RoadsideThoughts
A Gazetteer for the United States and Canada
Home >> State of Iowa >> Bremer County >> Readlyn >> 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 Readlyn (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 Readlyn. 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 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.

Readlyn is located in Bremer 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 Bremer County: Black Hawk, Buchanan, Butler, Chickasaw, Fayette & Floyd.

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

  • Bremer County     (The home county of Readlyn)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Readlyn, with the one closest to Readlyn listed first.
    • Knittel
      (Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
      • Knittel is located in Bremer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Knittel
    • Klinger
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
      • Klinger is located in Bremer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Klinger
    • Denver
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Tripoli
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
    • Bremer
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Bremer is located in Bremer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bremer
    • Sumner
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Seigel
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Seigel is located in Bremer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seigel
    • Waverly
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
    • Frederika
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
      • Frederika is located in Bremer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frederika
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 205 people
    • Horton
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Horton is located in Bremer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Horton
    • Plainfield
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
  • Black Hawk County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Readlyn, with the one closest to Readlyn listed first.
    • Dunkerton
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
      • Dunkerton is located in Black Hawk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunkerton
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 851 people
    • Edwards ‑ Historic
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
      • Edwards is located in Black Hawk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edwards
    • Dewar
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
      • Dewar is located in Black Hawk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dewar
    • Janesville
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
    • Evansdale
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
    • Waterloo
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
    • Cedar City
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Cedar City is located in Black Hawk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar City
    • North Cedar
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
      • North Cedar is located in Black Hawk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Cedar
    • Elk Run Heights
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
      • Elk Run Heights is located in Black Hawk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elk Run Heights
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,135 people
    • Raymond
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
      • Raymond is located in Black Hawk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Raymond
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 788 people
    • Cedar Falls
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Finchford
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
      • Finchford is located in Black Hawk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Finchford
  • Buchanan County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Readlyn, with the one closest to Readlyn listed first.
    • Fairbank
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Hazleton
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
    • Stanley
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
      • Stanley is located in Buchanan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stanley
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 120 people
    • Shady Grove
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
      • Shady Grove is located in Buchanan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shady Grove
    • Independence
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
    • Aurora
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
      • Aurora is located in Buchanan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aurora
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 162 people
    • Doris
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Doris is located in Buchanan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Doris
    • Brandon
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Brandon is located in Buchanan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brandon
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 320 people
    • Winthrop
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Winthrop is located in Buchanan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winthrop
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 848 people
    • Lamont
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
    • Rowley
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Butler County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Readlyn, with the one closest to Readlyn listed first.
    • Shell Rock
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
    • New Hartford
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Clarksville
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
    • Coster
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
      • Coster is located in Butler County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coster
    • Butler Center
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
      • Butler Center is located in Butler County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Butler Center
    • Sinclair
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Sinclair is located in Butler County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sinclair
    • Allison
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
    • Parkersburg
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
  • Chickasaw County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Readlyn, with the one closest to Readlyn listed first.
    • Fredericksburg
      (18 miles [29 km] to the north)
    • Republic
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Republic is located in Chickasaw County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Republic
    • Bradford
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Bradford is located in Chickasaw County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bradford
    • Nashua
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
      • Nashua is located in Chickasaw County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nashua
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,571 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Nashua <1>
    • New Hampton
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
    • Lawler
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
    • Ionia
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Ionia is located in Chickasaw County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ionia
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 273 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Ionia <1>
    • Chickasaw
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Chickasaw is located in Chickasaw County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chickasaw
    • Bassett
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Bassett is located in Chickasaw County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bassett
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 62 people
    • North Washington
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • North Washington is located in Chickasaw County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Washington
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 137 people
  • Fayette County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Readlyn, with the one closest to Readlyn listed first.
    • Oran
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
      • Oran is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oran
    • Westgate
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
      • Westgate is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westgate
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 209 people
    • Oelwein
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
    • Maynard
      (18 miles [29 km] to the east)
    • Randalia
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Randalia is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Randalia
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 60 people
    • Hawkeye
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Hawkeye is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hawkeye
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 399 people
    • Alpha
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Alpha is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alpha
    • Donnan
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Donnan is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Donnan
    • Fayette
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
    • Waucoma
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
    • Douglass
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Douglass is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Douglass
    • West Union
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
  • Floyd County
    • Carrville
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Carrville is located in Floyd County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carrville
  • Grundy County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Readlyn, with the one closest to Readlyn listed first.
    • Fredsville
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
      • Fredsville is located in Grundy County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fredsville
    • Dike
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Dike is located in Grundy County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dike
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,267 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Dike <1>
    • Stout
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Stout is located in Grundy County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stout
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 214 people
  • Winneshiek County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Readlyn, with the one closest to Readlyn listed first.
    • Jackson Junction
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
      • Jackson Junction is located in Winneshiek County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jackson Junction
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 54 people
    • Navan
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
      • Navan is located in Winneshiek County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Navan

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

Cemeteries Near Readlyn ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Readlyn.

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

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

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

  • Zions Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the west)
  • St. Pauls Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
  • St. Mathews Lutheran Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the north)
  • Emanuel Evangelical Lutheran Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
  • St. Pauls Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
  • St. Johns Lutheran Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
  • Grove Hill Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
  • St. Johns Lutheran Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
  • Fairview Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Fairview Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Gresham Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • St. Peter Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • Continue List   (255 more) ...

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 Readlyn in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Readlyn.

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

  • Wapsie
    (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
    • Wapsie is located in Bremer County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wapsie
  • Knittel
    (Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
    • Knittel is located in Bremer County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Knittel
  • Klinger
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
    • Klinger is located in Bremer County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Klinger
  • Denver
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Tripoli
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
  • Edwards ‑ Historic
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
    • Edwards is located in Black Hawk County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edwards
  • Dunkerton
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
    • Dunkerton is located in Black Hawk County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunkerton
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 851 people
  • Fairbank
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
  • Bremer
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Bremer is located in Bremer County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bremer
  • Sumner
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Seigel
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Seigel is located in Bremer County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seigel
  • Janesville
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
  • Continue List   (13 more) ...
    • Dewar
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
      • Dewar is located in Black Hawk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dewar
    • Westgate
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
      • Westgate is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westgate
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 209 people
    • Waverly
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)

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

Newspapers Published in Readlyn ...

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 133 newspapers that have been published in the area around Readlyn.

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

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 Readlyn:

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 Readlyn, 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 things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Readlyn) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.