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 Alpha (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 Alpha. 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 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.
Alpha is located in Jackson County.
To see how the shape of Minnesota's counties may have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.
The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Jackson County: Dickinson (IA), Emmet (IA), Osceola (IA), Cottonwood, Martin, Nobles & Watonwan.
Below are the counties that are near Alpha. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Alpha:
- Jackson County (The home county of Alpha)
- The following are listed by their distance from Alpha, with the one closest to Alpha listed first.
- Jackson
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Petersburg
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Petersburg is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Petersburg
- Lakefield
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Wilder
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Wilder is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilder
- Population from the 2020 Census: 56 people
- Sioux Valley
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Sioux Valley is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sioux Valley
- Okabena
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Okabena is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Okabena
- Population from the 2020 Census: 195 people
- Heron Lake
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Heron Lake is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Heron Lake
- Population from the 2020 Census: 643 people
- Cottonwood County
- The following are listed by their distance from Alpha, with the one closest to Alpha listed first.
- Mountain Lake
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Bingham Lake
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Windom
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Martin County
- The following are listed by their distance from Alpha, with the one closest to Alpha listed first.
- Sherburn
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Dunnell
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Dunnell is located in Martin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunnell
- Population from the 2020 Census: 145 people
- Trimont
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Welcome
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Ceylon
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Ormsby
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Ormsby is located in Martin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ormsby
- Population from the 2020 Census: 121 people
- Fairmont
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Northrop
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Truman
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Truman is located in Martin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Truman
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,028 people
- Granada
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Nobles County
- The following are listed by their distance from Alpha, with the one closest to Alpha listed first.
- Brewster
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Brewster is located in Nobles County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brewster
- Population from the 2020 Census: 466 people
- Round Lake
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Watonwan County
- The following are listed by their distance from Alpha, with the one closest to Alpha listed first.
- Odin
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Odin is located in Watonwan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Odin
- Population from the 2020 Census: 104 people
- Butterfield
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Butterfield is located in Watonwan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Butterfield
- Population from the 2020 Census: 582 people
- Saint James
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Darfur
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Darfur is located in Watonwan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Darfur
- Population from the 2020 Census: 102 people
- Lewisville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Lewisville is located in Watonwan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lewisville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 244 people
- Grogan
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Grogan is located in Watonwan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grogan
- Clay County (IA)
- Fostoria
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Fostoria is located in Clay County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fostoria
- Population from the 2020 Census: 219 people
- Dickinson County (IA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Alpha, with the one closest to Alpha listed first.
- Superior
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Orleans
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Orleans is located in Dickinson County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orleans
- Population from the 2020 Census: 591 people
- Spirit Lake
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Arnolds Park
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Okoboji
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Terril
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Terril is located in Dickinson County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Terril
- Population from the 2020 Census: 338 people
- Wahpeton
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Wahpeton is located in Dickinson County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wahpeton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 353 people
- West Okoboji
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- West Okoboji is located in Dickinson County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Okoboji
- Population from the 2020 Census: 303 people
- Lake Park
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Milford
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Old Town
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Old Town is located in Dickinson County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Old Town
- Emmet County (IA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Alpha, with the one closest to Alpha listed first.
- Estherville
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Dolliver
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Gruver
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Gruver is located in Emmet County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gruver
- Population from the 2020 Census: 82 people
- Wallingford
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Wallingford is located in Emmet County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wallingford
- Population from the 2020 Census: 168 people
- Armstrong
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Armstrong is located in Emmet County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Armstrong
- Population from the 2020 Census: 841 people
- Hoprig
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Hoprig is located in Emmet County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hoprig
- Ringsted
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Palo Alto County (IA)
- Graettinger
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Alpha, see our County-by-County Page for Alpha.
Cemeteries Near Alpha ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Alpha.
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 Alpha - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Alpha covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Alpha, with the one closest to Alpha listed first.
- Hillside Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Sunset Memorial Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sunset Memorial Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Sunset Memorial Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the south of Jackson.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #83662 <2>
- Good Shepherd Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Good Shepherd Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Good Shepherd Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the south of Jackson.
- The Good Shepherd Cemetery has also been known as:
- St. Wenceslaus Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #82394 <2>
- Riverside Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riverside Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Riverside Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the south of Jackson.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #83161 <2>
- Sunset Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sunset Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Sunset Cemetery is located outside and to the south of Jackson.
- St. Johns Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Lake Fremont Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Sherburne City Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- St. Lukes Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Petersburg Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Lone Cedar Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Elm Creek Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Continue List (126 more) ...
- First Lutheran Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- East Belmont Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Union State Line Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
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 Alpha in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Alpha.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Alpha, with the one closest to Alpha listed first.
- Jackson
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Petersburg
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Petersburg is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Petersburg
- Dunnell
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Dunnell is located in Martin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunnell
- Population from the 2020 Census: 145 people
- Sherburn
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Welcome
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Superior
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Lakefield
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Estherville
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Dolliver
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Odin
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Odin is located in Watonwan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Odin
- Population from the 2020 Census: 104 people
- Spirit Lake
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Bingham Lake
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Continue List (13 more) ...
- Fairmont
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Windom
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Wilder
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Wilder is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilder
- Population from the 2020 Census: 56 people
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Alpha. See our List of 1890's Communities around Alpha.
Newspapers Published in Alpha ...
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 101 newspapers that have been published in the area around Alpha.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Alpha, 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 Alpha.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we first turn to the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These helpful 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 Alpha:
- Websites specific to Minnesota
- Pages specific to Jackson County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Cottonwood County
- Martin County
- Nobles County
- Watonwan County
- Clay County
- Dickinson County
- Emmet County
- Palo Alto County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Minnesota
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 Alpha, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <4> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'point-to-point' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Alpha) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |