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 Oran (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 Oran. 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 southwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors and hospitals were in the next county to the west. 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 west 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.
Oran is located in Fayette 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 Fayette County: Allamakee, Black Hawk, Bremer, Buchanan, Chickasaw, Clayton, Delaware & Winneshiek.
Below are the counties that are near Oran. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Oran:
- Fayette County (The home county of Oran)
- The following are listed by their distance from Oran, with the one closest to Oran listed first.
- Westgate
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Westgate is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westgate
- Population from the 2020 Census: 209 people
- Oelwein
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Maynard
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Randalia
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Randalia is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Randalia
- Population from the 2020 Census: 60 people
- Donnan
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Donnan is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Donnan
- Fayette
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Hawkeye
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Hawkeye is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hawkeye
- Population from the 2020 Census: 399 people
- Arlington
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Arlington is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arlington
- Population from the 2020 Census: 393 people
- Alpha
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Alpha is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alpha
- Maryville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Maryville is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maryville
- West Union
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Douglass
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Douglass is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Douglass
- Wadena
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Benton County
- The following are listed by their distance from Oran, with the one closest to Oran listed first.
- Mount Auburn
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Mount Auburn is located in Benton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Auburn
- Population from the 2020 Census: 144 people
- Spencers Grove
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Spencers Grove is located in Benton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spencers Grove
- Black Hawk County
- The following are listed by their distance from Oran, with the one closest to Oran listed first.
- Dunkerton
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Dunkerton is located in Black Hawk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunkerton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 851 people
- Edwards ‑ Historic
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Edwards is located in Black Hawk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edwards
- Dewar
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Dewar is located in Black Hawk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dewar
- Jesup
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Raymond
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Raymond is located in Black Hawk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Raymond
- Population from the 2020 Census: 788 people
- Elk Run Heights
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Elk Run Heights is located in Black Hawk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elk Run Heights
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,135 people
- Evansdale
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Waterloo
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Janesville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Gilbertville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Gilbertville is located in Black Hawk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gilbertville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 725 people
- Jubilee
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Jubilee is located in Black Hawk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jubilee
- Cedar City
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Cedar City is located in Black Hawk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar City
- North Cedar
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- North Cedar is located in Black Hawk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Cedar
- Bremer County
- The following are listed by their distance from Oran, with the one closest to Oran listed first.
- Klinger
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Klinger is located in Bremer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Klinger
- Readlyn
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Knittel
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Knittel is located in Bremer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Knittel
- Sumner
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Tripoli
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Denver
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Bremer
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Bremer is located in Bremer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bremer
- Frederika
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Frederika is located in Bremer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frederika
- Population from the 2020 Census: 205 people
- Seigel
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Seigel is located in Bremer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seigel
- Waverly
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Horton
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Horton is located in Bremer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Horton
- Plainfield
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Buchanan County
- The following are listed by their distance from Oran, with the one closest to Oran listed first.
- Fairbank
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Hazleton
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Stanley
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Stanley is located in Buchanan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stanley
- Population from the 2020 Census: 120 people
- Aurora
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Aurora is located in Buchanan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aurora
- Population from the 2020 Census: 162 people
- Independence
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Doris
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Doris is located in Buchanan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Doris
- Shady Grove
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Shady Grove is located in Buchanan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shady Grove
- Lamont
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Winthrop
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Winthrop is located in Buchanan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winthrop
- Population from the 2020 Census: 848 people
- Rowley
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Brandon
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Brandon is located in Buchanan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brandon
- Population from the 2020 Census: 320 people
- Quasqueton
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Hamerville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Hamerville is located in Buchanan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hamerville
- Butler County
- The following are listed by their distance from Oran, with the one closest to Oran listed first.
- Shell Rock
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- New Hartford
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Clarksville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Chickasaw County
- The following are listed by their distance from Oran, with the one closest to Oran listed first.
- Fredericksburg
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Republic
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Republic is located in Chickasaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Republic
- Lawler
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- New Hampton
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Bradford
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Bradford is located in Chickasaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bradford
- Nashua
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Ionia
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Clayton County
- The following are listed by their distance from Oran, with the one closest to Oran listed first.
- Strawberry Point
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Volga
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Volga is located in Clayton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Volga
- Population from the 2020 Census: 193 people
- Delaware County
- The following are listed by their distance from Oran, with the one closest to Oran listed first.
- Dundee
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Forestville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Forestville is located in Delaware County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forestville
- Masonville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Masonville is located in Delaware County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Masonville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 119 people
- Grundy County
- Fredsville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Fredsville is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fredsville
- Winneshiek County
- The following are listed by their distance from Oran, with the one closest to Oran listed first.
- Jackson Junction
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Jackson Junction is located in Winneshiek County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jackson Junction
- Population from the 2020 Census: 54 people
- Navan
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Navan is located in Winneshiek County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Navan
- Festina
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Oran, see our County-by-County Page for Oran.
Cemeteries Near Oran ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Oran.
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 Oran - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Oran covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Oran, with the one closest to Oran listed first.
- St. Peter Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Immaculate Conception Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Grove Hill Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Fairbank Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Greenwood Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- St. Johns Evangelical Lutheran Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Oran Twp. Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Oran Twp. Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- St. Pauls UCC Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Calvary Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- St. Peter Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- North Amish Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Continue List (266 more) ...
- Woodlawn Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- St. Mathews Lutheran Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Emanuel Evangelical Lutheran Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
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 Oran in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Oran.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Oran, with the one closest to Oran listed first.
- Fairbank
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Westgate
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Westgate is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westgate
- Population from the 2020 Census: 209 people
- Wapsie
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Wapsie is located in Bremer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wapsie
- Klinger
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Klinger is located in Bremer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Klinger
- Oelwein
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Knittel
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Knittel is located in Bremer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Knittel
- Dunkerton
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Dunkerton is located in Black Hawk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunkerton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 851 people
- Hazleton
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Sumner
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Littleton
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Littleton is located in Buchanan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Littleton
- Maynard
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Tripoli
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Continue List (16 more) ...
- Bryantsburg
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Bryantsburg is located in Buchanan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bryantsburg
- Edwards ‑ Historic
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Edwards is located in Black Hawk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edwards
- Canfield
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Canfield is located in Black Hawk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Canfield
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Oran. See our List of 1890's Communities around Oran.
Newspapers Published in Oran ...
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 115 newspapers that have been published in the area around Oran.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Oran, there are papers which were published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Oran.
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 Oran:
- Websites specific to Iowa
- Pages specific to Fayette County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Benton County
- Black Hawk County
- Bremer County
- Buchanan County
- Butler County
- Chickasaw County
- Clayton County
- Delaware County
- Grundy County
- Winneshiek 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 Oran, 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' distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Oran) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |