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 Willard (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 Willard. 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 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 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.
Willard is located in Wapello 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 Wapello County: Appanoose, Davis, Jefferson, Keokuk, Mahaska, Monroe & Van Buren.
Below are the counties that are near Willard. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Willard:
- Wapello County (The home county of Willard)
- The following are listed by their distance from Willard, with the one closest to Willard listed first.
- Bidwell
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Bidwell is located in Wapello County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bidwell
- Blakesburg
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Dudley
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Dudley is located in Wapello County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dudley
- Chillicothe
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Chillicothe is located in Wapello County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chillicothe
- Population from the 2020 Census: 97 people
- Keb ‑ Historic
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Keb is located in Wapello County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keb
- Ottumwa
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Eddyville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Kirkville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Kirkville is located in Wapello County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kirkville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 177 people
- Dahlonega
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Dahlonega is located in Wapello County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dahlonega
- East Ottumwa
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- East Ottumwa is located in Wapello County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Ottumwa
- Agency
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Cliffland
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Cliffland is located in Wapello County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cliffland
- Highland Center
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Highland Center is located in Wapello County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Highland Center
- Appanoose County
- The following are listed by their distance from Willard, with the one closest to Willard listed first.
- Moravia
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Unionville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Udell
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Udell is located in Appanoose County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Udell
- Population from the 2020 Census: 44 people
- Orleans
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Orleans is located in Appanoose County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orleans
- Darbyville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Darbyville is located in Appanoose County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Darbyville
- Iconium
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Iconium is located in Appanoose County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Iconium
- Rathbun
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Rathbun is located in Appanoose County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rathbun
- Population from the 2020 Census: 72 people
- Moulton
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Moulton is located in Appanoose County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moulton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 580 people
- Clarkdale
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Clarkdale is located in Appanoose County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clarkdale
- Walnut City
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Walnut City is located in Appanoose County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walnut City
- Centerville
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Mystic
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Mystic is located in Appanoose County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mystic
- Population from the 2020 Census: 410 people
- Brazil
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Brazil is located in Appanoose County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brazil
- Davis County
- The following are listed by their distance from Willard, with the one closest to Willard listed first.
- Carbon
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Carbon is located in Davis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carbon
- Drakesville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Paris
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Paris is located in Davis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Paris
- Floris
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Floris is located in Davis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Floris
- Population from the 2020 Census: 143 people
- West Grove
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- West Grove is located in Davis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Grove
- Bloomfield
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Chequest
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Chequest is located in Davis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chequest
- Steuben
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Steuben is located in Davis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Steuben
- Mark
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Mark is located in Davis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mark
- Savannah
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Savannah is located in Davis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Savannah
- Pulaski
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Pulaski is located in Davis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pulaski
- Population from the 2020 Census: 291 people
- Stiles
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Stiles is located in Davis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stiles
- Jefferson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Willard, with the one closest to Willard listed first.
- Batavia
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Abingdon
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Abingdon is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Abingdon
- Pekin
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Pekin is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pekin
- Linby
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Linby is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Linby
- Packwood
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Packwood is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Packwood
- Population from the 2020 Census: 225 people
- Libertyville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Libertyville is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Libertyville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 341 people
- Maharishi Vedic City
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Maharishi Vedic City is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maharishi Vedic City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,288 people
- Keokuk County
- The following are listed by their distance from Willard, with the one closest to Willard listed first.
- Hedrick
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Hedrick is located in Keokuk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hedrick
- Population from the 2020 Census: 743 people
- Martinsburg
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Martinsburg is located in Keokuk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Martinsburg
- Population from the 2020 Census: 107 people
- Nugent
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Nugent is located in Keokuk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nugent
- Delta
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Delta is located in Keokuk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Delta
- Population from the 2020 Census: 313 people
- Hayesville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Hayesville is located in Keokuk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hayesville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 48 people
- Ollie
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Ollie is located in Keokuk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ollie
- Population from the 2020 Census: 207 people
- What Cheer
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Sigourney
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Lucas County
- The following are listed by their distance from Willard, with the one closest to Willard listed first.
- Zero
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Zero is located in Lucas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zero
- Olmitz
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Olmitz is located in Lucas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Olmitz
- Mahaska County
- The following are listed by their distance from Willard, with the one closest to Willard listed first.
- Cedar
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Cedar is located in Mahaska County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar
- Lakonta
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Lakonta is located in Mahaska County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakonta
- Givin
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Givin is located in Mahaska County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Givin
- Fremont
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Exeelsior
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Exeelsior is located in Mahaska County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Exeelsior
- Wright
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Wright is located in Mahaska County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wright
- Beacon
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Beacon is located in Mahaska County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beacon
- Population from the 2020 Census: 488 people
- Keomah Village
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Keomah Village is located in Mahaska County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keomah Village
- Population from the 2020 Census: 99 people
- University Park
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- University Park is located in Mahaska County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for University Park
- Population from the 2020 Census: 468 people
- Oskaloosa
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Evans
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Evans is located in Mahaska County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Evans
- Rose Hill
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Rose Hill is located in Mahaska County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rose Hill
- Population from the 2020 Census: 161 people
- Fishville
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Fishville is located in Mahaska County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fishville
- Marion County
- The following are listed by their distance from Willard, with the one closest to Willard listed first.
- Hamilton
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Hamilton is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hamilton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 135 people
- Bussey
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Bussey is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bussey
- Population from the 2020 Census: 406 people
- Marysville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Marysville is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marysville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 68 people
- Tracy
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Tracy is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tracy
- Indiana
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Indiana is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Indiana
- Attica
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Attica is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Attica
- Harvey
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Harvey is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harvey
- Population from the 2020 Census: 243 people
- Pershing
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Pershing is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pershing
- Monroe County
- The following are listed by their distance from Willard, with the one closest to Willard listed first.
- Avery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Avery is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avery
- Selection
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Selection is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Selection
- Albia
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Bluff Creek
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Bluff Creek is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bluff Creek
- Lovilia
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Georgetown
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Georgetown is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Georgetown
- Melrose
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Van Buren County
- The following are listed by their distance from Willard, with the one closest to Willard listed first.
- Selma
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Selma is located in Van Buren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Selma
- Douds
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Douds is located in Van Buren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Douds
- Leando
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Leando is located in Van Buren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leando
- Wayne County
- Confidence
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Confidence is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Confidence
- Schuyler County (MO)
- Coatsville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Coatsville is located in Schuyler County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coatsville
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Willard, see our County-by-County Page for Willard.
Cemeteries Near Willard ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Willard.
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 Willard - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Willard covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Willard, with the one closest to Willard listed first.
- Towler Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Chisman Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Folgman Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Smith Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Ralston Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Brooks Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Munterville Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Little Chisman Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Daggett Grave
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Kipnart Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Blakesburg Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Bowen Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Continue List (468 more) ...
- East Bethel Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Wellman Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Thorpe Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 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.<2>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that in 1895, Willard had a post office and no railroad service.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Willard, with the one closest to Willard listed first.
- Bidwell
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Bidwell is located in Wapello County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bidwell
- Munterville
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Munterville is located in Wapello County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Munterville
- Blakesburg
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Dudley
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Dudley is located in Wapello County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dudley
- Chillicothe
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Chillicothe is located in Wapello County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chillicothe
- Population from the 2020 Census: 97 people
- Frederic
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Frederic is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frederic
- Avery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Avery is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avery
- Ormanville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Ormanville is located in Wapello County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ormanville
- Keb ‑ Historic
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Keb is located in Wapello County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keb
- Brompton
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Brompton is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brompton
- Ottumwa
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Selection
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Selection is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Selection
- Continue List (16 more) ...
- Foster
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Foster is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Foster
- Eddyville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Kirkville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Kirkville is located in Wapello County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kirkville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 177 people
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Willard. See our List of 1890's Communities around Willard.
Newspapers Published in Willard ...
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 66 newspapers that have been published in the area around Willard.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Willard, there are papers which were published within 25 miles [40.2 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Willard.
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 Willard:
- Websites specific to Iowa
- Pages specific to Wapello County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Appanoose County
- Davis County
- Jefferson County
- Keokuk County
- Lucas County
- Mahaska County
- Marion County
- Monroe County
- Van Buren County
- Wayne County
- Schuyler 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> | 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 Willard, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <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 from Point A (ie- Willard) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |