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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 Rosserdale (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 Rosserdale. 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 southeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors and hospitals were in the next county to the east. Almost all of the nearby churches and cemeteries were in the county to the south.

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 east contained birth and death records; the county to the south 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.

Rosserdale is located in Adair 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 Adair County: Adams, Audubon, Cass, Dallas, Guthrie, Madison & Union.

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

  • Adair County     (The home county of Rosserdale)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Rosserdale, with the one closest to Rosserdale listed first.
    • Arbor Hill
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
      • Arbor Hill is located in Adair County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arbor Hill
    • Greenfield
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
    • Stanzel
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Stanzel is located in Adair County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stanzel
    • Fontanelle
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Fontanelle is located in Adair County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fontanelle
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 612 people
    • Hebron
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Hebron is located in Adair County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hebron
    • Orient
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
    • Zion
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Zion is located in Adair County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zion
    • Bridgewater
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Gilead
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
      • Gilead is located in Adair County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gilead
  • Adams County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Rosserdale, with the one closest to Rosserdale listed first.
    • Williamson
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Williamson is located in Adams County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Williamson
    • Carl
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
      • Carl is located in Adams County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carl
    • Mount Etna
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Mount Etna is located in Adams County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Etna
    • Prescott
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
    • Stringtown
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
      • Stringtown is located in Adams County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stringtown
    • Lincoln Center
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Lincoln Center is located in Adams County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lincoln Center
  • Audubon County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Rosserdale, with the one closest to Rosserdale listed first.
    • Exira
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Brayton
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
  • Cass County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Rosserdale, with the one closest to Rosserdale listed first.
    • Anita
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
    • Massena
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Dewey
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
      • Dewey is located in Cass County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dewey
    • Norway Center
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
      • Norway Center is located in Cass County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Norway Center
    • Wiota
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
    • Cumberland
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
      • Cumberland is located in Cass County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cumberland
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 246 people
    • Grove City ‑ Historic
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
      • Grove City is located in Cass County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grove City
    • Sycamore Village
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
      • Sycamore Village is located in Cass County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sycamore Village
  • Dallas County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Rosserdale, with the one closest to Rosserdale listed first.
    • Dexter
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Wiscotta
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Wiscotta is located in Dallas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wiscotta
    • Redfield
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Linden
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
      • Linden is located in Dallas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Linden
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 214 people
    • DeSoto
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Adel
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Adel is located in Dallas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adel
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 5,607 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Adel <1>
    • Van Meter
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
    • Panther
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Panther is located in Dallas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Panther
    • Booneville
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
    • Dallas Center
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Guthrie County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Rosserdale, with the one closest to Rosserdale listed first.
    • Menlo
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
    • Stuart
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Casey
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Dale
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
      • Dale is located in Guthrie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dale
    • Glendon
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
      • Glendon is located in Guthrie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glendon
    • Adair
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Guthrie Center
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
    • Panora
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
    • North Branch
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
      • North Branch is located in Guthrie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Branch
    • Yale
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
      • Yale is located in Guthrie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yale
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 239 people
    • Bagley
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • Bagley is located in Guthrie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bagley
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 285 people
    • Herndon
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • Herndon is located in Guthrie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Herndon
  • Madison County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Rosserdale, with the one closest to Rosserdale listed first.
    • Webster
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Webster is located in Madison County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Webster
    • Pitzer
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
      • Pitzer is located in Madison County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pitzer
    • Earlham
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Macksburg
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Macksburg is located in Madison County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Macksburg
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 122 people
    • Ord
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Ord is located in Madison County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ord
    • Winterset
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
    • Barney
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Barney is located in Madison County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barney
    • Patterson
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
      • Patterson is located in Madison County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Patterson
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 163 people
    • East Peru
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
      • East Peru is located in Madison County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Peru
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 133 people
  • Union County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Rosserdale, with the one closest to Rosserdale listed first.
    • Creston
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
    • East Creston
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
      • East Creston is located in Union County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Creston
    • Cromwell
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
      • Cromwell is located in Union County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cromwell
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 105 people
    • Lorimor
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Lorimor is located in Union County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lorimor
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 341 people
    • Afton
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)

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

Cemeteries Near Rosserdale ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Rosserdale.

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

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

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

  • Grove Center Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the south)
  • Loucks Grove Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
  • Adair County Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • Jefferson Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
  • Lutheran Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
  • Fairview Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairview Cemetery
    • The Fairview Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Fairview Congregational Christian Church Cemetery
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #1977305 <2>
  • Prussia Center Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prussia Center Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Prussia Center Cemetery is located 5 miles [8 km]<3> to the northwest of Greenfield.
    • The Prussia Center Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Prussia Cemetery
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #95902 <2>
  • Timber Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Canby Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
  • Greenfield Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
  • Stanfield Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
  • Calvary Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
  • Continue List   (209 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.<4>

While we didn't find Rosserdale in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Rosserdale.

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

  • Arbor Hill
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
    • Arbor Hill is located in Adair County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arbor Hill
  • Greenfield
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
  • Canby
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
    • Canby is located in Adair County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Canby
  • Stuart
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
  • Menlo
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
  • Casey
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
  • Fontanelle
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Fontanelle is located in Adair County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fontanelle
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 612 people
  • Hebron
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Hebron is located in Adair County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hebron
  • Pitzer
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
    • Pitzer is located in Madison County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pitzer
  • Dexter
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Orient
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
  • Dale
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
    • Dale is located in Guthrie County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dale
  • Continue List   (13 more) ...
    • Glendon
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
      • Glendon is located in Guthrie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glendon
    • Adair
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Fisk
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
      • Fisk is located in Adair County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fisk

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

Newspapers Published in Rosserdale ...

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 69 newspapers that have been published in the area around Rosserdale.

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

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 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 Rosserdale:

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' (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- Rosserdale) 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 Rosserdale, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.