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 Bigelow (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 Bigelow. 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 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.
Bigelow is located in Nobles 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 Nobles County: Lyon (IA), Osceola (IA), Cottonwood, Jackson, Murray & Rock.
Below are the counties that are near Bigelow. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Bigelow:
- Nobles County (The home county of Bigelow)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bigelow, with the one closest to Bigelow listed first.
- Org
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Org is located in Nobles County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Org
- Ransom
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Ransom is located in Nobles County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ransom
- Worthington
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Rushmore
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Rushmore is located in Nobles County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rushmore
- Population from the 2020 Census: 334 people
- Round Lake
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Reading
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Reading is located in Nobles County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reading
- Adrian
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Ellsworth
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Brewster
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Brewster is located in Nobles County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brewster
- Population from the 2020 Census: 466 people
- Wilmont
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Lismore
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Lismore is located in Nobles County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lismore
- Population from the 2020 Census: 218 people
- Kinbrae
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Kinbrae is located in Nobles County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kinbrae
- Population from the 2020 Census: 10 people
- Dundee
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Dundee is located in Nobles County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dundee
- Population from the 2020 Census: 67 people
- Jackson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bigelow, with the one closest to Bigelow listed first.
- Sioux Valley
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Sioux Valley is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sioux Valley
- Okabena
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Okabena is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Okabena
- Population from the 2020 Census: 195 people
- Heron Lake
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Heron Lake is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Heron Lake
- Population from the 2020 Census: 643 people
- Lakefield
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Murray County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bigelow, with the one closest to Bigelow listed first.
- Fulda
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Iona
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Avoca
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Avoca is located in Murray County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avoca
- Population from the 2020 Census: 134 people
- Rock County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bigelow, with the one closest to Bigelow listed first.
- Kanaranzi
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Magnolia
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Magnolia is located in Rock County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Magnolia
- Population from the 2020 Census: 208 people
- Kenneth
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Kenneth is located in Rock County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kenneth
- Population from the 2020 Census: 66 people
- Ash Creek
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Ash Creek is located in Rock County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ash Creek
- Luverne
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Steen
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Steen is located in Rock County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Steen
- Population from the 2020 Census: 164 people
- Clay County (IA)
- Everly
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Everly is located in Clay County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Everly
- Population from the 2020 Census: 541 people
- Dickinson County (IA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bigelow, with the one closest to Bigelow listed first.
- Lake Park
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Wahpeton
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Wahpeton is located in Dickinson County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wahpeton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 353 people
- Okoboji
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- West Okoboji
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- West Okoboji is located in Dickinson County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Okoboji
- Population from the 2020 Census: 303 people
- Arnolds Park
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Spirit Lake
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Milford
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Orleans
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Orleans is located in Dickinson County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orleans
- Population from the 2020 Census: 591 people
- Old Town
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Old Town is located in Dickinson County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Old Town
- Lyon County (IA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bigelow, with the one closest to Bigelow listed first.
- Little Rock
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- George
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Edna
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Edna is located in Lyon County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edna
- Rock Rapids
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- O'Brien County (IA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bigelow, with the one closest to Bigelow listed first.
- Sanborn
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Sheldon
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Hartley
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Hartley is located in O'Brien County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hartley
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,556 people
- Archer
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Primghar
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Moneta
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Moneta is located in O'Brien County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moneta
- Osceola County (IA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bigelow, with the one closest to Bigelow listed first.
- Allendorf
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Allendorf is located in Osceola County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Allendorf
- Sibley
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Ocheyedan
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Ocheyedan is located in Osceola County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ocheyedan
- Population from the 2020 Census: 463 people
- Cloverdale
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Cloverdale is located in Osceola County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cloverdale
- Harris
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Harris is located in Osceola County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harris
- Population from the 2020 Census: 158 people
- Ashton
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Melvin
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Melvin is located in Osceola County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Melvin
- Population from the 2020 Census: 197 people
- May City
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- May City is located in Osceola County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for May City
- Sioux County (IA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bigelow, with the one closest to Bigelow listed first.
- Matlock
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Boyden
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Boyden is located in Sioux County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boyden
- Population from the 2020 Census: 682 people
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Bigelow, see our County-by-County Page for Bigelow.
Cemeteries Near Bigelow ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Bigelow.
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 Bigelow - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Bigelow covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Bigelow, with the one closest to Bigelow listed first.
- Wilson Twp. Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Ransom Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- North Sibley Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Norwegian Lutheran Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Emmanuel Presbyterian Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Zion Evangelical Lutheran Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Indian Lake Baptist Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Hope German Presbyterian Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Holman Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holman Cemetery
- The Holman Cemetery has also been known as:
- Holman Twp. Cemetery
- St. Andrews Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #95095 <2>
- Horton Twp. Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Garden of Memories
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Sunrise Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Continue List (110 more) ...
- Ocheyedan Twp. Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Sunset Rest Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Worthington Twp. Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
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 Bigelow had a population of 85 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Bigelow had a population of 226 people.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Bigelow, with the one closest to Bigelow listed first.
- Org
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Org is located in Nobles County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Org
- Sibley
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Ocheyedan
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Ocheyedan is located in Osceola County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ocheyedan
- Population from the 2020 Census: 463 people
- Worthington
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Rushmore
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Rushmore is located in Nobles County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rushmore
- Population from the 2020 Census: 334 people
- Little Rock
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Round Lake
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Harris
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Harris is located in Osceola County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harris
- Population from the 2020 Census: 158 people
- Ashton
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Adrian
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- May City
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- May City is located in Osceola County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for May City
- Ellsworth
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Continue List (16 more) ...
- Brewster
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Brewster is located in Nobles County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brewster
- Population from the 2020 Census: 466 people
- Lake Park
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- George
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Bigelow. See our List of 1890's Communities around Bigelow.
Newspapers Published in Bigelow ...
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 132 newspapers that have been published in the area around Bigelow.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Bigelow, 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 Bigelow.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we start 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 Bigelow:
- Websites specific to Minnesota
- Pages specific to Nobles County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Jackson County
- Murray County
- Rock County
- Clay County
- Dickinson County
- Lyon County
- O'Brien County
- Osceola County
- Sioux 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 Bigelow, 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 drawn from Point A (ie- Bigelow) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |