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 South Bend (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 South Bend. 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 South Bend ...
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 South Bend: S. Bend
You might be interested in other communities that are also named South Bend. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for South Bend.
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 southeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most hospitals and doctors were in the next county to the east. 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 east 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.
South Bend is located in Cass County.
To see how the shape of Nebraska's counties may have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.
The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Cass County: Fremont (IA), Mills (IA), Lancaster, Otoe, Sarpy & Saunders.
Below are the counties that are near South Bend. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to South Bend:
- Cass County (The home county of South Bend)
- The following are listed by their distance from South Bend, with the one closest to South Bend listed first.
- Louisville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Murdock
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Manley
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Cedar Creek
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Wabash
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Wabash is located in Cass County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wabash
- Weeping Water
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Greenwood
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Elmwood
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Alvo
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Cullom
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Cullom is located in Cass County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cullom
- Avoca
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Eagle
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Douglas County
- The following are listed by their distance from South Bend, with the one closest to South Bend listed first.
- Millard
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Elkhorn
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Venice
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Venice is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Venice
- Ralston
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Boys Town
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Waterloo
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- King Lake
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- King Lake is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for King Lake
- Omaha
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Omaha is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Omaha
- Population from the 2020 Census: 478,393 people
- Omaha has also been known as:
- Omaha City
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Omaha <1>
- Valley
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Irvington
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Irvington is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Irvington
- Bennington
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Elk City
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Elk City is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elk City
- Lancaster County
- The following are listed by their distance from South Bend, with the one closest to South Bend listed first.
- Waverly
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Prairie Home
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Prairie Home is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prairie Home
- Walton
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Havelock
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Havelock is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Havelock
- Davey
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Arbor
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Arbor is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arbor
- Belmont
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Belmont is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belmont
- Bennet
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Cheney
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Cheney is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cheney
- College View
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- College View is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for College View
- Pine Lake
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Pine Lake is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Lake
- Gaslight Village
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Gaslight Village is located in Lancaster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gaslight Village
- Otoe County
- The following are listed by their distance from South Bend, with the one closest to South Bend listed first.
- Otoe
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Palmyra
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Unadilla
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Syracuse
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Dunbar
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Wyoming
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Wyoming is located in Otoe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wyoming
- Douglas
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Lorton
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Nebraska City
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Sarpy County
- The following are listed by their distance from South Bend, with the one closest to South Bend listed first.
- Linoma Beach
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Linoma Beach is located in Sarpy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Linoma Beach
- Springfield
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Gretna
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Richfield
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Chalco
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Portal
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Portal is located in Sarpy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Portal
- Papillion
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- La Vista
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- La Platte
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- La Platte is located in Sarpy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for La Platte
- Gilmore
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Gilmore is located in Sarpy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gilmore
- Avery
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Avery is located in Sarpy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avery
- Bellevue
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Saunders County
- The following are listed by their distance from South Bend, with the one closest to South Bend listed first.
- Ashland
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Memphis
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Wann
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Wann is located in Saunders County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wann
- Ithaca
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Yutan
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Mead
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Swedeburg
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Swedeburg is located in Saunders County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Swedeburg
- Ceresco
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Leshara
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Wahoo
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Colon
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Weston
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Washington County
- Washington
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Fremont County (IA)
- The following are listed by their distance from South Bend, with the one closest to South Bend listed first.
- Bartlett
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Bartlett is located in Fremont County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bartlett
- McPaul
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- McPaul is located in Fremont County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McPaul
- Percival
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Thurman
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Thurman is located in Fremont County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thurman
- Population from the 2020 Census: 210 people
- Tabor
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Mills County (IA)
- The following are listed by their distance from South Bend, with the one closest to South Bend listed first.
- Hentons ‑ Historic
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Hentons is located in Mills County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hentons
- Folsom
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Folsom is located in Mills County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Folsom
- Pacific City
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Pacific City is located in Mills County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pacific City
- Pacific Junction
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Mills
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Mills is located in Mills County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mills
- Glenwood
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Mineola
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Pottawattamie County (IA)
- The following are listed by their distance from South Bend, with the one closest to South Bend listed first.
- Carter Lake
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Council Bluffs
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Dumfries
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Dumfries is located in Pottawattamie County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dumfries
- Chautauqua
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Chautauqua is located in Pottawattamie County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chautauqua
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to South Bend, see our County-by-County Page for South Bend.
Cemeteries Near South Bend ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of South Bend.
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 South Bend - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for South Bend covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from South Bend, with the one closest to South Bend listed first.
- Hill Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- South Bend Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Platteford Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Emmanuel Evangelical Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Ball Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Lefler Farm Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Immanuel Lutheran Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Wortman Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Callahan Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Riverview Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- St. Patricks Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Wabash Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Continue List (220 more) ...
- Glendale Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Ashland Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ashland Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Ashland Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the west of Ashland.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #1115887 <2>
- Springfield Memorial Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 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>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that South Bend had a population of 132 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, South Bend had a population of 105 people.
These communities are listed based on their distance from South Bend, with the one closest to South Bend listed first.
- Murdock
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Ashland
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Manley
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Wabash
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Wabash is located in Cass County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wabash
- Cedar Creek
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Springfield
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Gretna
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Greenwood
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Weeping Water
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Alvo
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Elmwood
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Richfield
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Continue List (16 more) ...
- Memphis
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Cullom
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Cullom is located in Cass County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cullom
- Chalco
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around South Bend. See our List of 1890's Communities around South Bend.
Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of South Bend ...
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 70 newspapers that have been published in the area around South Bend.
We have organized these newspapers into two lists:
- A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of South Bend. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of South Bend and those printed in the larger area surrounding South Bend.
- An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<4> of South Bend.
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 professional and volunteer 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 South Bend:
- Websites specific to Nebraska
- Pages specific to Cass County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Douglas County
- Lancaster County
- Otoe County
- Sarpy County
- Saunders County
- Washington County
- Fremont County
- Mills County
- Pottawattamie County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Nebraska
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 South Bend, 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' distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- South Bend) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |