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 Xenia (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 Xenia. 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 southwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors were in the next county to the west. 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 west 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.
Xenia is located in Hardin 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 Hardin County: Butler, Franklin, Grundy, Hamilton, Marshall, Story & Wright.
Below are the counties that are near Xenia. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Xenia:
- Hardin County (The home county of Xenia)
- The following are listed by their distance from Xenia, with the one closest to Xenia listed first.
- Gifford
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Eldora
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Union
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Union is located in Hardin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union
- Population from the 2020 Census: 373 people
- Whitten
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Whitten is located in Hardin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whitten
- Population from the 2020 Census: 140 people
- New Providence
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- New Providence is located in Hardin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Providence
- Population from the 2020 Census: 220 people
- Steamboat Rock
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Owasa
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Owasa is located in Hardin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Owasa
- Population from the 2020 Census: 41 people
- Cleves
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Cleves is located in Hardin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cleves
- Eagle City
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Eagle City is located in Hardin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eagle City
- Hubbard
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Abbott
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Abbott is located in Hardin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Abbott
- Robertson
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Robertson is located in Hardin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Robertson
- Sherman
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Sherman is located in Hardin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sherman
- Black Hawk County
- Voorhies
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Voorhies is located in Black Hawk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Voorhies
- Butler County
- The following are listed by their distance from Xenia, with the one closest to Xenia listed first.
- Austinville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Austinville is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Austinville
- Aplington
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Sinclair
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Sinclair is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sinclair
- Parkersburg
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Kesley
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Kesley is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kesley
- New Hartford
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Dumont
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Butler Center
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Butler Center is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Butler Center
- Franklin County
- The following are listed by their distance from Xenia, with the one closest to Xenia listed first.
- Faulkner
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Faulkner is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Faulkner
- Bradford
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Bradford is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bradford
- Geneva
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Reeve
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Reeve is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reeve
- Oakland
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Oakland is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakland
- Popejoy
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Popejoy is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Popejoy
- Population from the 2020 Census: 74 people
- Hampton
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Hansell
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Grundy County
- The following are listed by their distance from Xenia, with the one closest to Xenia listed first.
- Wellsburg
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Conrad
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Beaman
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Beaman is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beaman
- Population from the 2020 Census: 183 people
- Holland
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Grundy Center
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Buck Grove
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Buck Grove is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buck Grove
- Fern
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Fern is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fern
- Morrison
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Reinbeck
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Stout
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Stout is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stout
- Population from the 2020 Census: 214 people
- Dike
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Fredsville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Fredsville is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fredsville
- Hamilton County
- The following are listed by their distance from Xenia, with the one closest to Xenia listed first.
- Ellsworth
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Williams
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Randall
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Randall is located in Hamilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Randall
- Population from the 2020 Census: 166 people
- Jewell
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Jewell is located in Hamilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jewell
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,138 people
- Jewell has also been known as:
- Jewell Junction
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Jewell <1>
- Blairsburg
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Blairsburg is located in Hamilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blairsburg
- Population from the 2020 Census: 199 people
- Marshall County
- The following are listed by their distance from Xenia, with the one closest to Xenia listed first.
- Bangor
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Bangor is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bangor
- Liscomb
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Liscomb is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Liscomb
- Population from the 2020 Census: 296 people
- Albion
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Clemons
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Clemons is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clemons
- Population from the 2020 Census: 141 people
- Saint Anthony
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Saint Anthony is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Anthony
- Population from the 2020 Census: 101 people
- Marietta
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Marietta is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marietta
- LaMoille
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- LaMoille is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for LaMoille
- Green Mountain
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Green Mountain is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Green Mountain
- State Center
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Marshalltown
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Luray
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Luray is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Luray
- Malta
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Malta is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Malta
- Melbourne
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Story County
- The following are listed by their distance from Xenia, with the one closest to Xenia listed first.
- Zearing
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- McCallsburg
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- McCallsburg is located in Story County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McCallsburg
- Population from the 2020 Census: 320 people
- Colo
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Fernald
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Fernald is located in Story County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fernald
- Roland
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Roland is located in Story County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,252 people
- Nevada
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Story City
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Collins
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Collins is located in Story County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Collins
- Population from the 2020 Census: 472 people
- Tama County
- The following are listed by their distance from Xenia, with the one closest to Xenia listed first.
- Lincoln
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Lincoln is located in Tama County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lincoln
- Population from the 2020 Census: 148 people
- Gladbrook
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Garwin
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Garwin is located in Tama County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garwin
- Population from the 2020 Census: 490 people
- Dinsdale
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Dinsdale is located in Tama County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dinsdale
- Montour
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Xenia, see our County-by-County Page for Xenia.
Cemeteries Near Xenia ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Xenia.
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 Xenia - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Xenia covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Xenia, with the one closest to Xenia listed first.
- Xenia Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Francisco Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Sheppard Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- East Lawn Memorial Garden
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Eldora Training School Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Eldora Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Ellsworth Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- St. Marys Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- New Providence Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Hadley Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Hauser Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Buckner Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Continue List (235 more) ...
- Union Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Whitney Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Pleasant Chapel Community 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.<3>
While we didn't find Xenia in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Xenia.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Xenia, with the one closest to Xenia listed first.
- Secor ‑ Historic
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Secor is located in Hardin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Secor
- Gifford
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Eldora
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Lawn Hill
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Lawn Hill is located in Hardin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lawn Hill
- Union
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Union is located in Hardin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union
- Population from the 2020 Census: 373 people
- New Providence
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- New Providence is located in Hardin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Providence
- Population from the 2020 Census: 220 people
- Whitten
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Whitten is located in Hardin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whitten
- Population from the 2020 Census: 140 people
- Steamboat Rock
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Hughs
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Hughs is located in Hardin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hughs
- Bangor
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Bangor is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bangor
- Liscomb
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Liscomb is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Liscomb
- Population from the 2020 Census: 296 people
- Owasa
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Owasa is located in Hardin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Owasa
- Population from the 2020 Census: 41 people
- Continue List (13 more) ...
- Wellsburg
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Cleves
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Cleves is located in Hardin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cleves
- Hubbard
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Xenia. See our List of 1890's Communities around Xenia.
Newspapers Published in Xenia ...
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 153 newspapers that have been published in the area around Xenia.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Xenia, there are papers which were published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Xenia.
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 Xenia:
- Websites specific to Iowa
- Pages specific to Hardin County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Black Hawk County
- Butler County
- Franklin County
- Grundy County
- Hamilton County
- Marshall County
- Story 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 Xenia, 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 things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Xenia) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |