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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 De Smet (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 De Smet. 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 northwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors and hospitals were in the next county to the west. 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 west 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.

De Smet is located in Benewah County.

To see how the shape of Idaho's counties may have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.

The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Benewah County: Kootenai, Latah, Shoshone, Spokane (WA) & Whitman (WA).

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

  • Benewah County     (The home county of De Smet)
    • The following are listed by their distance from De Smet, with the one closest to De Smet listed first.
    • Tensed
      (Less than 2 miles to the north)
    • Willard
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Willard is located in Benewah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willard
    • Plummer
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
      • Plummer is located in Benewah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plummer
    • Emida
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
      • Emida is located in Benewah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Emida
    • Chatcolet
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Chatcolet is located in Benewah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chatcolet
    • Parkline
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Parkline is located in Benewah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parkline
    • Saint Maries
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Santa
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
    • Fernwood
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
    • Saint Joe
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Saint Joe is located in Benewah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Joe
  • Kootenai County
    • The following are listed by their distance from De Smet, with the one closest to De Smet listed first.
    • Worley
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
    • Conkling Park
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
      • Conkling Park is located in Kootenai County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Conkling Park
    • Harrison
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
    • Bellgrove
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
      • Bellgrove is located in Kootenai County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bellgrove
    • Medimont
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Lane
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Lane is located in Kootenai County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lane
  • Latah County
    • The following are listed by their distance from De Smet, with the one closest to De Smet listed first.
    • Cora
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
      • Cora is located in Latah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cora
    • Freeze
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
      • Freeze is located in Latah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Freeze
    • Potlatch Junction
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
      • Potlatch Junction is located in Latah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Potlatch Junction
    • Onaway
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
      • Onaway is located in Latah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Onaway
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 198 people
    • Potlatch
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
    • Princeton
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
    • Harvard
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
    • Viola
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
    • Howell
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
      • Howell is located in Latah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Howell
    • Moscow
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
    • Troy
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
    • Deary
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Shoshone County
    • Emerald Creek
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
      • Emerald Creek is located in Shoshone County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Emerald Creek
  • Spokane County (WA)
    • The following are listed by their distance from De Smet, with the one closest to De Smet listed first.
    • Latah
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Latah is located in Spokane County (WA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Latah
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 187 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Latah <1>
    • Spring Valley
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Spring Valley is located in Spokane County (WA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spring Valley
    • Waverly
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Waverly is located in Spokane County (WA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waverly
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 110 people
    • Fairfield
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Rockford
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
    • Spangle
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Spangle is located in Spokane County (WA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spangle
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 325 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Spangle <1>
    • Valleyford
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Whitman County (WA)
    • The following are listed by their distance from De Smet, with the one closest to De Smet listed first.
    • Farmington
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Willard
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Willard is located in Whitman County (WA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willard
    • Seltice
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
      • Seltice is located in Whitman County (WA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seltice
    • Tekoa
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Tekoa is located in Whitman County (WA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tekoa
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 773 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Tekoa <1>
    • Lone Pine
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Lone Pine is located in Whitman County (WA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lone Pine
    • Belmont
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
    • Eden
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Eden is located in Whitman County (WA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eden
    • Garfield
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Grinnell
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Grinnell is located in Whitman County (WA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grinnell
    • Oakesdale
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
      • Oakesdale is located in Whitman County (WA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakesdale
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 425 people
    • Palouse
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Palouse is located in Whitman County (WA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Palouse
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,055 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Palouse <1>
    • Elberton
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
      • Elberton is located in Whitman County (WA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elberton
    • Glenwood
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Glenwood is located in Whitman County (WA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glenwood

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

Cemeteries Near De Smet ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of De Smet.

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 De Smet - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • Mountain View Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Farmington Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Sanders Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Goldenrod Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
  • Silver Creek Cemetery
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
  • Freeze Cemetery
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Freeze Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Freeze Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located 3 miles [4.8 km]<2> to the northwest of Potlatch.
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #1340132 <3>
  • Lone Pine Cemetery
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Evergreen Cemetery
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Evergreen Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Evergreen Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located less than 2 miles<2> to the west of Plummer.
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #1991685 <3>
  • Latah Cemetery
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
  • Garfield Cemetery
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
  • Mendenhall Cemetery
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
  • Farmington Cemetery
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
  • Continue List   (39 more) ...
    • Oakesdale Cemetery
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
    • Woodfell Cemetery
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Eden Valley Cemetery
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)

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>

While we didn't find De Smet in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of De Smet.

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

  • Farmington
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Seltice
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
    • Seltice is located in Whitman County (WA)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seltice
  • Tekoa
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Tekoa is located in Whitman County (WA)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tekoa
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 773 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Tekoa <1>
  • Belmont
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
  • Lone Pine
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Lone Pine is located in Whitman County (WA)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lone Pine
  • Eden
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Eden is located in Whitman County (WA)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eden
  • Garfield
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
  • Latah
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Latah is located in Spokane County (WA)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Latah
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 187 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Latah <1>
  • Oakesdale
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
    • Oakesdale is located in Whitman County (WA)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakesdale
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 425 people
  • Palouse
    (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Palouse is located in Whitman County (WA)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Palouse
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,055 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Palouse <1>
  • Chatcolet
    (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Chatcolet is located in Benewah County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chatcolet
  • Elberton
    (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
    • Elberton is located in Whitman County (WA)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elberton
  • Continue List   (13 more) ...
    • Waverly
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Waverly is located in Spokane County (WA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waverly
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 110 people
    • Saint Maries
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Fairfield
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)

We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around De Smet. See our List of 1890's Communities around De Smet.

Newspapers Published in De Smet ...

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 78 newspapers that have been published in the area around De Smet.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of De Smet, there are papers which were published within 29 miles [46.7 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for De Smet.

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 De Smet:

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 from Point A (ie- De Smet) 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 De Smet, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.