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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 Benton (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 Benton. 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 doctors and hospitals 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.

Benton is located in Carver 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 Carver County: Hennepin, McLeod, Scott, Sibley & Wright.

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

  • Carver County     (The home county of Benton)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Benton, with the one closest to Benton listed first.
    • Cologne
      (Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
    • Dahlgren
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
      • Dahlgren is located in Carver County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dahlgren
    • Waconia
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
    • Hydes Lake
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Hydes Lake is located in Carver County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hydes Lake
    • Gotha
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
      • Gotha is located in Carver County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gotha
    • Norwood Young America
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
      • Norwood Young America is located in Carver County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Norwood Young America
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,794 people
    • Young America
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
    • Carver
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
    • Norwood
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
    • Chaska
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
    • Victoria
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Assumption
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Assumption is located in Carver County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Assumption
  • Dakota County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Benton, with the one closest to Benton listed first.
    • Burnsville
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
    • Lakeville
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
    • Nicols
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
      • Nicols is located in Dakota County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nicols
    • Apple Valley
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
    • Eagan
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
      • Eagan is located in Dakota County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eagan
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 65,975 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Eagan <1>
    • Eureka Center
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Eureka Center is located in Dakota County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eureka Center
  • Hennepin County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Benton, with the one closest to Benton listed first.
    • Saint Bonifacius
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
    • Minnetrista
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
    • Mound
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Mound is located in Hennepin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mound
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 9,404 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Mound <1>
    • Excelsior
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Shorewood
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Spring Park
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Tonka Bay
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
      • Tonka Bay is located in Hennepin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tonka Bay
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,551 people
    • Greenwood
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Greenwood is located in Hennepin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenwood
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 937 people
    • Minnetonka Beach
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Minnetonka Beach is located in Hennepin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Minnetonka Beach
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 584 people
    • Crystal Bay
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Crystal Bay is located in Hennepin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crystal Bay
    • Eden Prairie
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
    • Deephaven
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Le Sueur County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Benton, with the one closest to Benton listed first.
    • Saint Thomas
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
      • Saint Thomas is located in Le Sueur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Thomas
    • Heidelberg
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
      • Heidelberg is located in Le Sueur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Heidelberg
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 122 people
    • Le Sueur
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
    • Lexington
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
      • Lexington is located in Le Sueur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lexington
    • Montgomery
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Le Center
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
    • Ottawa
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
      • Ottawa is located in Le Sueur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ottawa
    • Cordova
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
      • Cordova is located in Le Sueur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cordova
  • McLeod County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Benton, with the one closest to Benton listed first.
    • Plato
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
    • Lester Prairie
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Glencoe
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
    • Winsted
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
    • Silver Lake
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Sumter
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
      • Sumter is located in McLeod County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sumter
    • Biscay
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
      • Biscay is located in McLeod County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Biscay
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 109 people
    • Brownton
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
    • Hutchinson
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
  • Rice County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Benton, with the one closest to Benton listed first.
    • Wheatland
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Wheatland is located in Rice County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wheatland
    • Lonsdale
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Webster
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Trondjem
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Trondjem is located in Rice County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trondjem
  • Scott County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Benton, with the one closest to Benton listed first.
    • Belle Plaine
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
    • Jordan
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Marystown
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
      • Marystown is located in Scott County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marystown
    • Shakopee
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
    • Union Hill
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
      • Union Hill is located in Scott County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union Hill
    • Prior Lake
      (18 miles [29 km] to the east)
    • New Prague
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
    • Saint Patrick
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
      • Saint Patrick is located in Scott County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Patrick
    • Credit River
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
      • Credit River is located in Scott County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Credit River
    • Savage
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
    • Cedar Lake
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Cedar Lake is located in Scott County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar Lake
    • New Market
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
  • Sibley County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Benton, with the one closest to Benton listed first.
    • Green Isle
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Henderson
      (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
    • Arlington
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
    • New Auburn
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
    • Gaylord
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Wright County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Benton, with the one closest to Benton listed first.
    • Delano
      (18 miles [29 km] to the north)
    • Montrose
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
    • Rockford
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
    • Waverly
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Howard Lake
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
    • Smith Lake
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Smith Lake is located in Wright County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smith Lake
    • Buffalo
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
    • Hanover
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
    • Rassat
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
      • Rassat is located in Wright County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rassat
    • Cokato
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Saint Michael
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
    • Albright
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Albright is located in Wright County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Albright

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

Cemeteries Near Benton ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Benton.

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

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

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

  • St. Bernard Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
  • Cologne United Methodist Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the south)
  • Zion Lutheran Church Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Augustana Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
  • German Reformed Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
  • St. John's UCC Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
  • West Union Lutheran Church Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • St. Josephs Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
  • Snapsburg Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Preiss Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • Waconia Public Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • St. Johns Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
  • Continue List   (291 more) ...
    • Bovy Family Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Swedish Lutheran Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
    • St. Nickolas Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)

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.<2>

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

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

  • Cologne
    (Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
  • Waconia
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
  • Gotha
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
    • Gotha is located in Carver County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gotha
  • Dahlgren
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
    • Dahlgren is located in Carver County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dahlgren
  • Augusta
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Augusta is located in Carver County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Augusta
  • Coney Island
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
    • Coney Island is located in Carver County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coney Island
  • East Union
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
    • East Union is located in Carver County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Union
  • Young America
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
  • Carver
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
  • Norwood
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
  • Assumption
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Assumption is located in Carver County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Assumption
  • Chaska
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
  • Continue List   (13 more) ...
    • Victoria
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Hamburg
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
      • Hamburg is located in Carver County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hamburg
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 526 people
    • Merriam
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
      • Merriam is located in Scott County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Merriam

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

Newspapers Published in Benton ...

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 163 newspapers that have been published in the area around Benton.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Benton, there are papers which were published within 25 miles [40.2 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Benton.

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 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 Benton:

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>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 Benton, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.
<3>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- Benton) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.