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 Homer (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 Homer. 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 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 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.
Homer is located in Grant County.
To see how the shape of Wisconsin's counties may have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.
The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Grant County: Clayton (IA), Dubuque (IA), Jo Daviess (IL), Crawford, Iowa, Lafayette & Richland.
Below are the counties that are near Homer. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Homer:
- Grant County (The home county of Homer)
- The following are listed by their distance from Homer, with the one closest to Homer listed first.
- Boscobel
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Boscobel is located in Grant County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boscobel
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,134 people
- Blue River
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Blue River is located in Grant County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blue River
- Population from the 2020 Census: 418 people
- Fennimore
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Fennimore is located in Grant County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fennimore
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,469 people
- Preston
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Preston is located in Grant County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Preston
- Werley
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Werley is located in Grant County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Werley
- Woodman
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Woodman is located in Grant County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodman
- Population from the 2020 Census: 129 people
- Stitzer
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Stitzer is located in Grant County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stitzer
- Mount Ida
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Mount Ida is located in Grant County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Ida
- Muscoda
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Muscoda is located in Grant County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Muscoda
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,236 people
- Annaton
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Annaton is located in Grant County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Annaton
- Montfort
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Montfort is located in Grant County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Montfort
- Population from the 2020 Census: 675 people
- Mount Hope
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Mount Hope is located in Grant County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Hope
- Population from the 2020 Census: 216 people
- Crawford County
- The following are listed by their distance from Homer, with the one closest to Homer listed first.
- Boydtown
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Boydtown is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boydtown
- Steuben
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Steuben is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Steuben
- Population from the 2020 Census: 121 people
- Wauzeka
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Wauzeka is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wauzeka
- Population from the 2020 Census: 733 people
- Bell Center
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Bell Center is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bell Center
- Population from the 2020 Census: 114 people
- Petersburg
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Petersburg is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Petersburg
- Gays Mills
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Gays Mills is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gays Mills
- Population from the 2020 Census: 504 people
- Eastman
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Eastman is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eastman
- Population from the 2020 Census: 404 people
- Soldiers Grove
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Soldiers Grove is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Soldiers Grove
- Population from the 2020 Census: 535 people
- Mount Sterling
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Mount Sterling is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Sterling
- Population from the 2020 Census: 196 people
- Bridgeport
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Bridgeport is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bridgeport
- Charme
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Charme is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Charme
- Prairie du Chien
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Prairie du Chien is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prairie du Chien
- Population from the 2020 Census: 5,531 people
- Iowa County
- The following are listed by their distance from Homer, with the one closest to Homer listed first.
- Centreville ‑ Historic
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Centreville is located in Iowa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Centreville
- Former name for Centreville:
- Dry Bone
- Highland
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Highland is located in Iowa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Highland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 826 people
- Avoca
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Avoca is located in Iowa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avoca
- Population from the 2020 Census: 620 people
- Cobb
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Cobb is located in Iowa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cobb
- Population from the 2020 Census: 455 people
- Edmund
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Edmund is located in Iowa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edmund
- Linden
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Linden is located in Iowa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Linden
- Population from the 2020 Census: 523 people
- Rewey
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Rewey is located in Iowa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rewey
- Population from the 2020 Census: 283 people
- Dodgeville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Dodgeville is located in Iowa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dodgeville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 4,677 people
- Mineral Point
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Mineral Point is located in Iowa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mineral Point
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,454 people
- Pleasant Ridge
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Pleasant Ridge is located in Iowa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Ridge
- Helena
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Helena is located in Iowa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Helena
- Lafayette County
- The following are listed by their distance from Homer, with the one closest to Homer listed first.
- Belmont
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Belmont is located in Lafayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belmont
- Population from the 2020 Census: 974 people
- Elk Grove
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Elk Grove is located in Lafayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elk Grove
- Richland County
- The following are listed by their distance from Homer, with the one closest to Homer listed first.
- Westport
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Westport is located in Richland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westport
- Balmoral
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Balmoral is located in Richland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Balmoral
- Boaz
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Boaz is located in Richland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boaz
- Population from the 2020 Census: 148 people
- Richland Center
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Richland Center is located in Richland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Richland Center
- Population from the 2020 Census: 4,949 people
- Sextonville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Sextonville is located in Richland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sextonville
- Lone Rock
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Lone Rock is located in Richland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lone Rock
- Population from the 2020 Census: 835 people
- Aubrey
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Aubrey is located in Richland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aubrey
- Sabin
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Sabin is located in Richland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sabin
- Ithaca
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Ithaca is located in Richland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ithaca
- Gillingham
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Gillingham is located in Richland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gillingham
- Bear Valley
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Bear Valley is located in Richland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bear Valley
- Neptune
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Neptune is located in Richland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Neptune
- Sauk County
- Spring Green
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Spring Green is located in Sauk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spring Green
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,630 people
- Vernon County
- The following are listed by their distance from Homer, with the one closest to Homer listed first.
- Readstown
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Readstown is located in Vernon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Readstown
- Population from the 2020 Census: 414 people
- Liberty
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Liberty is located in Vernon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Liberty
- Fargo
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Fargo is located in Vernon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fargo
- Allamakee County (IA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Homer, with the one closest to Homer listed first.
- Harpers Ferry
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Waukon Junction
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Waukon Junction is located in Allamakee County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waukon Junction
- Clayton County (IA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Homer, with the one closest to Homer listed first.
- Marquette
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- McGregor
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Clayton
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Clayton is located in Clayton County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clayton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 39 people
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Homer, see our County-by-County Page for Homer.
Cemeteries Near Homer ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Homer.
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 Homer - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Homer covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Homer, with the one closest to Homer listed first.
- German Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Beulah Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Bethel Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Switzer Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Brechler Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Crown Hill Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- St. Johns Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Pipal Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Prairie Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- St. Marys Catholic Church Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Blue River Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Wayne Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Continue List (213 more) ...
- Coumbe Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Sand Prairie Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Steele 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>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that in 1895, Homer had a post office and no railroad service.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Homer, with the one closest to Homer listed first.
- Boscobel
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Boscobel is located in Grant County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boscobel
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,134 people
- Fennimore
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Fennimore is located in Grant County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fennimore
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,469 people
- Lancaster Junction
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Lancaster Junction is located in Grant County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lancaster Junction
- Blue River
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Blue River is located in Grant County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blue River
- Population from the 2020 Census: 418 people
- Werley
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Werley is located in Grant County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Werley
- Preston
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Preston is located in Grant County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Preston
- Westport
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Westport is located in Richland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westport
- Byrds Creek
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Byrds Creek is located in Richland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Byrds Creek
- Boydtown
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Boydtown is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boydtown
- Woodman
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Woodman is located in Grant County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodman
- Population from the 2020 Census: 129 people
- Mount Ida
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Mount Ida is located in Grant County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Ida
- Stitzer
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Stitzer is located in Grant County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stitzer
- Continue List (17 more) ...
- Centreville ‑ Historic
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Centreville is located in Iowa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Centreville
- Former name for Centreville:
- Dry Bone
- Excelsior
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Excelsior is located in Richland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Excelsior
- Muscoda
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Muscoda is located in Grant County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Muscoda
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,236 people
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Homer. See our List of 1890's Communities around Homer.
Newspapers Published in Homer ...
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 154 newspapers that have been published in the area around Homer.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Homer, 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 Homer.
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 Homer:
- Websites specific to Wisconsin
- Pages specific to Grant County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Crawford County
- Iowa County
- Lafayette County
- Richland County
- Sauk County
- Vernon County
- Allamakee County
- Clayton County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Wisconsin
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 Homer, 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 from Point A (ie- Homer) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |