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 Palmer (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 Palmer. 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 northeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most hospitals were in the next county to the east. Almost all of the nearby churches and cemeteries were in the county to the north.
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 north 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.
Palmer is located in Pocahontas 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 Pocahontas County: Buena Vista, Calhoun, Clay, Humboldt, Kossuth, Palo Alto, Sac & Webster.
Below are the counties that are near Palmer. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Palmer:
- Pocahontas County (The home county of Palmer)
- The following are listed by their distance from Palmer, with the one closest to Palmer listed first.
- Pocahontas
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Fonda
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Rolfe
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Havelock
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Varina
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Varina is located in Pocahontas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Varina
- Population from the 2020 Census: 64 people
- Plover
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Plover is located in Pocahontas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plover
- Population from the 2020 Census: 69 people
- Laurens
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Buena Vista County
- The following are listed by their distance from Palmer, with the one closest to Palmer listed first.
- Albert City
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Newell
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Marathon
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Marathon is located in Buena Vista County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marathon
- Population from the 2020 Census: 228 people
- Juniata
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Juniata is located in Buena Vista County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Juniata
- Lakeside
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Lakeside is located in Buena Vista County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakeside
- Population from the 2020 Census: 690 people
- Storm Lake
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Truesdale
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Calhoun County
- The following are listed by their distance from Palmer, with the one closest to Palmer listed first.
- Manson
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Pomeroy
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Twin Lakes
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Twin Lakes is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Twin Lakes
- Jolley
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Jolley is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jolley
- Population from the 2020 Census: 37 people
- Knierim
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Knierim is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Knierim
- Population from the 2020 Census: 57 people
- Rockwell City
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Sherwood
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Sherwood is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sherwood
- Somers
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Somers is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Somers
- Population from the 2020 Census: 102 people
- Lytton
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Lytton is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lytton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 285 people
- Rinard
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Rinard is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rinard
- Population from the 2020 Census: 48 people
- Rands
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Rands is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rands
- Yetter
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Yetter is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yetter
- Population from the 2020 Census: 31 people
- Clay County
- Webb
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Webb is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Webb
- Population from the 2020 Census: 126 people
- Humboldt County
- The following are listed by their distance from Palmer, with the one closest to Palmer listed first.
- Pioneer
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Pioneer is located in Humboldt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pioneer
- Population from the 2020 Census: 22 people
- Gilmore City
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Bradgate
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Bradgate is located in Humboldt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bradgate
- Population from the 2020 Census: 84 people
- Rutland
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Rutland is located in Humboldt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rutland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 121 people
- Humboldt
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Dakota City
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Ottosen
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Ottosen is located in Humboldt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ottosen
- Population from the 2020 Census: 36 people
- Bode
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Bode is located in Humboldt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bode
- Population from the 2020 Census: 286 people
- Arnold
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Arnold is located in Humboldt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arnold
- Livermore
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Livermore is located in Humboldt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Livermore
- Population from the 2020 Census: 361 people
- Thor
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Hardy
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Hardy is located in Humboldt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hardy
- Population from the 2020 Census: 41 people
- Palo Alto County
- The following are listed by their distance from Palmer, with the one closest to Palmer listed first.
- Mallard
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- West Bend
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Curlew
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Curlew is located in Palo Alto County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Curlew
- Population from the 2020 Census: 55 people
- Rodman
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Rodman is located in Palo Alto County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rodman
- Population from the 2020 Census: 41 people
- Ayrshire
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Sac County
- The following are listed by their distance from Palmer, with the one closest to Palmer listed first.
- Sac City
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Nemaha
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Nemaha is located in Sac County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nemaha
- Population from the 2020 Census: 80 people
- Auburn
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Grant City
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Grant City is located in Sac County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grant City
- Early
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Webster County
- The following are listed by their distance from Palmer, with the one closest to Palmer listed first.
- Clare
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Clare is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clare
- Population from the 2020 Census: 133 people
- Barnum
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Barnum is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barnum
- Population from the 2020 Census: 181 people
- Tara
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Tara is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tara
- Moorland
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Slifer
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Slifer is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Slifer
- Badger
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Fort Dodge
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Callender
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Callender is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Callender
- Population from the 2020 Census: 346 people
- Cypsum City ‑ Historic
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Cypsum City is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cypsum City
- Otho
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Coalville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Coalville is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coalville
- Kalo
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Kalo is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kalo
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Palmer, see our County-by-County Page for Palmer.
Cemeteries Near Palmer ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Palmer.
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 Palmer - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Palmer covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Palmer, with the one closest to Palmer listed first.
- St. Paul Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Palmer Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- St. Josephs Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- St. Johns Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Elfsborg Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Elfsborg Lutheran Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Swedish Mission Bethany Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- St. Pauls American Lutheran Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Grant Twp. Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- St. Marys Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Union Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Union Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the north of Pomeroy.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #96531 <2>
- Swedish Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Continue List (147 more) ...
- Lizard Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Memorial Park
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Calvary Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 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 Palmer in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Palmer.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Palmer, with the one closest to Palmer listed first.
- Lizard ‑ Historic
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Lizard is located in Pocahontas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lizard
- Pomeroy
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Manson
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Pocahontas
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Pioneer
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Pioneer is located in Humboldt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pioneer
- Population from the 2020 Census: 22 people
- Gilmore City
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Twin Lakes
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Twin Lakes is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Twin Lakes
- Fonda
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Jolley
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Jolley is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jolley
- Population from the 2020 Census: 37 people
- Clare
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Clare is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clare
- Population from the 2020 Census: 133 people
- Rolfe
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Havelock
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Continue List (13 more) ...
- Barnum
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Barnum is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barnum
- Population from the 2020 Census: 181 people
- Bradgate
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Bradgate is located in Humboldt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bradgate
- Population from the 2020 Census: 84 people
- Rockwell City
(16 miles [25.7 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 Palmer. See our List of 1890's Communities around Palmer.
Newspapers Published in Palmer ...
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 80 newspapers that have been published in the area around Palmer.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Palmer, 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 Palmer.
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 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 Palmer:
- Websites specific to Iowa
- Pages specific to Pocahontas County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Buena Vista County
- Calhoun County
- Clay County
- Humboldt County
- Palo Alto County
- Sac County
- Webster 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 Palmer, 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 obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Palmer) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |