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 Roberts (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 Roberts. 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.
Name Variations for Roberts ...
When searching records, keep in mind that names and their spelling can change over time. Our sources include documents like maps, railroad schedules, Travel, Express and Shipping Guides. Many of these documents date from the 1800's and it's common to find spelling differences.
Although we can't give a definitive list, hopefully the following will give you a feel for the variations that might occur.
While the name of this community is Roberts, be aware that it's the common practice of mapmakers to remove the apostrophe from possessive names<1>. So Roberts may originally have been Robert's.
You might be interested in other communities that are also named Roberts. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Roberts.
If you have information about these names (such as the reason for the change, date of change, the origin of the name), please Contact Us.
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.
Roberts is located in Webster 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 Webster County: Boone, Calhoun, Greene, Hamilton, Humboldt, Pocahontas & Wright.
Below are the counties that are near Roberts. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Roberts:
- Webster County (The home county of Roberts)
- The following are listed by their distance from Roberts, with the one closest to Roberts listed first.
- Otho
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Kalo
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Kalo is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kalo
- Coalville
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Coalville is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coalville
- Cypsum City ‑ Historic
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Cypsum City is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cypsum City
- Evanston
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Evanston is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Evanston
- Fort Dodge
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Border Plains
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Border Plains is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Border Plains
- Burnside
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Burnside is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burnside
- Moorland
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Palm Grove
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Palm Grove is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Palm Grove
- Lehigh
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Callender
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Callender is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Callender
- Population from the 2020 Census: 346 people
- Boone County
- The following are listed by their distance from Roberts, with the one closest to Roberts listed first.
- Boxholm
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Pilot Mound
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Pilot Mound is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pilot Mound
- Population from the 2020 Census: 170 people
- Fraser
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Fraser is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fraser
- Population from the 2020 Census: 103 people
- Beaver
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Beaver is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beaver
- Population from the 2020 Census: 50 people
- Centerville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Centerville is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Centerville
- Ogden
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Mackey
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Mackey is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mackey
- Boone
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Moingona
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Moingona is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moingona
- Calhoun County
- The following are listed by their distance from Roberts, with the one closest to Roberts listed first.
- Somers
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Somers is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Somers
- Population from the 2020 Census: 102 people
- Knierim
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Knierim is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Knierim
- Population from the 2020 Census: 57 people
- Farnhamville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Farnhamville is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Farnhamville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 335 people
- Rinard
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Rinard is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rinard
- Population from the 2020 Census: 48 people
- Manson
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Lohrville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Rands
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Rands is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rands
- Rockwell City
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Twin Lakes
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Twin Lakes is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Twin Lakes
- Wightman
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Wightman is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wightman
- Jolley
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Jolley is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jolley
- Population from the 2020 Census: 37 people
- Pomeroy
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Greene County
- The following are listed by their distance from Roberts, with the one closest to Roberts listed first.
- Paton
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Dana
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Dana is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dana
- Population from the 2020 Census: 67 people
- Churdan
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Churdan is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Churdan
- Population from the 2020 Census: 363 people
- Grand Junction
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Farlin
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Farlin is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Farlin
- Jefferson
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Hamilton County
- The following are listed by their distance from Roberts, with the one closest to Roberts listed first.
- Stratford
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Webster City
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Stanhope
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Stanhope is located in Hamilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stanhope
- Population from the 2020 Census: 394 people
- Kamrar
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Blairsburg
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Blairsburg is located in Hamilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blairsburg
- Population from the 2020 Census: 199 people
- Jewell
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- 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 <2>
- Humboldt County
- The following are listed by their distance from Roberts, with the one closest to Roberts listed first.
- Thor
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Pioneer
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Pioneer is located in Humboldt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pioneer
- Population from the 2020 Census: 22 people
- Dakota City
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Humboldt
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Rutland
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Rutland is located in Humboldt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rutland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 121 people
- Gilmore City
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Arnold
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Arnold is located in Humboldt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arnold
- Hardy
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Hardy is located in Humboldt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hardy
- Population from the 2020 Census: 41 people
- Bradgate
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Bradgate is located in Humboldt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bradgate
- Population from the 2020 Census: 84 people
- Renwick
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Bode
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Bode is located in Humboldt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bode
- Population from the 2020 Census: 286 people
- Livermore
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Livermore is located in Humboldt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Livermore
- Population from the 2020 Census: 361 people
- Pocahontas County
- Palmer
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Wright County
- The following are listed by their distance from Roberts, with the one closest to Roberts listed first.
- Woolstock
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Woolstock is located in Wright County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woolstock
- Population from the 2020 Census: 159 people
- Eagle Grove
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Goldfield
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Holmes
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Holmes is located in Wright County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holmes
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Roberts, see our County-by-County Page for Roberts.
Cemeteries Near Roberts ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Roberts.
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 Roberts - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Roberts covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Roberts, with the one closest to Roberts listed first.
- Graceland Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Elkhorn Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elkhorn Cemetery
- The Elkhorn Cemetery has also been known as:
- Elkhorn Twp. Cemetery
- Otho Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Pleasant Valley Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- C C Carpenter Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- St. Olafs Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Ft. Dodge Memorial Park
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ft. Dodge Memorial Park
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Ft. Dodge Memorial Park is a large cemetery that is located in Fort Dodge.
- The Ft. Dodge Memorial Park has also been known as:
- Memorial Park
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #95444 <3>
- Callender Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Corpus Christi Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Oakland Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakland Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Oakland Cemetery is located in Fort Dodge.
- Our Lady of Good Council Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- North Lawn Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Lawn Cemetery
- The North Lawn Cemetery has also been known as:
- Haviland Cemetery
- St. Paul German Lutheran Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #95607 <3>
- Continue List (177 more) ...
- West Lawn Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Border Plains Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Willowledge 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.<4>
While we didn't find Roberts in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Roberts.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Roberts, with the one closest to Roberts listed first.
- Otho
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Kalo
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Kalo is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kalo
- Coalville
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Coalville is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coalville
- Evanston
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Evanston is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Evanston
- Fort Dodge
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Burnside
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Burnside is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burnside
- Border Plains
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Border Plains is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Border Plains
- Moorland
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Callender
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Callender is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Callender
- Population from the 2020 Census: 346 people
- Lehigh
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Judd
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Judd is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Judd
- Tara
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Tara is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tara
- Continue List (13 more) ...
- Brushy
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Brushy is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brushy
- Duncombe
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Gowrie
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Roberts. See our List of 1890's Communities around Roberts.
Newspapers Published in Roberts ...
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 166 newspapers that have been published in the area around Roberts.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Roberts, there are papers which were published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<5>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Roberts.
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 Roberts:
- Websites specific to Iowa
- Pages specific to Webster County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Boone County
- Calhoun County
- Greene County
- Hamilton County
- Humboldt County
- Pocahontas County
- Wright County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Iowa
Footnotes ...
| <1> | It's generally believed that possessive apostrophes are removed to prevent confusion on maps where the apostrophe may be confused with a cartographic symbol. While this is generally true, it's not uncommon to find possessive apostrophes in administrative names (such as towns or counties). |
| <2> | While we're fans and frequent users of TripAdvisor, you should know that we're also members of the TripAdvisor affiliate program. |
| <3> | 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. |
| <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 Roberts, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <5> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' (or point-to-point) distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Roberts) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |