 people (with 161 people in 2018) |
| - | Rose Hill had a post office and railroad service |
| Coal Creek [Map] | |
| - | Located 6 miles [9.7 km] to the East Northeast (ENE) from Neska |
| - | 1895 population of 108 people |
| - | Coal Creek had a post office and no railroad service |
| Lacey [Map] | |
| - | Located 6 miles [9.7 km] to the West (W) from Neska |
| - | 1895 population of 62 people |
| - | Lacey had a post office and railroad service |
| Barnes City [Map] | |
| - | Located 7 miles [11.3 km] to the North Northeast (NNE) from Neska |
| - | Barnes City had a post office and railroad service |
| Atwood [Map] | |
| - | Located 8 miles [12.9 km] to the Southeast (SE) from Neska |
| - | Atwood had a post office and railroad service |
| What Cheer [Map] | |
| - | Located 8 miles [12.9 km] to the East (E) from Neska |
| - | 1895 population of 3,246 people (with 624 people in 2018) |
| - | What Cheer had a post office and railroad service |
| New Sharon [Map] | |
| - | Located 8 miles [12.9 km] to the West Northwest (WNW) from Neska |
| - | 1895 population of 1,026 people (with 1,284 people in 2018) |
| - | New Sharon had a post office and railroad service |
| Tioga [Map] | |
| - | Located 9 miles [14.5 km] to the South Southeast (SSE) from Neska |
| - | Tioga had a post office and railroad service |
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Neska. The list can be found on our page for Communities Neighboring Neska in the 1890's.
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 either offer the information directly or else point to where you can find it. Their information is open to all and free to view - although they might link to other websites which do charge.
To help you get started, the following links will take you to the pages that are relevant to Neska:
These websites are specific to Iowa:
| Cyndi's List | Family Search | Genealogy Trails |
Website for the //iowaculture.gov/history/
Not to be confused with the official state website, we've found the Digital State Archives website for the State of Iowa to be a good source for additional links.
These pages are specific to Mahaska County:
| Cyndi's List | Family Search | Genealogy Trails |
Genealogy information for nearby counties:
Cemetery Information and Directories for Iowa:
| Cyndi's List: | Cemeteries of Iowa, Cemeteries of Mahaska County |
| Cemetery Junction: | Directory for Iowa |
| FamilySearch.org: | Cemetery Wiki for Iowa |
| Find-A-Grave: | Home Page |
| Internment.net: | Cemeteries for Iowa |
Of Special Interest ...
The GenDisasters website specializes in newspaper articles about tragedies and disasters. While it makes interesting reading all by itself, it should be of special interest to genealogists and family historians looking for people who were either affected by or directly involved in such tragedies.
| Disaster Stories from Iowa |
Other Roadside Stops ...
Off-the-Road Links ...
Unfortunately, we don't know of a website for Neska. If you can help, please contact us through our Feedback Page.
The official website for State of Iowa: https://www.iowa.gov/
Footnotes ...
| <1> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'point-to-point' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Neska) to Point B. Our distance measurements begin at a specific point in Neska. The point we use is located at these GPS coordinates - Latitude: 41.4083, Longitude: -92.5135 [Map]. In this case, the coordinates for Neska have been provided by the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS). |
| <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 Neska, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |