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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 Belden (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 Belden. 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 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.

Belden is located in Pine 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 Pine County: Aitkin, Carlton, Chisago, Isanti, Kanabec, Burnett (WI), Douglas (WI) & Polk (WI).

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

  • Pine County     (The home county of Belden)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Belden, with the one closest to Belden listed first.
    • Kingsdale
      (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
      • Kingsdale is located in Pine County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kingsdale
    • Cloverton
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
      • Cloverton is located in Pine County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cloverton
    • Kerrick
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
    • Duxbury
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Duxbury is located in Pine County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Duxbury
    • Bruno
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
      • Bruno is located in Pine County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bruno
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 97 people
    • Askov
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Sturgeon Lake
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
    • Willow River
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
    • Rutledge
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
      • Rutledge is located in Pine County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rutledge
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 221 people
    • Cloverdale
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Cloverdale is located in Pine County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cloverdale
    • Sandstone
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Denham
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
      • Denham is located in Pine County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Denham
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 34 people
    • Finlayson
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
  • Carlton County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Belden, with the one closest to Belden listed first.
    • Holyoke
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
      • Holyoke is located in Carlton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holyoke
    • Wrenshall
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
    • Barnum
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Mahtowa
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
      • Mahtowa is located in Carlton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mahtowa
    • Moose Lake
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
    • Otter Creek
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
      • Otter Creek is located in Carlton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Otter Creek
    • Carlton
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
    • Thomson
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
      • Thomson is located in Carlton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thomson
      • Estimated population in 2014: 158 people
    • Esko
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
    • Cloquet
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
    • Scanlon
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
      • Scanlon is located in Carlton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Scanlon
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 945 people
    • Sawyer
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Sawyer is located in Carlton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sawyer
    • Kettle River
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Saint Louis County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Belden, with the one closest to Belden listed first.
    • New Duluth
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
      • New Duluth is located in Saint Louis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Duluth
    • Gary
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
      • Gary is located in Saint Louis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gary
    • Proctor
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
      • Proctor is located in Saint Louis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Proctor
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,006 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Proctor <1>
    • Oneota
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • Oneota is located in Saint Louis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oneota
  • Burnett County (WI)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Belden, with the one closest to Belden listed first.
    • Webb Lake
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
      • Webb Lake is located in Burnett County (WI)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Webb Lake
    • Webster
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
      • Webster is located in Burnett County (WI)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Webster
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 620 people
  • Douglas County (WI)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Belden, with the one closest to Belden listed first.
    • Moose Junction
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
      • Moose Junction is located in Douglas County (WI)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moose Junction
    • Dedham
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
      • Dedham is located in Douglas County (WI)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dedham
    • Bennett
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
      • Bennett is located in Douglas County (WI)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bennett
    • Sauntry
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
      • Sauntry is located in Douglas County (WI)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sauntry
    • Solon Springs
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
      • Solon Springs is located in Douglas County (WI)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Solon Springs
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 604 people
    • Oliver
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
      • Oliver is located in Douglas County (WI)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oliver
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 416 people
    • Saunders
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
      • Saunders is located in Douglas County (WI)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saunders
    • Hawthorne
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Hawthorne is located in Douglas County (WI)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hawthorne
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,157 people
    • Superior Village
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Superior Village is located in Douglas County (WI)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Superior Village
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 713 people
    • South Range
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
      • South Range is located in Douglas County (WI)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Range
    • Superior
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
      • Superior is located in Douglas County (WI)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Superior
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 26,213 people
    • Poplar
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Poplar is located in Douglas County (WI)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Poplar
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 613 people
  • Washburn County (WI)
    • Minong
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Minong is located in Washburn County (WI)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Minong
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 506 people

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

Cemeteries Near Belden ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Belden.

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 Belden - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • Dairyland Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
  • Summit Cemetery
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
  • Nickerson Community Cemetery
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
  • Catholic Cemetery
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
  • Riverhill Cemetery
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
  • St. Michaels Cemetery
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
  • Hillcrest Cemetery
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
  • Oak Lake Cemetery
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
  • Oak Lake Lutheran Cemetery
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
  • Markville Cemetery
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
  • Elim Lutheran Cemetery
    (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Riverside Cemetery
    (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
  • Continue List   (74 more) ...
    • Bruno Cemetery
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
    • Native American Burial Grounds
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
    • Forest Home Cemetery
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)

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 Belden in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Belden.

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

  • Holyoke
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
    • Holyoke is located in Carlton County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holyoke
  • Kerrick
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
  • Dedham
    (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
    • Dedham is located in Douglas County (WI)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dedham
  • Boylston
    (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Boylston is located in Douglas County (WI)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boylston
  • Barnum
    (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
  • Otter Creek
    (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
    • Otter Creek is located in Carlton County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Otter Creek
  • Sauntry
    (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
    • Sauntry is located in Douglas County (WI)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sauntry
  • Pokegama
    (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
    • Pokegama is located in Douglas County (WI)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pokegama
  • New Duluth
    (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
    • New Duluth is located in Saint Louis County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Duluth
  • Fond du Lac
    (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
    • Fond du Lac is located in Saint Louis County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fond du Lac
  • Mahtowa
    (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
    • Mahtowa is located in Carlton County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mahtowa
  • Moose Lake
    (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
  • Continue List   (13 more) ...
    • Carlton
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
    • Hawthorne
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Hawthorne is located in Douglas County (WI)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hawthorne
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,157 people
    • Sturgeon Lake
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)

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

Newspapers Published in Belden ...

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 29 newspapers that have been published in the area around Belden.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Belden, 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 Belden.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we begin with 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 Belden:

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 Belden, 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 obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Belden) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.