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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 Popejoy (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 Popejoy. 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 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 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.

Popejoy is located in Franklin 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 Franklin County: Butler, Cerro Gordo, Hardin & Wright.

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

  • Franklin County     (The home county of Popejoy)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Popejoy, with the one closest to Popejoy listed first.
    • Oakland
      (Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
      • Oakland is located in Franklin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakland
    • Bradford
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
      • Bradford is located in Franklin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bradford
    • Coulter
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
      • Coulter is located in Franklin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coulter
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 261 people
    • Reeve
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Reeve is located in Franklin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reeve
    • Latimer
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
    • Alexander
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
      • Alexander is located in Franklin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alexander
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 159 people
    • Hampton
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Geneva
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
    • Faulkner
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
      • Faulkner is located in Franklin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Faulkner
    • Chapin
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Chapin is located in Franklin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chapin
    • Hansell
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
    • Sheffield
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
      • Sheffield is located in Franklin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sheffield
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,096 people
  • Butler County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Popejoy, with the one closest to Popejoy listed first.
    • Austinville
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
      • Austinville is located in Butler County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Austinville
    • Dumont
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Kesley
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
      • Kesley is located in Butler County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kesley
    • Aplington
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
    • Aredale
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Bristow
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Bristow is located in Butler County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bristow
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 147 people
  • Cerro Gordo County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Popejoy, with the one closest to Popejoy listed first.
    • Meservey
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
      • Meservey is located in Cerro Gordo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meservey
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 237 people
    • Thornton
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
      • Thornton is located in Cerro Gordo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thornton
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 401 people
    • Swaledale
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
      • Swaledale is located in Cerro Gordo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Swaledale
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 157 people
    • Rockwell
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Dougherty
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Dougherty is located in Cerro Gordo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dougherty
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 56 people
  • Grundy County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Popejoy, with the one closest to Popejoy listed first.
    • Wellsburg
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Buck Grove
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
      • Buck Grove is located in Grundy County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buck Grove
  • Hamilton County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Popejoy, with the one closest to Popejoy listed first.
    • Williams
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Blairsburg
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Blairsburg is located in Hamilton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blairsburg
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 199 people
    • Ellsworth
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
    • Kamrar
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Webster City
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Jewell
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Jewell is located in Hamilton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jewell
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,138 people
      • Jewell has also been known as:
      • Jewell Junction
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Jewell <1>
    • Randall
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
      • Randall is located in Hamilton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Randall
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 166 people
    • Stanhope
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Stanhope is located in Hamilton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stanhope
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 394 people
  • Hancock County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Popejoy, with the one closest to Popejoy listed first.
    • Goodell
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Goodell is located in Hancock County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goodell
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 126 people
    • Klemme
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
    • Kanawha
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Hardin County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Popejoy, with the one closest to Popejoy listed first.
    • Alden
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
    • Iowa Falls
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Buckeye
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
      • Buckeye is located in Hardin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buckeye
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 107 people
    • Owasa
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Owasa is located in Hardin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Owasa
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 41 people
    • Robertson
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
      • Robertson is located in Hardin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Robertson
    • Sherman
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
      • Sherman is located in Hardin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sherman
    • Eagle City
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Eagle City is located in Hardin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eagle City
    • Abbott
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
      • Abbott is located in Hardin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Abbott
    • Ackley
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
    • Radcliffe
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
    • Hubbard
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
    • Cleves
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Cleves is located in Hardin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cleves
    • Steamboat Rock
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Story County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Popejoy, with the one closest to Popejoy listed first.
    • McCallsburg
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
      • McCallsburg is located in Story County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McCallsburg
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 320 people
    • Roland
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
      • Roland is located in Story County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roland
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,252 people
    • Story City
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
    • Zearing
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
  • Webster County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Popejoy, with the one closest to Popejoy listed first.
    • Duncombe
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
    • Vincent
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
      • Vincent is located in Webster County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vincent
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 158 people
  • Wright County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Popejoy, with the one closest to Popejoy listed first.
    • Dows
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
    • Galt
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Rowan
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Solberg ‑ Historic
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Solberg is located in Wright County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Solberg
    • Clarion
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Cornelia
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
      • Cornelia is located in Wright County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cornelia
    • Belmond
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
    • Woolstock
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
      • Woolstock is located in Wright County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woolstock
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 159 people
    • Holmes
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Holmes is located in Wright County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holmes
    • Olaf
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Olaf is located in Wright County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Olaf
    • Eagle Grove
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
    • Goldfield
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)

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

Cemeteries Near Popejoy ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Popejoy.

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

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

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

  • Oakland Valley Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
  • Olson Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
  • Otis Grove Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
  • Alden Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
  • Morgan Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Morgan Twp. Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Fairview Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairview Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Fairview Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the southwest of Dows.
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #94746 <2>
  • Mt. Hope Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
  • St. Peter's Lutheran Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
  • St. Pauls Lutheran Church Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for St. Pauls Lutheran Church Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the St. Pauls Lutheran Church Cemetery is located 6 miles [9.7 km]<3> to the southwest of Dows.
    • The St. Pauls Lutheran Church Cemetery has also been known as:
    • St. Pauls Lutheran Cemetery
    • Vernon Twp. Lutheran Cemetery
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2208750 <2>
  • St. Marks Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
  • Union Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
  • Continue List   (183 more) ...
    • Maynes Grove Cemetery
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
    • St. Johns Lutheran Cemetery
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Buckeye Cemetery
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)

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.<4>

The Rand McNally Atlas shows that in 1895, Popejoy had a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Popejoy had a population of 74 people.

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

  • Burdette
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Burdette is located in Franklin County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burdette
  • Alden
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
  • Dows
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
  • Williams
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
  • Iowa Falls
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
  • Reeve
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Reeve is located in Franklin County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reeve
  • Rowan
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Galt
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Latimer
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
  • Blairsburg
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Blairsburg is located in Hamilton County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blairsburg
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 199 people
  • Alexander
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
    • Alexander is located in Franklin County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alexander
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 159 people
  • Owasa
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Owasa is located in Hardin County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Owasa
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 41 people
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Hampton
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Robertson
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
      • Robertson is located in Hardin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Robertson
    • Geneva
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)

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

Newspapers Published in Popejoy ...

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 127 newspapers that have been published in the area around Popejoy.

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

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 professional and volunteer 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 Popejoy:

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>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- Popejoy) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.
<4>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 Popejoy, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.