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 Swisher (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 Swisher. 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.
Swisher is located in Johnson 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 Johnson County: Benton, Cedar, Iowa, Linn, Louisa, Muscatine & Washington.
Below are the counties that are near Swisher. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Swisher:
- Johnson County (The home county of Swisher)
- The following are listed by their distance from Swisher, with the one closest to Swisher listed first.
- Shueyville
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Shueyville is located in Johnson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shueyville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 655 people
- Cou Falls
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Cou Falls is located in Johnson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cou Falls
- North Liberty
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Tiffin
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Oxford
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Solon
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Oakdale
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Oakdale is located in Johnson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakdale
- Coralville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Cosgrove
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Cosgrove is located in Johnson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cosgrove
- Morse
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Morse is located in Johnson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morse
- University Heights
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- University Heights is located in Johnson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for University Heights
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,025 people
- Iowa City
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Elmira
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Elmira is located in Johnson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elmira
- Benton County
- The following are listed by their distance from Swisher, with the one closest to Swisher listed first.
- Norway
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Atkins
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Watkins
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Watkins is located in Benton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Watkins
- Newhall
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Shellsburg
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Blairstown
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Van Horne
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Van Horne is located in Benton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Van Horne
- Population from the 2020 Census: 646 people
- Benton City ‑ Historic
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Benton City is located in Benton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Benton City
- Luzerne
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Luzerne is located in Benton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Luzerne
- Population from the 2020 Census: 92 people
- Vinton
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Urbana
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Keystone
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Belle Plaine
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Cedar County
- The following are listed by their distance from Swisher, with the one closest to Swisher listed first.
- Cedar Bluff
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Cedar Bluff is located in Cedar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar Bluff
- West Branch
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Mechanicsville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Mechanicsville is located in Cedar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mechanicsville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,116 people
- Buchanan
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Buchanan is located in Cedar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buchanan
- Downey
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Downey is located in Cedar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Downey
- Cedar Valley
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Cedar Valley is located in Cedar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar Valley
- Centerdale
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Centerdale is located in Cedar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Centerdale
- Springdale
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Springdale is located in Cedar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Springdale
- Stanwood
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Rochester
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Rochester is located in Cedar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rochester
- Tipton
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Iowa County
- The following are listed by their distance from Swisher, with the one closest to Swisher listed first.
- Amana
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Middle Amana
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- South Amana
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- West Amana
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- West Amana is located in Iowa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Amana
- Conroy
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Conroy is located in Iowa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Conroy
- Marengo
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Williamsburg
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Parnell
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Dayton
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Dayton is located in Iowa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dayton
- Ladora
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Millersburg
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Millersburg is located in Iowa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millersburg
- Population from the 2020 Census: 139 people
- North English
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Jones County
- The following are listed by their distance from Swisher, with the one closest to Swisher listed first.
- Martelle
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Martelle is located in Jones County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Martelle
- Population from the 2020 Census: 246 people
- Fairview
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Fairview is located in Jones County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairview
- Morley
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Morley is located in Jones County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morley
- Population from the 2020 Census: 110 people
- Stone City
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Stone City is located in Jones County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stone City
- Anamosa
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Olin
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Keokuk County
- Kinross
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Kinross is located in Keokuk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kinross
- Population from the 2020 Census: 71 people
- Linn County
- The following are listed by their distance from Swisher, with the one closest to Swisher listed first.
- Western
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Western is located in Linn County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Western
- Ely
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Lincolnway Village
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Lincolnway Village is located in Linn County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lincolnway Village
- Fairfax
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Grand View Village
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Grand View Village is located in Linn County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grand View Village
- Walford
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Walford is located in Linn County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walford
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,436 people
- Cedar Hills
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Cedar Hills is located in Linn County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar Hills
- Cedar Rapids
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Bertram
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Bertram is located in Linn County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bertram
- Population from the 2020 Census: 278 people
- Covington
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Covington is located in Linn County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Covington
- Louisa
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Louisa is located in Linn County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Louisa
- Marion
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Sunset Village
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Sunset Village is located in Linn County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sunset Village
- Muscatine County
- West Liberty
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Washington County
- The following are listed by their distance from Swisher, with the one closest to Swisher listed first.
- Kalona
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Riverside
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Wellman
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Nira
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Nira is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nira
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Swisher, see our County-by-County Page for Swisher.
Cemeteries Near Swisher ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Swisher.
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 Swisher - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Swisher covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Swisher, with the one closest to Swisher listed first.
- Anderson Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Blain Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Shueyville Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Dupont Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Sulek Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Western Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Western Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Western Cemetery is located less than 2 miles<3> to the northeast of Western.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #96650 <2>
- Truhlar Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Buresh Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Castek Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Greencastle Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Ridgewood Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- St. Patricks Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Continue List (328 more) ...
- Hala Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Grabin Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Williams Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 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>
While we didn't find Swisher in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Swisher.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Swisher, with the one closest to Swisher listed first.
- Shueyville
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Shueyville is located in Johnson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shueyville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 655 people
- Ely
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Fairfax
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Walford
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Walford is located in Linn County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walford
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,436 people
- North Liberty
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- East Rapids
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- East Rapids is located in Linn County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Rapids
- Amana
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Oxford
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Tiffin
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Cedar Rapids
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Homestead
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Solon
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Continue List (13 more) ...
- Bertram
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Bertram is located in Linn County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bertram
- Population from the 2020 Census: 278 people
- Covington
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Covington is located in Linn County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Covington
- Coralville
(11 miles [17.7 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 Swisher. See our List of 1890's Communities around Swisher.
Newspapers Published in Swisher ...
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 204 newspapers that have been published in the area around Swisher.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Swisher, 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 Swisher.
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 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 Swisher:
- Websites specific to Iowa
- Pages specific to Johnson County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Benton County
- Cedar County
- Iowa County
- Jones County
- Keokuk County
- Linn County
- Muscatine 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> | 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> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' (or 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- Swisher) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |
| <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 Swisher, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |