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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 Woodland (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 Woodland. 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 northeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors were in the next county to the east. 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 east 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.

Woodland is located in Decatur 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 Decatur County: Clarke, Ringgold, Wayne, Harrison (MO) & Mercer (MO).

Below are the counties that are near Woodland. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Woodland:

  • Decatur County     (The home county of Woodland)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Woodland, with the one closest to Woodland listed first.
    • Morgan
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
    • Leon
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
    • Garden Grove
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
      • Garden Grove is located in Decatur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garden Grove
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 200 people
    • Pleasanton
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Davis City
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
    • Le Roy
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
    • Decatur City
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
      • Decatur City is located in Decatur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Decatur City
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 181 people
    • Van Wert
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Lamoni
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
    • Grand River
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Grand River is located in Decatur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grand River
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 215 people
  • Appanoose County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Woodland, with the one closest to Woodland listed first.
    • Jerome
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
    • Plano
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
  • Clarke County
  • Lucas County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Woodland, with the one closest to Woodland listed first.
    • Derby
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Derby is located in Lucas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Derby
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 111 people
    • Lucas
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
    • Chariton
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Russell
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
  • Ringgold County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Woodland, with the one closest to Woodland listed first.
    • Kellerton
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
    • Beaconsfield
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
      • Beaconsfield is located in Ringgold County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beaconsfield
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 15 people
    • Ellston
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
      • Ellston is located in Ringgold County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ellston
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 38 people
  • Wayne County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Woodland, with the one closest to Woodland listed first.
    • Clio
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Lineville
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Lineville is located in Wayne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lineville
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 217 people
    • Hodge
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
      • Hodge is located in Wayne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hodge
    • Allerton
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
    • Humeston
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Corydon
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
    • Millerton
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
      • Millerton is located in Wayne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millerton
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 42 people
    • Promise City
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
    • Seymour
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
    • Genoa
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
    • Confidence
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
  • Harrison County (MO)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Woodland, with the one closest to Woodland listed first.
    • Akron
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Cainsville
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Blythedale
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
      • Blythedale is located in Harrison County (MO)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blythedale
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 183 people
    • Eagleville
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Mount Moriah
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
      • Mount Moriah is located in Harrison County (MO)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Moriah
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 80 people
    • Ridgeway
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
  • Mercer County (MO)
  • Putnam County (MO)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Woodland, with the one closest to Woodland listed first.
    • Powersville
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
      • Powersville is located in Putnam County (MO)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Powersville
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 54 people
    • Lucerne
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Lucerne is located in Putnam County (MO)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lucerne
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 80 people
    • Saint John
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
  • Sullivan County (MO)

For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Woodland, see our County-by-County Page for Woodland.

Cemeteries Near Woodland ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Woodland.

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 Woodland - one of the links might be able to help.

If not found below, our Cemetery List for Woodland covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.

The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Woodland, with the one closest to Woodland listed first.

  • Lentz Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the west)
  • Beaver Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
  • Shields Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
  • Baker Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
  • St. Marys Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Big Springs Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
  • Corder Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Gollough Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Cunhingham Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • High Point Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
  • Mt. Tabor Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
  • Chastain Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
  • Continue List   (273 more) ...
    • White Oak Cemetery
      (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
    • Logan Cemetery
      (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
    • Meek Cemetery
      (5 miles [8 km] to the west)

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>

The Rand McNally Atlas shows that in 1895, Woodland had a post office and no railroad service.

These communities are listed based on their distance from Woodland, with the one closest to Woodland listed first.

  • Big Spring ‑ Historic
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
    • Big Spring is located in Wayne County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Big Spring
  • High Point
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
    • High Point is located in Decatur County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for High Point
  • Morgan
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
  • Blockly
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
    • Blockly is located in Decatur County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blockly
  • Lineville
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Lineville is located in Wayne County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lineville
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 217 people
  • Clio
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
  • Saxon
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Saxon is located in Wayne County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saxon
  • Leon
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
  • Wataga
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
    • Wataga is located in Mercer County (MO)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wataga
  • Garden Grove
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
    • Garden Grove is located in Decatur County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garden Grove
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 200 people
  • Hodge
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
    • Hodge is located in Wayne County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hodge
  • Davis City
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
  • Continue List   (16 more) ...
    • Pleasanton
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Adel
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
      • Adel is located in Mercer County (MO)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adel
    • Allerton
      (12 miles [19.3 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 Woodland. See our List of 1890's Communities around Woodland.

Newspapers Published in Woodland ...

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 104 newspapers that have been published in the area around Woodland.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Woodland, there are papers which were published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Woodland.

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 Woodland:

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>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- Woodland) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.
<3>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.
<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 Woodland, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.