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 Westbrook Village (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 Westbrook Village. 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.
Name Variations for Westbrook Village ...
When searching records, keep in mind that names and their spelling can change over time. Our sources include documents like maps, railroad schedules, Travel, Express and Shipping Guides. Many of these documents date from the 1800's and it's common to find spelling differences.
For example, a typical abbreviation for Westbrook Village: Westbrook Vlg. (in Canada, 'Vlge.' is the more common abbreviation.)
You might be interested in other communities that are also named Westbrook Village. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Westbrook Village.
If you have information about these names (such as the reason for the change, date of change, the origin of the name), please Contact Us.
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.
Westbrook Village is located in Sioux 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 Sioux County: Lyon, O'Brien, Plymouth, Lincoln (SD) & Union (SD).
Below are the counties that are near Westbrook Village. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Westbrook Village:
- Sioux County (The home county of Westbrook Village)
- The following are listed by their distance from Westbrook Village, with the one closest to Westbrook Village listed first.
- Sioux Center
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Middleburg
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Middleburg is located in Sioux County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Middleburg
- Hull
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Perkins
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Perkins is located in Sioux County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Perkins
- Maurice
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Maurice is located in Sioux County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maurice
- Population from the 2020 Census: 270 people
- Orange City
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Lebanon
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Lebanon is located in Sioux County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lebanon
- Rock Valley
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Ireton
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Boyden
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Boyden is located in Sioux County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boyden
- Population from the 2020 Census: 682 people
- Alton
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Hospers
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- McNally
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- McNally is located in Sioux County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McNally
- Cherokee County
- The following are listed by their distance from Westbrook Village, with the one closest to Westbrook Village listed first.
- Marcus
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Cleghorn
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Cleghorn is located in Cherokee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cleghorn
- Population from the 2020 Census: 214 people
- Lyon County
- The following are listed by their distance from Westbrook Village, with the one closest to Westbrook Village listed first.
- Doon
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Alvord
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- George
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Inwood
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Edna
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Edna is located in Lyon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edna
- Rock Rapids
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Beloit
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Beloit is located in Lyon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beloit
- Lester
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Lester is located in Lyon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lester
- Population from the 2020 Census: 303 people
- Klondike
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Klondike is located in Lyon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Klondike
- Larchwood
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Little Rock
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- O'Brien County
- The following are listed by their distance from Westbrook Village, with the one closest to Westbrook Village listed first.
- Sheldon
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Archer
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Germantown
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Germantown is located in O'Brien County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Germantown
- Paullina
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Paullina is located in O'Brien County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Paullina
- Population from the 2020 Census: 965 people
- Sanborn
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Primghar
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Osceola County
- Ashton
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Plymouth County
- The following are listed by their distance from Westbrook Village, with the one closest to Westbrook Village listed first.
- Struble
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Struble is located in Plymouth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Struble
- Population from the 2020 Census: 77 people
- Craig
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Craig is located in Plymouth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Craig
- Population from the 2020 Census: 91 people
- Brunsville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Brunsville is located in Plymouth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brunsville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 152 people
- Oyens
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Oyens is located in Plymouth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oyens
- Population from the 2020 Census: 102 people
- Le Mars
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Remsen
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Merrill
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Adaville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Adaville is located in Plymouth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adaville
- Akron
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- O'Leary
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- O'Leary is located in Plymouth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for O'Leary
- Millnerville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Millnerville is located in Plymouth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millnerville
- Rock County (MN)
- Steen
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Steen is located in Rock County (MN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Steen
- Population from the 2020 Census: 164 people
- Lincoln County (SD)
- The following are listed by their distance from Westbrook Village, with the one closest to Westbrook Village listed first.
- Hudson
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Fairview
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Moe
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Moe is located in Lincoln County (SD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moe
- Canton
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Union County (SD)
- The following are listed by their distance from Westbrook Village, with the one closest to Westbrook Village listed first.
- Alcester
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Big Springs
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Big Springs is located in Union County (SD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Big Springs
- Nora
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Nora is located in Union County (SD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nora
- Estimated population in 2014: 240 people
- Beresford
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Beresford is located in Union County (SD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beresford
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,043 people
- Former name for Beresford:
- Paris
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Beresford <1>
- Emmet
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Emmet is located in Union County (SD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Emmet
- Estimated population in 2014: 231 people
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Westbrook Village, see our County-by-County Page for Westbrook Village.
Cemeteries Near Westbrook Village ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Westbrook Village.
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 Westbrook Village - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Westbrook Village covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Westbrook Village, with the one closest to Westbrook Village listed first.
- Memory Gardens Sioux Center Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Carmel Reformed Church Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Middleburg Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Peace Lutheran Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- West Lawn Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Hope Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Highland Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- St. Marys Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Sherman Twp. Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- St. Josephs Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Pioneer Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- St. Marys Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Continue List (119 more) ...
- Lebanon Christian Reform Church Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- St. Johns Evangelical Lutheran Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Valley View Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 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.<3>
While we didn't find Westbrook Village in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Westbrook Village.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Westbrook Village, with the one closest to Westbrook Village listed first.
- Sioux Center
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Middleburg
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Middleburg is located in Sioux County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Middleburg
- Perkins
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Perkins is located in Sioux County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Perkins
- Hull
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Maurice
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Maurice is located in Sioux County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maurice
- Population from the 2020 Census: 270 people
- Orange City
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Ireton
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Newkirk
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Newkirk is located in Sioux County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newkirk
- Rock Valley
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Alton
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Boyden
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Boyden is located in Sioux County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boyden
- Population from the 2020 Census: 682 people
- Carnes
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Carnes is located in Sioux County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carnes
- Continue List (16 more) ...
- Struble
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Struble is located in Plymouth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Struble
- Population from the 2020 Census: 77 people
- Doon
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Hospers
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Westbrook Village. See our List of 1890's Communities around Westbrook Village.
Newspapers Published in Westbrook Village ...
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 125 newspapers that have been published in the area around Westbrook Village.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Westbrook Village, there are papers which were published within 29 miles [46.7 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Westbrook Village.
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 helpful 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 Westbrook Village:
- Websites specific to Iowa
- Pages specific to Sioux County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Cherokee County
- Lyon County
- O'Brien County
- Osceola County
- Plymouth County
- Rock County
- Lincoln County
- Union 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 Westbrook Village, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <4> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'point-to-point' distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Westbrook Village) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |