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 Russell (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 Russell. 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 doctors and 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.
Russell is located in Lucas 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 Lucas County: Appanoose, Clarke, Decatur, Marion, Monroe, Warren & Wayne.
Below are the counties that are near Russell. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Russell:
- Lucas County (The home county of Russell)
- The following are listed by their distance from Russell, with the one closest to Russell listed first.
- Zero
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Zero is located in Lucas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zero
- Chariton
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Olmitz
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Olmitz is located in Lucas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Olmitz
- Williamson
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Derby
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Derby is located in Lucas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Derby
- Population from the 2020 Census: 111 people
- Lucas
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Lucas is located in Lucas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lucas
- Population from the 2020 Census: 207 people
- Appanoose County
- The following are listed by their distance from Russell, with the one closest to Russell listed first.
- Iconium
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Iconium is located in Appanoose County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Iconium
- Plano
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Walnut City
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Walnut City is located in Appanoose County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walnut City
- Brazil
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Brazil is located in Appanoose County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brazil
- Mystic
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Mystic is located in Appanoose County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mystic
- Population from the 2020 Census: 410 people
- Moravia
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Clarkdale
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Clarkdale is located in Appanoose County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clarkdale
- Darbyville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Darbyville is located in Appanoose County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Darbyville
- Jerome
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Jerome is located in Appanoose County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jerome
- Rathbun
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Rathbun is located in Appanoose County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rathbun
- Population from the 2020 Census: 72 people
- Sunshine
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Sunshine is located in Appanoose County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sunshine
- Numa
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Numa is located in Appanoose County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Numa
- Population from the 2020 Census: 89 people
- Centerville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Clarke County
- The following are listed by their distance from Russell, with the one closest to Russell listed first.
- Woodburn
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Liberty
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Liberty is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Liberty
- Weldon
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Weldon is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weldon
- Population from the 2020 Census: 104 people
- Osceola
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Green Bay ‑ Historic
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Green Bay is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Green Bay
- Decatur County
- The following are listed by their distance from Russell, with the one closest to Russell listed first.
- Le Roy
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Le Roy is located in Decatur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Le Roy
- Population from the 2020 Census: 14 people
- Garden Grove
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Garden Grove is located in Decatur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garden Grove
- Population from the 2020 Census: 200 people
- Woodland
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Woodland is located in Decatur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodland
- Mahaska County
- The following are listed by their distance from Russell, with the one closest to Russell listed first.
- Lakonta
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Lakonta is located in Mahaska County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakonta
- Olivet
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Olivet is located in Mahaska County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Olivet
- Marion County
- The following are listed by their distance from Russell, with the one closest to Russell listed first.
- Columbia
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Columbia is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Columbia
- Newbern
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Newbern is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newbern
- Bauer
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Bauer is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bauer
- Melcher - Dallas
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Melcher - Dallas is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Melcher - Dallas
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,236 people
- Indiana
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Indiana is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Indiana
- Marysville
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Marysville is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marysville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 68 people
- Attica
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Attica is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Attica
- Hamilton
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Hamilton is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hamilton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 135 people
- Bussey
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Bussey is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bussey
- Population from the 2020 Census: 406 people
- Pershing
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Pershing is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pershing
- Knoxville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Tracy
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Tracy is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tracy
- Harvey
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Harvey is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harvey
- Population from the 2020 Census: 243 people
- Monroe County
- The following are listed by their distance from Russell, with the one closest to Russell listed first.
- Melrose
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Georgetown
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Georgetown is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Georgetown
- Lovilia
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Albia
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Selection
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Selection is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Selection
- Bluff Creek
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Bluff Creek is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bluff Creek
- Avery
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Avery is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avery
- Wapello County
- Blakesburg
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Warren County
- The following are listed by their distance from Russell, with the one closest to Russell listed first.
- Lacona
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Liberty Center
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Liberty Center is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Liberty Center
- Milo
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Cool
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Cool is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cool
- Clarkson ‑ Historic
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Clarkson is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clarkson
- Sandyville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Sandyville is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sandyville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 54 people
- Ackworth
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Ackworth is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ackworth
- Population from the 2020 Census: 105 people
- New Virginia
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Wayne County
- The following are listed by their distance from Russell, with the one closest to Russell listed first.
- Confidence
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Confidence is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Confidence
- Millerton
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Millerton is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millerton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 42 people
- Corydon
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Promise City
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Promise City is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Promise City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 110 people
- Humeston
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Seymour
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Allerton
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Hodge
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Hodge is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hodge
- Genoa
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Genoa is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Genoa
- Clio
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Clio is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clio
- Population from the 2020 Census: 73 people
- Putnam County (MO)
- The following are listed by their distance from Russell, with the one closest to Russell listed first.
- Powersville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Powersville is located in Putnam County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Powersville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 54 people
- Saint John
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Saint John is located in Putnam County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint John
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Russell, see our County-by-County Page for Russell.
Cemeteries Near Russell ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Russell.
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 Russell - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Russell covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Russell, with the one closest to Russell listed first.
- Russell Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Ragtown Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Salem Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Old Ireland Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Bethel Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Douglass Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Greenville Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Oxford Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- La Grange Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Allen Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Calvary Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Chariton Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Continue List (377 more) ...
- Prather Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Jones Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Evans Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
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 Russell had a population of 443 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Russell had a population of 531 people.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Russell, with the one closest to Russell listed first.
- Zero
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Zero is located in Lucas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zero
- Chariton
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Melrose
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Olmitz
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Olmitz is located in Lucas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Olmitz
- Confidence
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Confidence is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Confidence
- New York
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- New York is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New York
- Indianola Junction
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Indianola Junction is located in Lucas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Indianola Junction
- Whitebreast
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Whitebreast is located in Lucas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whitebreast
- Ovia
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Ovia is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ovia
- Belinda
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Belinda is located in Lucas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belinda
- Weller
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Weller is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weller
- Oakley
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Oakley is located in Lucas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakley
- Continue List (16 more) ...
- Georgetown
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Georgetown is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Georgetown
- Derby
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Derby is located in Lucas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Derby
- Population from the 2020 Census: 111 people
- Newbern
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Newbern is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newbern
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Russell. See our List of 1890's Communities around Russell.
Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Russell ...
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 126 newspapers that have been published in the area around Russell.
We have organized these newspapers into two lists:
- A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Russell. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Russell and those printed in the larger area surrounding Russell.
- An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<4> of Russell.
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 either 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 Russell:
- Websites specific to Iowa
- Pages specific to Lucas County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Appanoose County
- Clarke County
- Decatur County
- Mahaska County
- Marion County
- Monroe County
- Wapello County
- Warren County
- Wayne County
- Putnam County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Iowa
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 Russell, 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 drawn from Point A (ie- Russell) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |