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 Briggs Lake (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 Briggs Lake. 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.
Name Variations for Briggs Lake ...
When searching records, keep in mind that names and their spelling can change over time. Our sources include documents like maps, railroad schedules, Travel, Express and Shipping Guides. Many of these documents date from the 1800's and it's common to find spelling differences.
Although we can't give a definitive list, hopefully the following will give you a feel for the variations that might occur.
- A typical abbreviation for Briggs Lake: Briggs Lk.
- While the name of this community is Briggs Lake, be aware that it's the common practice of mapmakers to remove the apostrophe from possessive names<1>. So Briggs Lake may originally have been Brigg's Lake.
Sometimes the trailing 's' might be dropped altogether, in which case Briggs Lake might be written as Brigg Lake.
If you have information about these names (such as the reason for the change, date of change, the origin of the name), please Contact Us.
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 doctors 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.
Briggs Lake is located in Sherburne 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 Sherburne County: Anoka, Benton, Isanti, Mille Lacs, Stearns & Wright.
Below are the counties that are near Briggs Lake. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Briggs Lake:
- Sherburne County (The home county of Briggs Lake)
- The following are listed by their distance from Briggs Lake, with the one closest to Briggs Lake listed first.
- Clear Lake
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Santiago
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Santiago is located in Sherburne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Santiago
- Cable
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Cable is located in Sherburne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cable
- Becker
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Orrock
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Orrock is located in Sherburne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orrock
- Salida
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Salida is located in Sherburne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Salida
- Big Lake
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Zimmerman
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Zimmerman is located in Sherburne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zimmerman
- Population from the 2020 Census: 6,135 people
- Zimmerman has also been known as:
- Lake Fremont
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Zimmerman <2>
- Elk River
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Anoka County
- The following are listed by their distance from Briggs Lake, with the one closest to Briggs Lake listed first.
- Nowthen
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Nowthen is located in Anoka County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nowthen
- Population from the 2020 Census: 4,732 people
- Saint Francis
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Ramsey
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Benton County
- The following are listed by their distance from Briggs Lake, with the one closest to Briggs Lake listed first.
- Duelm
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Duelm is located in Benton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Duelm
- Foley
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Ronneby
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Ronneby is located in Benton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ronneby
- Sauk Rapids
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Oak Park
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Oak Park is located in Benton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Park
- Evergreen Village
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Evergreen Village is located in Benton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Evergreen Village
- Gilman
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Watab
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Watab is located in Benton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Watab
- Rice
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Hennepin County
- The following are listed by their distance from Briggs Lake, with the one closest to Briggs Lake listed first.
- Rogers
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Greenfield
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Greenfield is located in Hennepin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenfield
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,058 people
- Isanti County
- The following are listed by their distance from Briggs Lake, with the one closest to Briggs Lake listed first.
- Crown
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Crown is located in Isanti County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crown
- Bradford
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Bradford is located in Isanti County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bradford
- Dalbo
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Meeker County
- The following are listed by their distance from Briggs Lake, with the one closest to Briggs Lake listed first.
- Watkins
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Kingston
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Kingston is located in Meeker County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kingston
- Population from the 2020 Census: 162 people
- Mille Lacs County
- The following are listed by their distance from Briggs Lake, with the one closest to Briggs Lake listed first.
- Estes Brook
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Estes Brook is located in Mille Lacs County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Estes Brook
- Princeton
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Foreston
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Foreston is located in Mille Lacs County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Foreston
- Population from the 2020 Census: 527 people
- Pease
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Pease is located in Mille Lacs County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pease
- Population from the 2020 Census: 224 people
- Milaca
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Bock
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Morrison County
- The following are listed by their distance from Briggs Lake, with the one closest to Briggs Lake listed first.
- Morrill
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Morrill is located in Morrison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morrill
- Ramey
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Ramey is located in Morrison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ramey
- Buckman
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Buckman is located in Morrison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buckman
- Population from the 2020 Census: 273 people
- North Prairie
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- North Prairie is located in Morrison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Prairie
- Royalton
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Stearns County
- The following are listed by their distance from Briggs Lake, with the one closest to Briggs Lake listed first.
- Saint Cloud
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Saint Augusta
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Saint Augusta is located in Stearns County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Augusta
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,900 people
- Waite Park
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Evergreen Village
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Evergreen Village is located in Stearns County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Evergreen Village
- Sartell
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Pleasant Lake
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Pleasant Lake is located in Stearns County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Lake
- Fairhaven
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Fairhaven is located in Stearns County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairhaven
- Saint Joseph
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Rockville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Saint Stephen
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Saint Stephen is located in Stearns County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Stephen
- Population from the 2020 Census: 867 people
- Collegeville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Kimball Prairie
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Kimball Prairie is located in Stearns County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kimball Prairie
- Kimball
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Wright County
- The following are listed by their distance from Briggs Lake, with the one closest to Briggs Lake listed first.
- Clearwater
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Hasty
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Hasty is located in Wright County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hasty
- Silver Creek
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Silver Creek is located in Wright County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Silver Creek
- Monticello
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Maple Lake
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Annandale
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- South Haven
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Otsego
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Albion Center
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Albion Center is located in Wright County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Albion Center
- Buffalo
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Albertville
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Rassat
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Rassat is located in Wright County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rassat
- Saint Michael
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Briggs Lake, see our County-by-County Page for Briggs Lake.
Cemeteries Near Briggs Lake ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Briggs Lake.
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 Briggs Lake - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Briggs Lake covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Briggs Lake, with the one closest to Briggs Lake listed first.
- South Santiago Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Danish Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- St. Lawrence Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- St. Marcus Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for St. Marcus Cemetery
- The St. Marcus Cemetery has also been known as:
- Clear Lake Cemetery
- St. Marcus Catholic Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #83393 <3>
- St. Francis Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Santiago Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- St. Patrick's Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Acacia Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Becker Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Snake River Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Oak Hill Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Our Savior Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Continue List (193 more) ...
- St. Luke Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Mt. Hope Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Highland Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 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.<4>
While we didn't find Briggs Lake in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Briggs Lake.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Briggs Lake, with the one closest to Briggs Lake listed first.
- Duelm
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Duelm is located in Benton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Duelm
- Clear Lake
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Santiago
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Santiago is located in Sherburne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Santiago
- Cable
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Cable is located in Sherburne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cable
- Clearwater
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Parent
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Parent is located in Benton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parent
- Hasty
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Hasty is located in Wright County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hasty
- Becker
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Orrock
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Orrock is located in Sherburne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orrock
- Foley
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Salida
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Salida is located in Sherburne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Salida
- Saint Cloud
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- Sauk Rapids
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Saint Augusta
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Saint Augusta is located in Stearns County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Augusta
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,900 people
- Silver Creek
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Silver Creek is located in Wright County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Silver Creek
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Briggs Lake. See our List of 1890's Communities around Briggs Lake.
Newspapers Published in Briggs Lake ...
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 109 newspapers that have been published in the area around Briggs Lake.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Briggs Lake, there are papers which were published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<5>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Briggs Lake.
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 professional and volunteer 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 Briggs Lake:
- Websites specific to Minnesota
- Pages specific to Sherburne County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Anoka County
- Benton County
- Hennepin County
- Isanti County
- Meeker County
- Mille Lacs County
- Morrison County
- Stearns County
- Wright County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Minnesota
Footnotes ...
| <1> | It's generally believed that possessive apostrophes are removed to prevent confusion on maps where the apostrophe may be confused with a cartographic symbol. While this is generally true, it's not uncommon to find possessive apostrophes in administrative names (such as towns or counties). |
| <2> | While we're fans and frequent users of TripAdvisor, you should know that we're also members of the TripAdvisor affiliate program. |
| <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 Briggs Lake, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <5> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'point-to-point' distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Briggs Lake) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |