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 Owen (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 Owen. 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 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 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.
Owen is located in Cerro Gordo 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 Cerro Gordo County: Butler, Floyd, Franklin, Hancock, Mitchell, Winnebago, Worth & Wright.
Below are the counties that are near Owen. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Owen:
- Cerro Gordo County (The home county of Owen)
- The following are listed by their distance from Owen, with the one closest to Owen listed first.
- Cartersville
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Cartersville is located in Cerro Gordo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cartersville
- Portland
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Portland is located in Cerro Gordo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Portland
- Cameron
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Cameron is located in Cerro Gordo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cameron
- Rockwell
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Mason City Junction
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Mason City Junction is located in Cerro Gordo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mason City Junction
- Dougherty
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Dougherty is located in Cerro Gordo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dougherty
- Population from the 2020 Census: 56 people
- Mason City
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Burchinal
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Burchinal is located in Cerro Gordo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burchinal
- Rock Falls
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Rock Falls is located in Cerro Gordo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock Falls
- Population from the 2020 Census: 146 people
- Swaledale
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Swaledale is located in Cerro Gordo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Swaledale
- Population from the 2020 Census: 157 people
- Plymouth Junction
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Plymouth Junction is located in Cerro Gordo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plymouth Junction
- Plymouth
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Plymouth is located in Cerro Gordo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plymouth
- Population from the 2020 Census: 361 people
- Bremer County
- Plainfield
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Butler County
- The following are listed by their distance from Owen, with the one closest to Owen listed first.
- Aredale
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Greene
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Dumont
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Bristow
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Bristow is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bristow
- Population from the 2020 Census: 147 people
- Allison
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Kesley
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Kesley is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kesley
- Butler Center
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Butler Center is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Butler Center
- Clarksville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Chickasaw County
- The following are listed by their distance from Owen, with the one closest to Owen listed first.
- Bassett
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Bassett is located in Chickasaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bassett
- Population from the 2020 Census: 62 people
- Nashua
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Bradford
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Bradford is located in Chickasaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bradford
- Chickasaw
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Chickasaw is located in Chickasaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chickasaw
- Deerfield
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Deerfield is located in Chickasaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deerfield
- Floyd County
- The following are listed by their distance from Owen, with the one closest to Owen listed first.
- Rockford
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Nora Springs
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Rudd
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Aureola
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Aureola is located in Floyd County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aureola
- Marble Rock
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Roseville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Roseville is located in Floyd County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roseville
- Oakwood
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Oakwood is located in Floyd County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakwood
- Floyd
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Charles City
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Carrville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Carrville is located in Floyd County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carrville
- Colwell
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Franklin County
- The following are listed by their distance from Owen, with the one closest to Owen listed first.
- Sheffield
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Sheffield is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sheffield
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,096 people
- Chapin
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Chapin is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chapin
- Hansell
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Hampton
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Latimer
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Geneva
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Alexander
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Alexander is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alexander
- Population from the 2020 Census: 159 people
- Coulter
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Coulter is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coulter
- Population from the 2020 Census: 261 people
- Reeve
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Reeve is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reeve
- Bradford
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Bradford is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bradford
- Faulkner
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Faulkner is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Faulkner
- Hancock County
- The following are listed by their distance from Owen, with the one closest to Owen listed first.
- Garner
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Klemme
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Goodell
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Goodell is located in Hancock County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goodell
- Population from the 2020 Census: 126 people
- Mitchell County
- The following are listed by their distance from Owen, with the one closest to Owen listed first.
- Rock Creek
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Rock Creek is located in Mitchell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock Creek
- Orchard
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Orchard is located in Mitchell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orchard
- Population from the 2020 Census: 71 people
- Osage
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Mitchell
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Mitchell is located in Mitchell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mitchell
- Population from the 2020 Census: 128 people
- Saint Ansgar
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Carpenter
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Carpenter is located in Mitchell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carpenter
- Population from the 2020 Census: 108 people
- New Haven
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- New Haven is located in Mitchell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Haven
- Toeterville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Little Cedar
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Little Cedar is located in Mitchell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Little Cedar
- Worth County
- The following are listed by their distance from Owen, with the one closest to Owen listed first.
- Manly
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Grafton
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Kensett
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Kensett is located in Worth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kensett
- Population from the 2020 Census: 249 people
- Hanlontown
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Hanlontown is located in Worth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hanlontown
- Population from the 2020 Census: 220 people
- Bolan
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Bolan is located in Worth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bolan
- Fertile
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Northwood
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Joice
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Joice is located in Worth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Joice
- Population from the 2020 Census: 209 people
- Wright County
- Belmond
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Owen, see our County-by-County Page for Owen.
Cemeteries Near Owen ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Owen.
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 Owen - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Owen covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Owen, with the one closest to Owen listed first.
- Owen's Grove Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Linn Grove Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Rockford Riverside Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Sacred Heart Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Rock Grove Twp. Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- St. Patricks Catholic Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Park Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Spring Grove Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- St. Josephs Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Elmwood Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- St. John Zion Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- West Fork Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Continue List (171 more) ...
- Rudd Twp. Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Evergreen Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- IOOF Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 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.<3>
While we didn't find Owen in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Owen.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Owen, with the one closest to Owen listed first.
- Rockwell
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Portland
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Portland is located in Cerro Gordo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Portland
- Rockford
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Cameron
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Cameron is located in Cerro Gordo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cameron
- Mason City Junction
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Mason City Junction is located in Cerro Gordo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mason City Junction
- Nora Springs
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Mason City
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Burchinal
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Burchinal is located in Cerro Gordo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burchinal
- Sheffield
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Sheffield is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sheffield
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,096 people
- Rock Falls
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Rock Falls is located in Cerro Gordo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock Falls
- Population from the 2020 Census: 146 people
- Marble Rock
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Rudd
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Continue List (13 more) ...
- Swaledale
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Swaledale is located in Cerro Gordo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Swaledale
- Population from the 2020 Census: 157 people
- Plymouth Junction
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Plymouth Junction is located in Cerro Gordo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plymouth Junction
- Aredale
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Owen. See our List of 1890's Communities around Owen.
Newspapers Published in Owen ...
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 91 newspapers that have been published in the area around Owen.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Owen, 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 Owen.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we begin 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 Owen:
- Websites specific to Iowa
- Pages specific to Cerro Gordo County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Bremer County
- Butler County
- Chickasaw County
- Floyd County
- Franklin County
- Hancock County
- Mitchell County
- Worth County
- Wright 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 Owen, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <4> | 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- Owen) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |