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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 Deerfield (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 Deerfield. 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.

Deerfield is located in Steele 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 Steele County: Dodge, Freeborn, Goodhue, Mower, Rice & Waseca.

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

  • Steele County     (The home county of Deerfield)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Deerfield, with the one closest to Deerfield listed first.
    • Medford
      (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
      • Medford is located in Steele County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Medford
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,255 people
    • Owatonna
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Havana
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Havana is located in Steele County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Havana
    • Steele Center
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Steele Center is located in Steele County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Steele Center
    • Hope
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
      • Hope is located in Steele County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hope
    • Pratt
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Pratt is located in Steele County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pratt
    • Rice Lake
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
      • Rice Lake is located in Steele County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rice Lake
    • River Point
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
      • River Point is located in Steele County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for River Point
    • Ellendale
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
    • Union
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Union is located in Steele County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union
    • Blooming Prairie
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
  • Blue Earth County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Deerfield, with the one closest to Deerfield listed first.
    • Smiths Mill
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
      • Smiths Mill is located in Blue Earth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smiths Mill
    • Madison Lake
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
    • Pemberton
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
      • Pemberton is located in Blue Earth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pemberton
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 241 people
    • Saint Clair
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
    • Eagle Lake
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
    • Mankato
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
      • Mankato is located in Blue Earth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mankato
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 43,435 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Mankato <1>
  • Dakota County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Deerfield, with the one closest to Deerfield listed first.
    • Waterford
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Waterford is located in Dakota County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waterford
    • Castle Rock
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
      • Castle Rock is located in Dakota County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Castle Rock
    • Eureka Center
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
      • Eureka Center is located in Dakota County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eureka Center
    • Randolph
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Randolph is located in Dakota County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Randolph
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 444 people
  • Dodge County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Deerfield, with the one closest to Deerfield listed first.
    • Claremont
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
    • West Concord
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
    • Westfield Center ‑ Historic
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Westfield Center is located in Dodge County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westfield Center
    • Concord
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
      • Concord is located in Dodge County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Concord
    • Dodge Center
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
    • Mantorville
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
  • Freeborn County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Deerfield, with the one closest to Deerfield listed first.
    • Bath
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
      • Bath is located in Freeborn County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bath
    • Geneva
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
    • Hartland
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
      • Hartland is located in Freeborn County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hartland
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 307 people
    • Clarks Grove
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
    • Freeborn
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
    • Hollandale
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
    • Manchester
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
      • Manchester is located in Freeborn County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Manchester
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 55 people
  • Goodhue County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Deerfield, with the one closest to Deerfield listed first.
    • Kenyon
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
    • Dennison
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Wangs
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Wangs is located in Goodhue County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wangs
    • Stanton
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Stanton is located in Goodhue County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stanton
    • Roscoe
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
      • Roscoe is located in Goodhue County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roscoe
    • Wanamingo
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
    • Hader
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Hader is located in Goodhue County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hader
  • Le Sueur County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Deerfield, with the one closest to Deerfield listed first.
    • Waterville
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
    • Kilkenny
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Greenland
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
      • Greenland is located in Le Sueur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenland
    • Cordova
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Cordova is located in Le Sueur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cordova
    • Montgomery
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Le Center
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
    • Marysburg
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
      • Marysburg is located in Le Sueur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marysburg
    • Cleveland
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Heidelberg
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Heidelberg is located in Le Sueur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Heidelberg
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 122 people
    • Lexington
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Lexington is located in Le Sueur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lexington
    • Saint Thomas
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Saint Thomas is located in Le Sueur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Thomas
  • Rice County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Deerfield, with the one closest to Deerfield listed first.
    • Warsaw
      (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
      • Warsaw is located in Rice County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Warsaw
    • Morristown
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
    • Faribault
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Walcott
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Walcott is located in Rice County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walcott
    • Cannon City
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
      • Cannon City is located in Rice County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cannon City
    • Moland
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
      • Moland is located in Rice County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moland
    • Millersburg
      (18 miles [29 km] to the north)
      • Millersburg is located in Rice County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millersburg
    • Nerstrand
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
    • Dundas
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
    • Lonsdale
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
    • Trondjem
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
      • Trondjem is located in Rice County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trondjem
    • Wheatland
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
      • Wheatland is located in Rice County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wheatland
  • Scott County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Deerfield, with the one closest to Deerfield listed first.
    • Elko New Market
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
      • Elko New Market is located in Scott County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elko New Market
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 4,733 people
    • Elko
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
    • New Market
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
    • New Prague
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
    • Cedar Lake
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
      • Cedar Lake is located in Scott County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar Lake
    • Saint Patrick
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • Saint Patrick is located in Scott County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Patrick
    • Union Hill
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Union Hill is located in Scott County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union Hill
  • Waseca County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Deerfield, with the one closest to Deerfield listed first.
    • Waseca
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Palmer
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
      • Palmer is located in Waseca County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Palmer
    • Wilton
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Wilton is located in Waseca County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilton
    • Vista
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
      • Vista is located in Waseca County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vista
    • Elysian
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
    • Janesville
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
    • New Richland
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
    • Alma City
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Alma City is located in Waseca County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alma City
    • Waldorf
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
      • Waldorf is located in Waseca County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waldorf
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 224 people

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

Cemeteries Near Deerfield ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Deerfield.

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

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

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

  • Corpus Christi Catholic Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the west)
  • Norwegian Lutheran Meraker Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
  • Deerfield Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
  • Trinity Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
  • Blooming Grove Methodist Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
  • Karsten Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Crane Creek Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
  • Resurrection Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
  • Hillside Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
  • Oak Hill Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • Riverside Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • Union Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • Continue List   (237 more) ...
    • Riverside Cemetery
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
    • Emmanuel Cemetery
      (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
    • Lincoln Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 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.<2>

The Rand McNally Atlas shows that in 1895, Deerfield had a post office and no railroad service.

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

  • Warsaw
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
    • Warsaw is located in Rice County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Warsaw
  • Clinton Falls
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
    • Clinton Falls is located in Steele County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clinton Falls
  • Medford
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
    • Medford is located in Steele County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Medford
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,255 people
  • Morristown
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
  • Meriden
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
    • Meriden is located in Steele County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meriden
  • Owatonna
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
  • Waseca
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
  • Walcott
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Walcott is located in Rice County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walcott
  • Faribault
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
  • Palmer
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
    • Palmer is located in Waseca County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Palmer
  • Merton
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
    • Merton is located in Steele County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Merton
  • Waterville
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
  • Continue List   (16 more) ...
    • Lemond
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
      • Lemond is located in Steele County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lemond
    • Havana
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Havana is located in Steele County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Havana
    • Shieldsville
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
      • Shieldsville is located in Rice County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shieldsville

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

Newspapers Published in Deerfield ...

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 49 newspapers that have been published in the area around Deerfield.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Deerfield, there are papers which were published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Deerfield.

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 Deerfield:

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