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 Shell Rock (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 Shell Rock. 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.
Shell Rock is located in Butler 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 Butler County: Black Hawk, Bremer, Cerro Gordo, Chickasaw, Floyd, Franklin, Grundy & Hardin.
Below are the counties that are near Shell Rock. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Shell Rock:
- Butler County (The home county of Shell Rock)
- The following are listed by their distance from Shell Rock, with the one closest to Shell Rock listed first.
- Clarksville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Coster
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Coster is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coster
- New Hartford
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Butler Center
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Butler Center is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Butler Center
- Allison
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Parkersburg
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Greene
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Sinclair
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Sinclair is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sinclair
- Bristow
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Bristow is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bristow
- Population from the 2020 Census: 147 people
- Kesley
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Kesley is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kesley
- Aplington
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Austinville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Austinville is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Austinville
- Black Hawk County
- The following are listed by their distance from Shell Rock, with the one closest to Shell Rock listed first.
- Finchford
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Finchford is located in Black Hawk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Finchford
- Janesville
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- North Cedar
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- North Cedar is located in Black Hawk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Cedar
- Cedar City
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Cedar City is located in Black Hawk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar City
- Cedar Falls
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Edwards ‑ Historic
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Edwards is located in Black Hawk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edwards
- Waterloo
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Evansdale
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Hudson
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Dewar
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Dewar is located in Black Hawk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dewar
- Dunkerton
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Dunkerton is located in Black Hawk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunkerton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 851 people
- Elk Run Heights
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Elk Run Heights is located in Black Hawk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elk Run Heights
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,135 people
- Bremer County
- The following are listed by their distance from Shell Rock, with the one closest to Shell Rock listed first.
- Waverly
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Plainfield
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Bremer
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Bremer is located in Bremer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bremer
- Horton
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Horton is located in Bremer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Horton
- Denver
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Seigel
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Seigel is located in Bremer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seigel
- Knittel
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Knittel is located in Bremer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Knittel
- Tripoli
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Klinger
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Klinger is located in Bremer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Klinger
- Readlyn
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Frederika
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Frederika is located in Bremer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frederika
- Population from the 2020 Census: 205 people
- Sumner
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Buchanan County
- Fairbank
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Cerro Gordo County
- Dougherty
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Dougherty is located in Cerro Gordo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dougherty
- Population from the 2020 Census: 56 people
- Chickasaw County
- The following are listed by their distance from Shell Rock, with the one closest to Shell Rock listed first.
- Nashua
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Bradford
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Bradford is located in Chickasaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bradford
- Republic
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Republic is located in Chickasaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Republic
- Chickasaw
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Chickasaw is located in Chickasaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chickasaw
- Ionia
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Bassett
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Bassett is located in Chickasaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bassett
- Population from the 2020 Census: 62 people
- Fredericksburg
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- New Hampton
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- North Washington
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- North Washington is located in Chickasaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Washington
- Population from the 2020 Census: 137 people
- Fayette County
- The following are listed by their distance from Shell Rock, with the one closest to Shell Rock listed first.
- Oran
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Oran is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oran
- Westgate
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Westgate is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westgate
- Population from the 2020 Census: 209 people
- Floyd County
- The following are listed by their distance from Shell Rock, with the one closest to Shell Rock listed first.
- Carrville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Carrville is located in Floyd County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carrville
- Marble Rock
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Oakwood
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Oakwood is located in Floyd County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakwood
- Aureola
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Aureola is located in Floyd County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aureola
- Roseville
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Roseville is located in Floyd County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roseville
- Charles City
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Floyd
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Rockford
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Colwell
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Franklin County
- The following are listed by their distance from Shell Rock, with the one closest to Shell Rock listed first.
- Faulkner
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Faulkner is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Faulkner
- Hansell
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Geneva
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Grundy County
- The following are listed by their distance from Shell Rock, with the one closest to Shell Rock listed first.
- Stout
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Stout is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stout
- Population from the 2020 Census: 214 people
- Fredsville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Fredsville is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fredsville
- Dike
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Fern
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Fern is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fern
- Buck Grove
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Buck Grove is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buck Grove
- Holland
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Grundy Center
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Morrison
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Wellsburg
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Reinbeck
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Hardin County
- The following are listed by their distance from Shell Rock, with the one closest to Shell Rock listed first.
- Ackley
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Cleves
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Cleves is located in Hardin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cleves
- Abbott
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Abbott is located in Hardin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Abbott
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Shell Rock, see our County-by-County Page for Shell Rock.
Cemeteries Near Shell Rock ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Shell Rock.
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 Shell Rock - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Shell Rock covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Shell Rock, with the one closest to Shell Rock listed first.
- Riverside Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Waverly Junction Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Pilot Mound Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Antioch Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Lowell Town Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lowell Town Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Lowell Town Cemetery is located 2 miles [3.2 km]<2> to the southeast of Clarksville.
- The Lowell Town Cemetery has also been known as:
- Lowell Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #95351 <3>
- Old Town Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Harlington Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Spring Lake Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Old Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Finchford Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Spencer Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- St. Paul Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Continue List (234 more) ...
- St. Josephs Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- St. Marys Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Andrews Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 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 Shell Rock had a population of 733 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Shell Rock had a population of 1,268 people.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Shell Rock, with the one closest to Shell Rock listed first.
- Waverly Junction
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Waverly Junction is located in Bremer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waverly Junction
- Waverly
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Finchford
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Finchford is located in Black Hawk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Finchford
- Clarksville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Coster
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Coster is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coster
- Janesville
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Plainfield
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- New Hartford
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Bremer
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Bremer is located in Bremer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bremer
- Horton
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Horton is located in Bremer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Horton
- Butler Center
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Butler Center is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Butler Center
- Allison
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Denver
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Roxie
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Roxie is located in Bremer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roxie
- Parkersburg
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Shell Rock. See our List of 1890's Communities around Shell Rock.
Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Shell Rock ...
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 72 newspapers that have been published in the area around Shell Rock.
We have organized these newspapers into two lists:
- A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Shell Rock. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Shell Rock and those printed in the larger area surrounding Shell Rock.
- An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 29 miles [46.7 km]<2> of Shell Rock.
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 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 Shell Rock:
- Websites specific to Iowa
- Pages specific to Butler County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Black Hawk County
- Bremer County
- Buchanan County
- Cerro Gordo County
- Chickasaw County
- Fayette County
- Floyd County
- Franklin County
- Grundy County
- Hardin 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 'straight-line' (or point-to-point) distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Shell Rock) 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 Shell Rock, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |