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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 Rockton (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 Rockton. 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.

Rockton is located in Marshall 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 Marshall County: Grundy, Hardin, Jasper, Poweshiek, Story & Tama.

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

  • Marshall County     (The home county of Rockton)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Rockton, with the one closest to Rockton listed first.
    • Green Mountain
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
      • Green Mountain is located in Marshall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Green Mountain
    • Marshalltown
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
    • Le Grand
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Dillon
      (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
      • Dillon is located in Marshall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dillon
    • Albion
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Dunbar
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
      • Dunbar is located in Marshall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunbar
    • Ferguson
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
      • Ferguson is located in Marshall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ferguson
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 122 people
    • Marietta
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
      • Marietta is located in Marshall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marietta
    • Haverhill
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Luray
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Luray is located in Marshall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Luray
    • LaMoille
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
      • LaMoille is located in Marshall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for LaMoille
    • Gilman
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
      • Gilman is located in Marshall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gilman
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 484 people
  • Benton County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Rockton, with the one closest to Rockton listed first.
    • Irving
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
      • Irving is located in Benton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Irving
    • Belle Plaine
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
  • Black Hawk County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Rockton, with the one closest to Rockton listed first.
    • Blessing
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Blessing is located in Black Hawk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blessing
    • Voorhies
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Voorhies is located in Black Hawk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Voorhies
  • Grundy County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Rockton, with the one closest to Rockton listed first.
    • Beaman
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
      • Beaman is located in Grundy County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beaman
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 183 people
    • Conrad
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
    • Grundy Center
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
    • Morrison
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
    • Reinbeck
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Holland
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
    • Wellsburg
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
    • Fern
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
      • Fern is located in Grundy County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fern
    • Dike
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • 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>
  • Hardin County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Rockton, with the one closest to Rockton listed first.
    • Whitten
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Whitten is located in Hardin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whitten
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 140 people
    • Union
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Union is located in Hardin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 373 people
    • Gifford
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
    • New Providence
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
      • New Providence is located in Hardin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Providence
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 220 people
    • Eldora
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Steamboat Rock
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Hubbard
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Cleves
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • Cleves is located in Hardin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cleves
  • Jasper County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Rockton, with the one closest to Rockton listed first.
    • Newburg
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
      • Newburg is located in Jasper County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newburg
    • Oakland Acres
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
      • Oakland Acres is located in Jasper County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakland Acres
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 161 people
    • Baxter
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Kellogg
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
    • Clyde
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Clyde is located in Jasper County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clyde
    • Ira
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Ira is located in Jasper County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ira
    • Newton
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Lambs Grove
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Lambs Grove is located in Jasper County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lambs Grove
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 165 people
    • Goddard
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Goddard is located in Jasper County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goddard
    • Killduff
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
      • Killduff is located in Jasper County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Killduff
    • Green Castle
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Green Castle is located in Jasper County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Green Castle
    • Metz
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Metz is located in Jasper County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Metz
  • Poweshiek County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Rockton, with the one closest to Rockton listed first.
    • Sheridan
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Sheridan is located in Poweshiek County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sheridan
    • Grinnell
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
    • Malcom
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Brooklyn
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Story County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Rockton, with the one closest to Rockton listed first.
    • Colo
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
    • Zearing
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
    • Collins
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Collins is located in Story County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Collins
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 472 people
    • Fernald
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
      • Fernald is located in Story County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fernald
    • McCallsburg
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • McCallsburg is located in Story County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McCallsburg
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 320 people
    • Iowa Center
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
      • Iowa Center is located in Story County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Iowa Center
    • Maxwell
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
  • Tama County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Rockton, with the one closest to Rockton listed first.
    • Garwin
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
      • Garwin is located in Tama County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garwin
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 490 people
    • Montour
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Gladbrook
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Toledo
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
    • Tama
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Lincoln
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Lincoln is located in Tama County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lincoln
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 148 people
    • Gladstone
      (18 miles [29 km] to the east)
      • Gladstone is located in Tama County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gladstone
    • Long Point
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
      • Long Point is located in Tama County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Long Point
    • Dinsdale
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Dinsdale is located in Tama County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dinsdale
    • Buckingham
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Buckingham is located in Tama County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buckingham
    • Traer
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Clutier
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)

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

Cemeteries Near Rockton ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Rockton.

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

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

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

  • Iowa River Brethren Church Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
  • Bowles Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
  • Wallin Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the east)
  • Quinn Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
  • Rock Valley Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
  • Pleasant Hill Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
  • Green Mtn. Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
  • Brown Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
  • Riverside Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
  • Rose Hill Memorial Gardens Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Friends Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Friends Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Friends Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the west of Le Grand.
    • The Friends Cemetery has also been known as:
    • LeGrand Friends Cemetery
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #1964757 <2>
  • Le Grand Friends Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Continue List   (263 more) ...
    • Dodson Cemetery
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
    • Soldier's Home Cemetery
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
    • Rock Creek 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>

The Rand McNally Atlas shows that in 1895, Rockton had a post office and no railroad service.

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

  • Quarry
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Quarry is located in Marshall County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Quarry
  • Marshalltown
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
  • Green Mountain
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
    • Green Mountain is located in Marshall County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Green Mountain
  • Le Grand
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Dillon
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
    • Dillon is located in Marshall County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dillon
  • Pickering
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
    • Pickering is located in Marshall County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pickering
  • Ferguson
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
    • Ferguson is located in Marshall County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ferguson
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 122 people
  • Dunbar
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
    • Dunbar is located in Marshall County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunbar
  • Montour
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
  • Garwin
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
    • Garwin is located in Tama County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garwin
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 490 people
  • Albion
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
  • Marietta
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
    • Marietta is located in Marshall County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marietta
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Luray
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Luray is located in Marshall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Luray
    • Haverhill
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Potter
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Potter is located in Tama County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Potter

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

Newspapers Published in Rockton ...

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 165 newspapers that have been published in the area around Rockton.

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

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we first visit 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 Rockton:

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 Rockton, 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' (or point-to-point) distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Rockton) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.