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 Saint Joseph (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 Saint Joseph. 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 Saint Joseph ...
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.
Although we can't give a definitive list, hopefully the following will give you a feel for the variations that might occur.
For example, a typical abbreviation for Saint Joseph: St. Joseph
You might be interested in other communities that are also named Saint Joseph. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Saint Joseph.
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 southwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most hospitals 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.
Saint Joseph is located in Kossuth 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 Kossuth County: Emmet, Hancock, Humboldt, Palo Alto, Winnebago, Faribault (MN) & Martin (MN).
Below are the counties that are near Saint Joseph. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Saint Joseph:
- Kossuth County (The home county of Saint Joseph)
- The following are listed by their distance from Saint Joseph, with the one closest to Saint Joseph listed first.
- Irvington
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Irvington is located in Kossuth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Irvington
- Lu Verne
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Algona
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Sexton
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Sexton is located in Kossuth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sexton
- Whittemore
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Whittemore is located in Kossuth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whittemore
- Population from the 2020 Census: 469 people
- Wesley
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Wesley is located in Kossuth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wesley
- Population from the 2020 Census: 364 people
- Burt
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Burt is located in Kossuth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burt
- Population from the 2020 Census: 493 people
- Lone Rock
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Fenton
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Fenton is located in Kossuth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fenton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 225 people
- Titonka
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Titonka is located in Kossuth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Titonka
- Population from the 2020 Census: 433 people
- Bancroft
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Bancroft is located in Kossuth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bancroft
- Population from the 2020 Census: 684 people
- German Valley
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- German Valley is located in Kossuth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for German Valley
- Seneca
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Seneca is located in Kossuth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seneca
- Calhoun County
- Manson
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Emmet County
- Ringsted
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Hancock County
- The following are listed by their distance from Saint Joseph, with the one closest to Saint Joseph listed first.
- Corwith
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Corwith is located in Hancock County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Corwith
- Population from the 2020 Census: 245 people
- Hutchins
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Hutchins is located in Hancock County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hutchins
- Kanawha
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Britt
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Woden
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Duncan
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Duncan is located in Hancock County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Duncan
- Crystal Lake
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Crystal Lake is located in Hancock County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crystal Lake
- Population from the 2020 Census: 228 people
- Humboldt County
- The following are listed by their distance from Saint Joseph, with the one closest to Saint Joseph listed first.
- Livermore
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Livermore is located in Humboldt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Livermore
- Population from the 2020 Census: 361 people
- Bode
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Bode is located in Humboldt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bode
- Population from the 2020 Census: 286 people
- Arnold
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Arnold is located in Humboldt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arnold
- Ottosen
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Ottosen is located in Humboldt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ottosen
- Population from the 2020 Census: 36 people
- Rutland
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Rutland is located in Humboldt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rutland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 121 people
- Hardy
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Hardy is located in Humboldt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hardy
- Population from the 2020 Census: 41 people
- Bradgate
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Bradgate is located in Humboldt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bradgate
- Population from the 2020 Census: 84 people
- Dakota City
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Humboldt
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Renwick
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Gilmore City
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Thor
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Pioneer
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Pioneer is located in Humboldt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pioneer
- Population from the 2020 Census: 22 people
- Palo Alto County
- The following are listed by their distance from Saint Joseph, with the one closest to Saint Joseph listed first.
- West Bend
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Rodman
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Rodman is located in Palo Alto County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rodman
- Population from the 2020 Census: 41 people
- Cylinder
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Cylinder is located in Palo Alto County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cylinder
- Population from the 2020 Census: 84 people
- Mallard
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Emmetsburg
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Curlew
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Curlew is located in Palo Alto County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Curlew
- Population from the 2020 Census: 55 people
- Pocahontas County
- The following are listed by their distance from Saint Joseph, with the one closest to Saint Joseph listed first.
- Rolfe
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Plover
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Plover is located in Pocahontas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plover
- Population from the 2020 Census: 69 people
- Havelock
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Pocahontas
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Palmer
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Webster County
- The following are listed by their distance from Saint Joseph, with the one closest to Saint Joseph listed first.
- Badger
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Clare
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Clare is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clare
- Population from the 2020 Census: 133 people
- Vincent
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Vincent is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vincent
- Population from the 2020 Census: 158 people
- Barnum
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Barnum is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barnum
- Population from the 2020 Census: 181 people
- Fort Dodge
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Tara
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Tara is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tara
- Cypsum City ‑ Historic
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Cypsum City is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cypsum City
- Wright County
- The following are listed by their distance from Saint Joseph, with the one closest to Saint Joseph listed first.
- Goldfield
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Eagle Grove
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Holmes
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Holmes is located in Wright County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holmes
- Olaf
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Olaf is located in Wright County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Olaf
- Cornelia
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Cornelia is located in Wright County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cornelia
- Clarion
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Woolstock
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Woolstock is located in Wright County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woolstock
- Population from the 2020 Census: 159 people
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Saint Joseph, see our County-by-County Page for Saint Joseph.
Cemeteries Near Saint Joseph ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Saint Joseph.
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 Saint Joseph - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Saint Joseph covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Saint Joseph, with the one closest to Saint Joseph listed first.
- St. Joseph's Catholic Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Union Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Bode Memorial Park
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- St. Olaf Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Damman Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Mt. Calvary Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Laurel Hill Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Union Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Hands Grove Twp. Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Luverne Twp. Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Omer - Thorsen Farm Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- McKnight Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Continue List (143 more) ...
- Rutland Twp. Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- East Lawn Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Lawn Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the East Lawn Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the south of Algona.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #94628 <2>
- Garfield Twp. Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 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 Saint Joseph had a population of 38 people in 1895 with a post office and no railroad service.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Saint Joseph, with the one closest to Saint Joseph listed first.
- Livermore
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Livermore is located in Humboldt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Livermore
- Population from the 2020 Census: 361 people
- Bode
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Bode is located in Humboldt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bode
- Population from the 2020 Census: 286 people
- Irvington
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Irvington is located in Kossuth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Irvington
- Arnold
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Arnold is located in Humboldt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arnold
- Lu Verne
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Algona
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Rutland
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Rutland is located in Humboldt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rutland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 121 people
- Hardy
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Hardy is located in Humboldt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hardy
- Population from the 2020 Census: 41 people
- West Bend
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Bradgate
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Bradgate is located in Humboldt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bradgate
- Population from the 2020 Census: 84 people
- Humboldt
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Dakota City
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Renwick
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Sexton
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Sexton is located in Kossuth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sexton
- Corwith
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Corwith is located in Hancock County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Corwith
- Population from the 2020 Census: 245 people
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Saint Joseph. See our List of 1890's Communities around Saint Joseph.
Newspapers Published in Saint Joseph ...
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 44 newspapers that have been published in the area around Saint Joseph.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Saint Joseph, 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 Saint Joseph.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we first visit the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These 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 Saint Joseph:
- Websites specific to Iowa
- Pages specific to Kossuth County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Calhoun County
- Emmet County
- Hancock County
- Humboldt County
- Palo Alto County
- Pocahontas County
- Webster County
- Wright 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 Saint Joseph, 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 from Point A (ie- Saint Joseph) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |