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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 Byron (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 Byron. 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 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.

Byron is located in Olmsted 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 Olmsted County: Dodge, Fillmore, Goodhue, Mower, Wabasha & Winona.

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

  • Olmsted County     (The home county of Byron)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Byron, with the one closest to Byron listed first.
    • Post Town
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
      • Post Town is located in Olmsted County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Post Town
    • Shanty Town
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
      • Shanty Town is located in Olmsted County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shanty Town
    • Genoa
      (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
      • Genoa is located in Olmsted County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Genoa
    • Rochester
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
    • Rock Dell
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
      • Rock Dell is located in Olmsted County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock Dell
    • Oronoco
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
    • High Forest
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
      • High Forest is located in Olmsted County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for High Forest
    • Simpson
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Simpson is located in Olmsted County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Simpson
    • Stewartville
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Potsdam
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Potsdam is located in Olmsted County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Potsdam
    • Predmore
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Predmore is located in Olmsted County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Predmore
    • Viola
      (18 miles [29 km] to the east)
      • Viola is located in Olmsted County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Viola
  • Dodge County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Byron, with the one closest to Byron listed first.
    • Kasson
      (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
    • Mantorville
      (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
    • Dodge Center
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
    • Concord
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Concord is located in Dodge County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Concord
    • West Concord
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Hayfield
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Claremont
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
    • Westfield Center ‑ Historic
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
      • Westfield Center is located in Dodge County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westfield Center
  • Fillmore County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Byron, with the one closest to Byron listed first.
    • Chatfield
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Fillmore
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Fillmore is located in Fillmore County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fillmore
    • Spring Valley
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Wykoff
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Goodhue County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Byron, with the one closest to Byron listed first.
    • Pine Island
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
    • Roscoe
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Roscoe is located in Goodhue County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roscoe
    • Zumbrota
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
    • Wanamingo
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
    • Bellechester
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
      • Bellechester is located in Goodhue County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bellechester
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 177 people
    • Hader
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
      • Hader is located in Goodhue County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hader
    • Kenyon
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
    • Goodhue
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
    • Belle Creek
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
      • Belle Creek is located in Goodhue County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belle Creek
    • White Rock
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
      • White Rock is located in Goodhue County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White Rock
    • Wangs
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Wangs is located in Goodhue County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wangs
  • Mower County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Byron, with the one closest to Byron listed first.
    • Sargeant
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Sargeant is located in Mower County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sargeant
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 60 people
    • Waltham
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
    • Racine
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
    • Renova ‑ Historic
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
      • Renova is located in Mower County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Renova
    • Dexter
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
    • Grand Meadow
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
    • Brownsdale
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
    • Elkton
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
      • Elkton is located in Mower County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elkton
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 148 people
    • Lansing
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Lansing is located in Mower County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lansing
    • Mapleview
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Mapleview is located in Mower County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mapleview
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 177 people
    • Austin
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Rice County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Byron, with the one closest to Byron listed first.
    • Moland
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
      • Moland is located in Rice County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moland
    • Nerstrand
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Walcott
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Walcott is located in Rice County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walcott
  • Steele County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Byron, with the one closest to Byron listed first.
    • Rice Lake
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
      • Rice Lake is located in Steele County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rice Lake
    • Blooming Prairie
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
    • Havana
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
      • Havana is located in Steele County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Havana
    • Pratt
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
      • Pratt is located in Steele County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pratt
    • Union
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Union is located in Steele County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union
    • Owatonna
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
    • Steele Center
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • Steele Center is located in Steele County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Steele Center
    • River Point
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
      • River Point is located in Steele County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for River Point
  • Wabasha County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Byron, with the one closest to Byron listed first.
    • Mazeppa
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
    • Hammond
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
      • Hammond is located in Wabasha County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hammond
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 167 people
    • Elgin
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
      • Elgin is located in Wabasha County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elgin
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,080 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Elgin <1>
    • Jarrett
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Jarrett is located in Wabasha County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jarrett
    • Zumbro Falls
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Millville
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Plainview
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
  • Winona County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Byron, with the one closest to Byron listed first.
    • Saint Charles
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
    • Saratoga
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
      • Saratoga is located in Winona County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saratoga
    • Troy
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
      • Troy is located in Winona County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Troy

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

Cemeteries Near Byron ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Byron.

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

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

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

  • Byron Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the south)
  • Mt. Hope Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
  • Riverside Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Maple Grove Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
  • Othello Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Center Grove Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
  • Evergreen Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
  • St. Margaret Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
  • South Zumbro Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
  • East St. Olaf Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
  • Zion Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
  • Pleasant Prairie Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Continue List   (222 more) ...
    • St. Michael Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
    • West St. Olaf Cemetery
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Milton Cemetery
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)

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

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

  • Douglas
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
    • Douglas is located in Olmsted County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Douglas
  • Genoa
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
    • Genoa is located in Olmsted County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Genoa
  • Mantorville
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
  • Kasson
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
  • Rock Dell
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
    • Rock Dell is located in Olmsted County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock Dell
  • Rochester
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
  • Oronoco
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
  • Wasioja
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
    • Wasioja is located in Dodge County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wasioja
  • Dodge Center
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
  • Oslo
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Oslo is located in Dodge County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oslo
  • Pine Island
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
  • Berne
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Berne is located in Dodge County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Berne
  • Continue List   (18 more) ...
    • Concord
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Concord is located in Dodge County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Concord
    • Hayfield
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
    • High Forest
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
      • High Forest is located in Olmsted County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for High Forest

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

Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Byron ...

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 154 newspapers that have been published in the area around Byron.

We have organized these newspapers into two lists:

  • A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Byron. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Byron and those printed in the larger area surrounding Byron.
  • An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<3> of Byron.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we like to 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 Byron:

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