Our Genealogy Helper
Introduction ...
So far, we found very little information about Shepard. The little that we've found leads us believe that the community is historic.<1>
We've added Shepard to our Gazetteer with the hope that we can develop more information. If you can help us with Shepard, please Contact Us.
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 Shepard (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 Shepard. 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.
Although our information shows that the community of Shepard is historic, it would have been located within present day Union 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 Union County: Adair, Adams, Clarke, Decatur, Madison, Ringgold & Taylor.
Below are the counties that are near Shepard. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Shepard:
- Union County (The home county of Shepard)
- The following are listed by their distance from Shepard, with the one closest to Shepard listed first.
- Afton
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Arispe
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Arispe is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arispe
- Population from the 2020 Census: 96 people
- Thayer
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Thayer is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thayer
- Population from the 2020 Census: 58 people
- Shannon City
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Shannon City is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shannon City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 69 people
- Lorimor
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Lorimor is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lorimor
- Population from the 2020 Census: 341 people
- Creston
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- East Creston
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- East Creston is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Creston
- Kent
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Kent is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kent
- Cromwell
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Cromwell is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cromwell
- Population from the 2020 Census: 105 people
- Adair County
- The following are listed by their distance from Shepard, with the one closest to Shepard listed first.
- Zion
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Zion is located in Adair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zion
- Hebron
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Hebron is located in Adair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hebron
- Orient
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Stanzel
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Stanzel is located in Adair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stanzel
- Gilead
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Gilead is located in Adair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gilead
- Greenfield
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Arbor Hill
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Arbor Hill is located in Adair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arbor Hill
- Fontanelle
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Fontanelle is located in Adair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fontanelle
- Population from the 2020 Census: 612 people
- Adams County
- The following are listed by their distance from Shepard, with the one closest to Shepard listed first.
- Stringtown
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Stringtown is located in Adams County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stringtown
- Williamson
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Williamson is located in Adams County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Williamson
- Prescott
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Mercer
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Mercer is located in Adams County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mercer
- Carl
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Carl is located in Adams County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carl
- Queen City ‑ Historic
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Queen City is located in Adams County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Queen City
- Corning
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Clarke County
- The following are listed by their distance from Shepard, with the one closest to Shepard listed first.
- Hopeville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Hopeville is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hopeville
- Murray
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Murray is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Murray
- Population from the 2020 Census: 681 people
- Lacelle
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Lacelle is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lacelle
- Green Bay ‑ Historic
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Green Bay is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Green Bay
- Osceola
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Weldon
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Weldon is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weldon
- Population from the 2020 Census: 104 people
- Liberty
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Liberty is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Liberty
- Woodburn
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Decatur County
- The following are listed by their distance from Shepard, with the one closest to Shepard listed first.
- Grand River
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Grand River is located in Decatur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grand River
- Population from the 2020 Census: 215 people
- Van Wert
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Van Wert is located in Decatur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Van Wert
- Population from the 2020 Census: 208 people
- Decatur City
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Decatur City is located in Decatur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Decatur City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 181 people
- Lamoni
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Leon
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Garden Grove
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Garden Grove is located in Decatur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garden Grove
- Population from the 2020 Census: 200 people
- Le Roy
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Le Roy is located in Decatur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Le Roy
- Population from the 2020 Census: 14 people
- Davis City
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Davis City is located in Decatur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Davis City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 187 people
- Madison County
- The following are listed by their distance from Shepard, with the one closest to Shepard listed first.
- Barney
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Barney is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barney
- Macksburg
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Macksburg is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Macksburg
- Population from the 2020 Census: 122 people
- Ord
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Ord is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ord
- East Peru
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- East Peru is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Peru
- Population from the 2020 Census: 133 people
- Truro
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Webster
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Webster is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Webster
- Winterset
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Pitzer
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Pitzer is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pitzer
- Saint Charles
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Patterson
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Patterson is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Patterson
- Population from the 2020 Census: 163 people
- Ringgold County
- The following are listed by their distance from Shepard, with the one closest to Shepard listed first.
- Tingley
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Ellston
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Ellston is located in Ringgold County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ellston
- Population from the 2020 Census: 38 people
- Beaconsfield
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Beaconsfield is located in Ringgold County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beaconsfield
- Population from the 2020 Census: 15 people
- Knowlton ‑ Historic
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Knowlton is located in Ringgold County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Knowlton
- Diagonal
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Mount Ayr
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Kellerton
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Benton
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Benton is located in Ringgold County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Benton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 40 people
- Delphos
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Delphos is located in Ringgold County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Delphos
- Estimated population in 2019: 24 people
- Maloy
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Maloy is located in Ringgold County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maloy
- Population from the 2020 Census: 27 people
- Redding
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Redding is located in Ringgold County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Redding
- Population from the 2020 Census: 77 people
- Taylor County
- The following are listed by their distance from Shepard, with the one closest to Shepard listed first.
- Clearfield
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Lenox
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Sharpsburg
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Sharpsburg is located in Taylor County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sharpsburg
- Population from the 2020 Census: 86 people
- Conway
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Conway is located in Taylor County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Conway
- Population from the 2020 Census: 40 people
- Blockton
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Blockton is located in Taylor County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blockton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 184 people
- Warren County
- The following are listed by their distance from Shepard, with the one closest to Shepard listed first.
- New Virginia
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Saint Marys
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Saint Marys is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Marys
- Population from the 2020 Census: 127 people
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Shepard, see our County-by-County Page for Shepard.
Cemeteries Near Shepard ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Shepard.
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 Shepard - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Shepard covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Shepard, with the one closest to Shepard listed first.
- Abel Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Norris Family Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Otterbein Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Green Lawn Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- West Union Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Brown Family Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Calvary Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Mt. Pisgah Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Cornwall Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Reasoner Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Claypool Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Thayer Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Continue List (243 more) ...
- Bethel Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Beulah Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- County Home Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
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.
While we didn't find Shepard in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Shepard.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Shepard, with the one closest to Shepard listed first.
- Afton Junction ‑ Historic
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Afton Junction is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Afton Junction
- Talmage
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Talmage is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Talmage
- Afton
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Arispe
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Arispe is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arispe
- Population from the 2020 Census: 96 people
- Thayer
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Thayer is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thayer
- Population from the 2020 Census: 58 people
- Monette
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Monette is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monette
- Shannon City
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Shannon City is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shannon City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 69 people
- Hopeville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Hopeville is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hopeville
- Tingley
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Lorimor
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Lorimor is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lorimor
- Population from the 2020 Census: 341 people
- Mortimer ‑ Historic
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Mortimer is located in Ringgold County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mortimer
- Murray
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Murray is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Murray
- Population from the 2020 Census: 681 people
- Continue List (13 more) ...
- East Creston
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- East Creston is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Creston
- Creston
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Beaconsfield
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Beaconsfield is located in Ringgold County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beaconsfield
- Population from the 2020 Census: 15 people
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Shepard. See our List of 1890's Communities around Shepard.
Newspapers Published in Shepard ...
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 79 newspapers that have been published in the area around Shepard.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Shepard, 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 Shepard.
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 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 Shepard:
- Websites specific to Iowa
- Pages specific to Union County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Adair County
- Adams County
- Clarke County
- Decatur County
- Madison County
- Ringgold County
- Taylor County
- Warren County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Iowa
Footnotes ...
| <1> | 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 Shepard, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <2> | While we're fans and frequent users of TripAdvisor, you should know that we're also members of the TripAdvisor affiliate program. |
| <3> | 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- Shepard) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |