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 Scranton (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 Scranton. 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 southwest 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 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 west 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.
Scranton is located in Greene 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 Greene County: Boone, Calhoun, Carroll, Dallas, Guthrie & Webster.
Below are the counties that are near Scranton. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Scranton:
- Greene County (The home county of Scranton)
- The following are listed by their distance from Scranton, with the one closest to Scranton listed first.
- Farlin
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Farlin is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Farlin
- Jefferson
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Churdan
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Churdan is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Churdan
- Population from the 2020 Census: 363 people
- Cooper
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Cooper is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cooper
- Grand Junction
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Dana
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Dana is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dana
- Population from the 2020 Census: 67 people
- Rippey
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Rippey is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rippey
- Population from the 2020 Census: 269 people
- Paton
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Audubon County
- The following are listed by their distance from Scranton, with the one closest to Scranton listed first.
- Gray
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Ross
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Ross is located in Audubon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ross
- Audubon
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Hamlin
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Hamlin is located in Audubon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hamlin
- Boone County
- The following are listed by their distance from Scranton, with the one closest to Scranton listed first.
- Beaver
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Beaver is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beaver
- Population from the 2020 Census: 50 people
- Berkley
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Berkley is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Berkley
- Population from the 2020 Census: 33 people
- Boxholm
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Ogden
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Pilot Mound
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Pilot Mound is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pilot Mound
- Population from the 2020 Census: 170 people
- Fraser
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Fraser is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fraser
- Population from the 2020 Census: 103 people
- Calhoun County
- The following are listed by their distance from Scranton, with the one closest to Scranton listed first.
- Wightman
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Wightman is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wightman
- Lohrville
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Farnhamville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Farnhamville is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Farnhamville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 335 people
- Lake City
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Rands
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Rands is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rands
- Rinard
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Rinard is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rinard
- Population from the 2020 Census: 48 people
- Sherwood
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Sherwood is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sherwood
- Somers
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Somers is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Somers
- Population from the 2020 Census: 102 people
- Yetter
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Yetter is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yetter
- Population from the 2020 Census: 31 people
- Rockwell City
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Knierim
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Knierim is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Knierim
- Population from the 2020 Census: 57 people
- Carroll County
- The following are listed by their distance from Scranton, with the one closest to Scranton listed first.
- Ralston
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Ralston is located in Carroll County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ralston
- Population from the 2020 Census: 72 people
- Glidden
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Coon Rapids
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Lanesboro
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Lanesboro is located in Carroll County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lanesboro
- Population from the 2020 Census: 108 people
- Lidderdale
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Lidderdale is located in Carroll County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lidderdale
- Population from the 2020 Census: 167 people
- Willey
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Willey is located in Carroll County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willey
- Population from the 2020 Census: 97 people
- Carroll Community Estates
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Dedham
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Carroll
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Roselle
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Roselle is located in Carroll County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roselle
- Halbur
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Halbur is located in Carroll County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Halbur
- Population from the 2020 Census: 252 people
- Templeton
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Breda
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Breda is located in Carroll County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Breda
- Population from the 2020 Census: 471 people
- Crawford County
- Westside
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Dallas County
- The following are listed by their distance from Scranton, with the one closest to Scranton listed first.
- Dawson
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Dawson is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dawson
- Population from the 2020 Census: 127 people
- Perry
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Bouton
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Linden
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Linden is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Linden
- Population from the 2020 Census: 214 people
- Guthrie County
- The following are listed by their distance from Scranton, with the one closest to Scranton listed first.
- Bayard
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Bagley
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Bagley is located in Guthrie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bagley
- Population from the 2020 Census: 285 people
- Herndon
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Herndon is located in Guthrie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Herndon
- Jamaica
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Yale
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Yale is located in Guthrie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yale
- Population from the 2020 Census: 239 people
- Guthrie Center
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Panora
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- North Branch
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- North Branch is located in Guthrie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Branch
- Glendon
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Glendon is located in Guthrie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glendon
- Sac County
- The following are listed by their distance from Scranton, with the one closest to Scranton listed first.
- Auburn
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Grant City
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Grant City is located in Sac County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grant City
- Webster County
- The following are listed by their distance from Scranton, with the one closest to Scranton listed first.
- Gowrie
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Lanyon
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Lanyon is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lanyon
- Slifer
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Slifer is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Slifer
- Harcourt
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Harcourt is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harcourt
- Population from the 2020 Census: 278 people
- Callender
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Callender is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Callender
- Population from the 2020 Census: 346 people
- Palm Grove
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Palm Grove is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Palm Grove
- Dayton
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Scranton, see our County-by-County Page for Scranton.
Cemeteries Near Scranton ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Scranton.
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 Scranton - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Scranton covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Scranton, with the one closest to Scranton listed first.
- Scranton Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Thompson Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Wright Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Fair Oaks Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Dillavou Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dillavou Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Dillavou Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located 2 miles [3.2 km]<2> to the north of Ralston.
- The Dillavou Cemetery has also been known as:
- Kendrick Twp. Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #94586 <3>
- Headly Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Willow Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Golgotha Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- St. Patricks Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Jefferson Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Salisbury Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Dickson Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Continue List (153 more) ...
- Union Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Greenbrier Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Highland Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
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>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Scranton had a population of 715 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Scranton had a population of 514 people.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Scranton, with the one closest to Scranton listed first.
- Farlin
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Farlin is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Farlin
- Jefferson
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Glidden
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Churdan
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Churdan is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Churdan
- Population from the 2020 Census: 363 people
- Carrollton
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Carrollton is located in Carroll County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carrollton
- Coon Rapids
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Bayard
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Cooper
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Cooper is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cooper
- Bagley
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Bagley is located in Guthrie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bagley
- Population from the 2020 Census: 285 people
- Willey
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Willey is located in Carroll County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willey
- Population from the 2020 Census: 97 people
- Herndon
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Herndon is located in Guthrie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Herndon
- Dedham
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Continue List (17 more) ...
- Grand Junction
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Carroll
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Jamaica
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Scranton. See our List of 1890's Communities around Scranton.
Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Scranton ...
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 114 newspapers that have been published in the area around Scranton.
We have organized these newspapers into two lists:
- A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Scranton. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Scranton and those printed in the larger area surrounding Scranton.
- An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<2> of Scranton.
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 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 Scranton:
- Websites specific to Iowa
- Pages specific to Greene County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Audubon County
- Boone County
- Calhoun County
- Carroll County
- Crawford County
- Dallas County
- Guthrie County
- Sac County
- Webster 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> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a '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- Scranton) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |
| <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 Scranton, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |