RoadsideThoughts
A Gazetteer for the United States and Canada
Home >> State of Iowa >> Humboldt County >> Ottosen >> Genealogy HelperIndex...

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 Ottosen (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 Ottosen. 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 and hospitals 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.

Ottosen is located in Humboldt 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 Humboldt County: Hancock, Kossuth, Palo Alto, Pocahontas, Webster & Wright.

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

  • Humboldt County     (The home county of Ottosen)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ottosen, with the one closest to Ottosen listed first.
    • Bode
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Bode is located in Humboldt County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bode
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 286 people
    • Bradgate
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
      • Bradgate is located in Humboldt County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bradgate
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 84 people
    • Livermore
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
      • Livermore is located in Humboldt County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Livermore
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 361 people
    • Arnold
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Arnold is located in Humboldt County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arnold
    • Rutland
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Rutland is located in Humboldt County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rutland
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 121 people
    • Gilmore City
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
    • Dakota City
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Humboldt
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Pioneer
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
      • Pioneer is located in Humboldt County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pioneer
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 22 people
    • Hardy
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
      • Hardy is located in Humboldt County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hardy
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 41 people
    • Renwick
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
    • Thor
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Thor is located in Humboldt County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thor
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 180 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Thor <1>
  • Buena Vista County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ottosen, with the one closest to Ottosen listed first.
    • Albert City
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
    • Marathon
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
      • Marathon is located in Buena Vista County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marathon
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 228 people
  • Calhoun County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ottosen, with the one closest to Ottosen listed first.
    • Manson
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
    • Pomeroy
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Knierim
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
      • Knierim is located in Calhoun County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Knierim
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 57 people
  • Emmet County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ottosen, with the one closest to Ottosen listed first.
    • Ringsted
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
    • Hoprig
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Hoprig is located in Emmet County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hoprig
  • Hancock County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ottosen, with the one closest to Ottosen listed first.
    • Corwith
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
      • Corwith is located in Hancock County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Corwith
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 245 people
    • Hutchins
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Hutchins is located in Hancock County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hutchins
    • Kanawha
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
  • Kossuth County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ottosen, with the one closest to Ottosen listed first.
    • Whittemore
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
      • Whittemore is located in Kossuth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whittemore
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 469 people
    • Irvington
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Irvington is located in Kossuth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Irvington
    • Algona
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Lu Verne
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
    • Sexton
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Sexton is located in Kossuth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sexton
    • Burt
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
      • Burt is located in Kossuth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burt
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 493 people
    • Fenton
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
      • Fenton is located in Kossuth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fenton
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 225 people
    • Lone Rock
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
    • Wesley
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
      • Wesley is located in Kossuth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wesley
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 364 people
    • Seneca
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
      • Seneca is located in Kossuth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seneca
    • Bancroft
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
      • Bancroft is located in Kossuth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bancroft
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 684 people
    • Titonka
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Titonka is located in Kossuth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Titonka
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 433 people
  • Palo Alto County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ottosen, with the one closest to Ottosen listed first.
    • West Bend
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
    • Rodman
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Rodman is located in Palo Alto County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rodman
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 41 people
    • Cylinder
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Cylinder is located in Palo Alto County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cylinder
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 84 people
    • Mallard
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
    • Curlew
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
      • Curlew is located in Palo Alto County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Curlew
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 55 people
    • Emmetsburg
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Ayrshire
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Graettinger
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Ruthven
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Pocahontas County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ottosen, with the one closest to Ottosen listed first.
    • Rolfe
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Rolfe is located in Pocahontas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rolfe
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 530 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Rolfe <1>
    • Plover
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
      • Plover is located in Pocahontas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plover
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 69 people
    • Havelock
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
    • Pocahontas
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
    • Palmer
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Laurens
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
  • Webster County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ottosen, with the one closest to Ottosen listed first.
    • Clare
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
      • Clare is located in Webster County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clare
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 133 people
    • Badger
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Barnum
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
      • Barnum is located in Webster County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barnum
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 181 people
    • Tara
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
      • Tara is located in Webster County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tara
    • Vincent
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Vincent is located in Webster County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vincent
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 158 people
    • Fort Dodge
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
  • Wright County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ottosen, with the one closest to Ottosen listed first.
    • Goldfield
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Eagle Grove
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Holmes
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
      • Holmes is located in Wright County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holmes

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

Cemeteries Near Ottosen ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Ottosen.

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

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

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

  • Union Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the south)
  • Omer - Thorsen Farm Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
  • McKnight Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
  • Bode Memorial Park
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
  • St. Olaf Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
  • Apostolic Christian Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
  • West Bend Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
  • Old Rolfe Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Garfield Twp. Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
  • St. Joseph's Catholic Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
  • Riverside Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Union Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
  • Continue List   (144 more) ...
    • St. Margarets Cemetery
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Clinton - Garfield Cemetery
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Powhatan Cemetery
      (10 miles [16.1 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.<2>

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

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

  • Bode
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Bode is located in Humboldt County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bode
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 286 people
  • West Bend
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
  • Bradgate
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
    • Bradgate is located in Humboldt County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bradgate
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 84 people
  • Saint Joseph
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
    • Saint Joseph is located in Kossuth County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Joseph
  • Rolfe
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Rolfe is located in Pocahontas County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rolfe
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 530 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Rolfe <1>
  • Livermore
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
    • Livermore is located in Humboldt County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Livermore
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 361 people
  • Rutland
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Rutland is located in Humboldt County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rutland
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 121 people
  • Arnold
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Arnold is located in Humboldt County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arnold
  • Whittemore
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
    • Whittemore is located in Kossuth County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whittemore
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 469 people
  • Irvington
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Irvington is located in Kossuth County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Irvington
  • Rodman
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Rodman is located in Palo Alto County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rodman
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 41 people
  • Gilmore City
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Plover
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
      • Plover is located in Pocahontas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plover
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 69 people
    • Algona
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Humboldt
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)

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

Newspapers Published in Ottosen ...

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 44 newspapers that have been published in the area around Ottosen.

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

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 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 Ottosen:

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 Ottosen, 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- Ottosen) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.