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 Urbana (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 Urbana. 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 northwest 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 north.
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 north 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.
Urbana is located in Benton 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 Benton County: Black Hawk, Buchanan, Iowa, Johnson, Linn, Poweshiek & Tama.
Below are the counties that are near Urbana. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Urbana:
- Benton County (The home county of Urbana)
- The following are listed by their distance from Urbana, with the one closest to Urbana listed first.
- Spencers Grove
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Spencers Grove is located in Benton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spencers Grove
- Benton City ‑ Historic
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Benton City is located in Benton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Benton City
- Vinton
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Shellsburg
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Mount Auburn
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Mount Auburn is located in Benton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Auburn
- Population from the 2020 Census: 144 people
- Garrison
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Garrison is located in Benton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garrison
- Population from the 2020 Census: 355 people
- Atkins
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Newhall
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Van Horne
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Van Horne is located in Benton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Van Horne
- Population from the 2020 Census: 646 people
- Norway
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Keystone
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Watkins
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Watkins is located in Benton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Watkins
- Blairstown
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Black Hawk County
- The following are listed by their distance from Urbana, with the one closest to Urbana listed first.
- Jubilee
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Jubilee is located in Black Hawk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jubilee
- La Porte City
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Jesup
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Gilbertville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Gilbertville is located in Black Hawk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gilbertville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 725 people
- Raymond
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Raymond is located in Black Hawk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Raymond
- Population from the 2020 Census: 788 people
- Elk Run Heights
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- 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
- Eagle Center
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Eagle Center is located in Black Hawk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eagle Center
- Dewar
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Dewar is located in Black Hawk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dewar
- Dunkerton
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Dunkerton is located in Black Hawk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunkerton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 851 people
- Evansdale
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Waterloo
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Blessing
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Blessing is located in Black Hawk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blessing
- Edwards ‑ Historic
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Edwards is located in Black Hawk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edwards
- Buchanan County
- The following are listed by their distance from Urbana, with the one closest to Urbana listed first.
- Hamerville
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Hamerville is located in Buchanan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hamerville
- Brandon
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Brandon is located in Buchanan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brandon
- Population from the 2020 Census: 320 people
- Rowley
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Quasqueton
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Shady Grove
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Shady Grove is located in Buchanan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shady Grove
- Independence
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Monti
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Monti is located in Buchanan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monti
- Doris
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Doris is located in Buchanan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Doris
- Winthrop
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Winthrop is located in Buchanan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winthrop
- Population from the 2020 Census: 848 people
- Hazleton
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Aurora
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Aurora is located in Buchanan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aurora
- Population from the 2020 Census: 162 people
- Stanley
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Stanley is located in Buchanan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stanley
- Population from the 2020 Census: 120 people
- Lamont
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Delaware County
- The following are listed by their distance from Urbana, with the one closest to Urbana listed first.
- Robinson
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Robinson is located in Delaware County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Robinson
- Ehler
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Ehler is located in Delaware County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ehler
- Masonville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Masonville is located in Delaware County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Masonville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 119 people
- Ryan
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Golden
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Golden is located in Delaware County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Golden
- Manchester
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Dundee
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Iowa County
- The following are listed by their distance from Urbana, with the one closest to Urbana listed first.
- Amana
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Middle Amana
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- West Amana
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- West Amana is located in Iowa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Amana
- Dayton
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Dayton is located in Iowa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dayton
- Johnson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Urbana, with the one closest to Urbana listed first.
- Swisher
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Shueyville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Shueyville is located in Johnson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shueyville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 655 people
- Cou Falls
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Cou Falls is located in Johnson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cou Falls
- Jones County
- The following are listed by their distance from Urbana, with the one closest to Urbana listed first.
- Argand
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Argand is located in Jones County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Argand
- Stone City
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Stone City is located in Jones County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stone City
- Fairview
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Fairview is located in Jones County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairview
- Martelle
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Martelle is located in Jones County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Martelle
- Population from the 2020 Census: 246 people
- Linn County
- The following are listed by their distance from Urbana, with the one closest to Urbana listed first.
- Walker
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Walker is located in Linn County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walker
- Population from the 2020 Census: 782 people
- Center Point
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Troy Mills
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Lafayette
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Lafayette is located in Linn County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lafayette
- Palo
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Toddville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Alburnett
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Paris ‑ Historic
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Paris is located in Linn County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Paris
- Robins
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Robins is located in Linn County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Robins
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,570 people
- Covington
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Covington is located in Linn County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Covington
- Hiawatha
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Sunset Village
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Sunset Village is located in Linn County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sunset Village
- Louisa
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Louisa is located in Linn County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Louisa
- Tama County
- The following are listed by their distance from Urbana, with the one closest to Urbana listed first.
- Dysart
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Elberon
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Clutier
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Traer
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Vining
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Vining is located in Tama County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vining
- Population from the 2020 Census: 49 people
- Buckingham
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Buckingham is located in Tama County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buckingham
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Urbana, see our County-by-County Page for Urbana.
Cemeteries Near Urbana ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Urbana.
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 Urbana - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Urbana covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Urbana, with the one closest to Urbana listed first.
- Kisling Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Urbana Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Cox Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Davis Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- St. Marys Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Spencers Grove Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- McBroom Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Center Point Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Bear Creek Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Pettit Hill Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Walker Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Evergreen Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Evergreen Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Evergreen Cemetery is located outside and to the east of Vinton.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #94709 <2>
- Continue List (269 more) ...
- Plum Grove Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Pleasant Ridge Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Sacred Heart 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.<3>
While we didn't find Urbana in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Urbana.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Urbana, with the one closest to Urbana listed first.
- Center Point
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Walker
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Walker is located in Linn County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walker
- Population from the 2020 Census: 782 people
- Vinton
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Brandon
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Brandon is located in Buchanan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brandon
- Population from the 2020 Census: 320 people
- Shellsburg
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Rowley
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Mount Auburn
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Mount Auburn is located in Benton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Auburn
- Population from the 2020 Census: 144 people
- Lafayette
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Lafayette is located in Linn County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lafayette
- Troy Mills
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Palo
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Toddville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Quasqueton
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Continue List (16 more) ...
- Shady Grove
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Shady Grove is located in Buchanan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shady Grove
- Garrison
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Garrison is located in Benton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garrison
- Population from the 2020 Census: 355 people
- Gatesville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Gatesville is located in Buchanan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gatesville
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Urbana. See our List of 1890's Communities around Urbana.
Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Urbana ...
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 36 newspapers that have been published in the area around Urbana.
We have organized these newspapers into two lists:
- A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Urbana. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Urbana and those printed in the larger area surrounding Urbana.
- An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<4> of Urbana.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we like to 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 Urbana:
- Websites specific to Iowa
- Pages specific to Benton County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Black Hawk County
- Buchanan County
- Delaware County
- Iowa County
- Johnson County
- Jones County
- Linn County
- Tama 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> | 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 Urbana, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <4> | 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- Urbana) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |