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 Petersville (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 Petersville. 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 northwest 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 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 west 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.
Petersville is located in Clinton 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 Clinton County: Cedar, Jackson, Jones, Scott, Carroll (IL), Rock Island (IL) & Whiteside (IL).
Below are the counties that are near Petersville. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Petersville:
- Clinton County (The home county of Petersville)
- The following are listed by their distance from Petersville, with the one closest to Petersville listed first.
- Charlotte
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Delmar
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- North Welton
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- North Welton is located in Clinton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Welton
- Welton
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Welton is located in Clinton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Welton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 148 people
- Goose Lake
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Goose Lake is located in Clinton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goose Lake
- Population from the 2020 Census: 220 people
- Bliedorn ‑ Historic
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Bliedorn is located in Clinton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bliedorn
- De Witt
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Bryant
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Bryant is located in Clinton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bryant
- Tenmile
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Tenmile is located in Clinton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tenmile
- Elwood
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Elwood is located in Clinton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elwood
- Elvira
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Elvira is located in Clinton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elvira
- Grand Mound
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Cedar County
- The following are listed by their distance from Petersville, with the one closest to Petersville listed first.
- Lowden
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Bennett
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Bennett is located in Cedar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bennett
- Population from the 2020 Census: 373 people
- Clarence
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Sunbury
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Sunbury is located in Cedar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sunbury
- Dubuque County
- The following are listed by their distance from Petersville, with the one closest to Petersville listed first.
- Zwingle
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Zwingle is located in Dubuque County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zwingle
- Population from the 2020 Census: 93 people
- Washington Mills
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Washington Mills is located in Dubuque County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Washington Mills
- Bernard
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Wilkins
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Wilkins is located in Dubuque County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilkins
- Jackson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Petersville, with the one closest to Petersville listed first.
- Preston
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Spragueville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Maquoketa
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Van Buren
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Van Buren is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Van Buren
- Miles
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Andrew
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Springbrook
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Buckhorn
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Buckhorn is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buckhorn
- Fulton
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Fulton is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fulton
- Green Island
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Green Island is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Green Island
- Baldwin
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Ironhills
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Ironhills is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ironhills
- Jones County
- The following are listed by their distance from Petersville, with the one closest to Petersville listed first.
- Oxford Junction
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Oxford Junction is located in Jones County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oxford Junction
- Population from the 2020 Census: 480 people
- Oxford Mills
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Oxford Mills is located in Jones County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oxford Mills
- Clay Mills
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Clay Mills is located in Jones County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clay Mills
- Wyoming
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Onslow
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Hale
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Hale is located in Jones County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hale
- Center Junction
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Center Junction is located in Jones County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Center Junction
- Estimated population in 2015: 111 people
- Muscatine County
- Stockton
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Stockton is located in Muscatine County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stockton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 189 people
- Scott County
- The following are listed by their distance from Petersville, with the one closest to Petersville listed first.
- Noel ‑ Historic
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Noel is located in Scott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Noel
- McCausland
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- McCausland is located in Scott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McCausland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 311 people
- Long Grove
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Park View
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Park View is located in Scott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Park View
- Donahue
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Big Rock
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Big Rock is located in Scott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Big Rock
- Dixon
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Dixon is located in Scott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dixon
- Population from the 2020 Census: 249 people
- Eldridge
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Princeton
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Maysville
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Maysville is located in Scott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maysville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 181 people
- Hickory Grove
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Hickory Grove is located in Scott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hickory Grove
- New Liberty
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- New Liberty is located in Scott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Liberty
- Population from the 2020 Census: 143 people
- Carroll County (IL)
- The following are listed by their distance from Petersville, with the one closest to Petersville listed first.
- Arnold
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Arnold is located in Carroll County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arnold
- Marcus
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Marcus is located in Carroll County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marcus
- Savanna
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Ayers
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Ayers is located in Carroll County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ayers
- Thomson
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Blackhawk
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Blackhawk is located in Carroll County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blackhawk
- Hickory Grove
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Hickory Grove is located in Carroll County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hickory Grove
- Wacker
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Wacker is located in Carroll County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wacker
- Argo Fay
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Argo Fay is located in Carroll County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Argo Fay
- Center Hill
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Center Hill is located in Carroll County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Center Hill
- Ideal
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Ideal is located in Carroll County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ideal
- Daggett ‑ Historic
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Daggett is located in Carroll County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Daggett
- Jo Daviess County (IL)
- The following are listed by their distance from Petersville, with the one closest to Petersville listed first.
- Hanover
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Aiken
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Aiken is located in Jo Daviess County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aiken
- Galena Junction
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Galena Junction is located in Jo Daviess County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Galena Junction
- Elizabeth
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Bremen
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Bremen is located in Jo Daviess County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bremen
- Rock Island County (IL)
- The following are listed by their distance from Petersville, with the one closest to Petersville listed first.
- Cordova
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Port Byron
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Rapids City
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Hampton
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Hampton is located in Rock Island County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hampton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,738 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Hampton <1>
- Hillsdale
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Whiteside County (IL)
- The following are listed by their distance from Petersville, with the one closest to Petersville listed first.
- Fulton
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Fulton is located in Whiteside County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fulton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,285 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Fulton <1>
- Albany
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- East Clinton
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- East Clinton is located in Whiteside County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Clinton
- Spring Valley
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Spring Valley is located in Whiteside County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spring Valley
- Newton Corners
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Newton Corners is located in Whiteside County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newton Corners
- Union Grove
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Union Grove is located in Whiteside County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union Grove
- Fenton
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Petersville, see our County-by-County Page for Petersville.
Cemeteries Near Petersville ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Petersville.
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 Petersville - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Petersville covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Petersville, with the one closest to Petersville listed first.
- Immaculate Conception Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Assumption Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- McClure Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Bloomfield Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Oak View Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Rossiter Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Clinton County Farm Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Clinton County Farm Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- St. Josephs Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- St. Patricks Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Evergreen Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Welton Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Continue List (327 more) ...
- Rathbun Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rathbun Cemetery
- The Rathbun Cemetery has also been known as:
- Haylock Farm Cemetery
- West Union Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #95915 <2>
- St. Patricks Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Glahn Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
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 Petersville in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Petersville.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Petersville, with the one closest to Petersville listed first.
- Riggs
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Riggs is located in Clinton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riggs
- Charlotte
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Browns
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Browns is located in Clinton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Browns
- Delmar
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Welton
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Welton is located in Clinton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Welton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 148 people
- Goose Lake
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Goose Lake is located in Clinton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goose Lake
- Population from the 2020 Census: 220 people
- Preston
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Spragueville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- De Witt
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Maquoketa
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Bryant
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Bryant is located in Clinton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bryant
- Elwood
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Elwood is located in Clinton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elwood
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Grand Mound
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Malone
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Malone is located in Clinton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Malone
- Elvira
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Elvira is located in Clinton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elvira
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Petersville. See our List of 1890's Communities around Petersville.
Newspapers Published in Petersville ...
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 125 newspapers that have been published in the area around Petersville.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Petersville, there are papers which were published within 27 miles [43.5 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Petersville.
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 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 Petersville:
- Websites specific to Iowa
- Pages specific to Clinton County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Cedar County
- Dubuque County
- Jackson County
- Jones County
- Muscatine County
- Scott County
- Carroll County
- Jo Daviess County
- Rock Island County
- Whiteside 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 Petersville, 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 drawn from Point A (ie- Petersville) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |