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 Shelby (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 Shelby. 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 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 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.
Shelby is primarily located in Shelby County. A portion of Shelby extends into Pottawattamie 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 Shelby County: Audubon, Carroll, Cass, Crawford, Harrison & Pottawattamie.
Below are the counties that are near Shelby. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Shelby:
- Shelby County (The home county of Shelby)
- The following are listed by their distance from Shelby, with the one closest to Shelby listed first.
- Tennant
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Tennant is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tennant
- Population from the 2020 Census: 63 people
- Corley
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Corley is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Corley
- Portsmouth
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Harlan
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Westphalia
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Westphalia is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westphalia
- Population from the 2020 Census: 117 people
- Panama
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Kirkman
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Kirkman is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kirkman
- Population from the 2020 Census: 61 people
- Earling
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Earling is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Earling
- Population from the 2020 Census: 403 people
- Elk Horn
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Defiance
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Defiance is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Defiance
- Population from the 2020 Census: 260 people
- Irwin
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Botna
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Botna is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Botna
- Audubon County
- The following are listed by their distance from Shelby, with the one closest to Shelby listed first.
- Kimballton
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Fiscus
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Fiscus is located in Audubon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fiscus
- Brayton
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Exira
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Hamlin
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Hamlin is located in Audubon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hamlin
- Audubon
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Cass County
- The following are listed by their distance from Shelby, with the one closest to Shelby listed first.
- Marne
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Atlantic
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Lewis
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Sycamore Village
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Sycamore Village is located in Cass County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sycamore Village
- Griswold
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Grove City ‑ Historic
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Grove City is located in Cass County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grove City
- Wiota
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Lyman
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Lyman is located in Cass County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lyman
- Crawford County
- The following are listed by their distance from Shelby, with the one closest to Shelby listed first.
- Astor
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Astor is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Astor
- Buck Grove
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Buck Grove is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buck Grove
- Population from the 2020 Census: 43 people
- Dow City
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Manilla
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Arion
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Arion is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arion
- Population from the 2020 Census: 107 people
- Bell
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Bell is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bell
- Harrison County
- The following are listed by their distance from Shelby, with the one closest to Shelby listed first.
- Yorkshire
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Yorkshire is located in Harrison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yorkshire
- Persia
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Persia is located in Harrison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Persia
- Population from the 2020 Census: 281 people
- Logan
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Woodbine
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Missouri Valley
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Dunlap
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Magnolia
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Magnolia is located in Harrison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Magnolia
- Population from the 2020 Census: 170 people
- California Junction
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- California Junction is located in Harrison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for California Junction
- Modale
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Mills County
- The following are listed by their distance from Shelby, with the one closest to Shelby listed first.
- Henderson
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Mineola
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Silver City
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Silver City is located in Mills County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Silver City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 246 people
- Montgomery County
- Elliott
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Pottawattamie County
- The following are listed by their distance from Shelby, with the one closest to Shelby listed first.
- Harlan Junction ‑ Historic
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Harlan Junction is located in Pottawattamie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harlan Junction
- Minden
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Avoca
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Avoca is located in Pottawattamie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avoca
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,537 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Avoca <1>
- Hancock
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Hancock is located in Pottawattamie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hancock
- Population from the 2020 Census: 196 people
- Neola
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Walnut
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Walnut is located in Pottawattamie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walnut
- Population from the 2020 Census: 768 people
- Oakland
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Underwood
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- McClelland
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Pigeon
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Pigeon is located in Pottawattamie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pigeon
- Carson
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Weston
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Weston is located in Pottawattamie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weston
- Douglas County (NE)
- The following are listed by their distance from Shelby, with the one closest to Shelby listed first.
- Home Park
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Home Park is located in Douglas County (NE)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Home Park
- Briggs
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Briggs is located in Douglas County (NE)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Briggs
- Washington County (NE)
- Fort Calhoun
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Shelby, see our County-by-County Page for Shelby.
Cemeteries Near Shelby ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Shelby.
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 Shelby - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Shelby covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Shelby, with the one closest to Shelby listed first.
- Shelby Twp. Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Olson Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Minden Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Graceland Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Schley Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Lytle Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Champlin Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Spears Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Graybill Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Silver Valley Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Newton Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Jacobson Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Continue List (179 more) ...
- Cass Twp. Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Lee Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Fairview Twp. Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 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.<2>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Shelby had a population of 582 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Shelby had a population of 607 people.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Shelby, with the one closest to Shelby listed first.
- Harlan Junction ‑ Historic
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Harlan Junction is located in Pottawattamie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harlan Junction
- Minden
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Avoca
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Avoca is located in Pottawattamie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avoca
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,537 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Avoca <1>
- Yorkshire
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Yorkshire is located in Harrison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yorkshire
- Corley
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Corley is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Corley
- Persia
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Persia is located in Harrison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Persia
- Population from the 2020 Census: 281 people
- Neola
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Hancock
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Hancock is located in Pottawattamie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hancock
- Population from the 2020 Census: 196 people
- York Center
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- York Center is located in Pottawattamie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for York Center
- Portsmouth
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Union Burg ‑ Historic
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Union Burg is located in Harrison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union Burg
- Harlan
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- Walnut
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Walnut is located in Pottawattamie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walnut
- Population from the 2020 Census: 768 people
- Underwood
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Oakland
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Shelby. See our List of 1890's Communities around Shelby.
Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Shelby ...
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 71 newspapers that have been published in the area around Shelby.
We have organized these newspapers into two lists:
- A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Shelby. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Shelby and those printed in the larger area surrounding Shelby.
- An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<3> of Shelby.
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 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 Shelby:
- Websites specific to Iowa
- Pages specific to Shelby County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Audubon County
- Cass County
- Crawford County
- Harrison County
- Mills County
- Montgomery County
- Pottawattamie County
- Douglas County
- Washington 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> | 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 Shelby, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <3> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Shelby) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |