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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 Nishna (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 Nishna. 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 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.

Nishna is located in Audubon 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 Audubon County: Adair, Carroll, Cass, Crawford, Guthrie & Shelby.

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

  • Audubon County     (The home county of Nishna)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Nishna, with the one closest to Nishna listed first.
    • Audubon
      (Less than 2 miles to the north)
    • Hamlin
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
      • Hamlin is located in Audubon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hamlin
    • Ross
      (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
      • Ross is located in Audubon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ross
    • Exira
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
    • Kimballton
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Fiscus
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
      • Fiscus is located in Audubon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fiscus
    • Gray
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
    • Brayton
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
  • Carroll County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Nishna, with the one closest to Nishna listed first.
    • Dedham
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
    • Templeton
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
    • Manning
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Coon Rapids
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Willey
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
      • Willey is located in Carroll County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willey
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 97 people
    • Halbur
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
      • Halbur is located in Carroll County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Halbur
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 252 people
    • Roselle
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
      • Roselle is located in Carroll County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roselle
    • Carroll Community Estates
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
    • Carroll
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
    • Glidden
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
    • Arcadia
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
      • Arcadia is located in Carroll County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arcadia
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 531 people
    • Ralston
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Ralston is located in Carroll County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ralston
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 72 people
  • Cass County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Nishna, with the one closest to Nishna listed first.
    • Anita
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
    • Marne
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Sycamore Village
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
      • Sycamore Village is located in Cass County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sycamore Village
    • Wiota
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
    • Atlantic
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
    • Grove City ‑ Historic
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
      • Grove City is located in Cass County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grove City
    • Norway Center
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
      • Norway Center is located in Cass County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Norway Center
    • Lewis
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
    • Cumberland
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
      • Cumberland is located in Cass County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cumberland
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 246 people
  • Crawford County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Nishna, with the one closest to Nishna listed first.
    • Aspinwall
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
      • Aspinwall is located in Crawford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aspinwall
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 40 people
    • Manilla
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Astor
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Astor is located in Crawford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Astor
    • Westside
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
    • Buck Grove
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Buck Grove is located in Crawford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buck Grove
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 43 people
    • Vail
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Vail is located in Crawford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vail
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 413 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Vail <1>
  • Greene County
    • Scranton
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Guthrie County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Nishna, with the one closest to Nishna listed first.
    • North Branch
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
      • North Branch is located in Guthrie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Branch
    • Adair
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
    • Guthrie Center
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
    • Bayard
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Casey
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
    • Glendon
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
      • Glendon is located in Guthrie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glendon
    • Bagley
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Bagley is located in Guthrie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bagley
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 285 people
    • Panora
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
    • Yale
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
      • Yale is located in Guthrie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yale
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 239 people
    • Menlo
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Dale
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
      • Dale is located in Guthrie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dale
  • Pottawattamie County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Nishna, with the one closest to Nishna listed first.
    • Walnut
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Walnut is located in Pottawattamie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walnut
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 768 people
    • Avoca
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
      • 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>
    • Harlan Junction ‑ Historic
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Harlan Junction is located in Pottawattamie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harlan Junction
  • Shelby County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Nishna, with the one closest to Nishna listed first.
    • Elk Horn
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Botna
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Botna is located in Shelby County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Botna
    • Irwin
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Kirkman
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
      • Kirkman is located in Shelby County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kirkman
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 61 people
    • Harlan
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
    • Corley
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
      • Corley is located in Shelby County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Corley
    • Defiance
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
      • Defiance is located in Shelby County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Defiance
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 260 people
    • Westphalia
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
      • Westphalia is located in Shelby County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westphalia
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 117 people
    • Earling
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
      • Earling is located in Shelby County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Earling
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 403 people
    • Tennant
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • Tennant is located in Shelby County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tennant
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 63 people
    • Panama
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
    • Shelby
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)

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

Cemeteries Near Nishna ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Nishna.

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

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

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

  • St. Patricks Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
  • Danish Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
  • Aretas Lodge Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
  • Arlington Heights Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
  • Maple Grove Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
  • Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Luccocks Grove Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
  • Ebenezer Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
  • Adventist Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Melville Twp. Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
  • St. Johns Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
  • Exira Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
  • Continue List   (153 more) ...
    • Holy Trinity Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
    • Douglas Twp. Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Lincoln Twp. Cemetery
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)

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>

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

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

  • Audubon
    (Less than 2 miles to the north)
  • Hamlin
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
    • Hamlin is located in Audubon County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hamlin
  • Ross
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
    • Ross is located in Audubon County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ross
  • Exira
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
  • Kimballton
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
  • Viola Center
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Viola Center is located in Audubon County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Viola Center
  • Fiscus
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
    • Fiscus is located in Audubon County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fiscus
  • Elk Horn
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
  • Brayton
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
  • Gray
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
  • North Branch
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
    • North Branch is located in Guthrie County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Branch
  • Lorah
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
    • Lorah is located in Cass County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lorah
  • Continue List   (13 more) ...
    • Dedham
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
    • Botna
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Botna is located in Shelby County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Botna
    • Templeton
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)

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

Newspapers Published in Nishna ...

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 94 newspapers that have been published in the area around Nishna.

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

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 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 Nishna:

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 Nishna, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.
<3>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 drawn from Point A (ie- Nishna) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.