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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 Donaldson (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 Donaldson. 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.

Donaldson is located in Kittson 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 Kittson County: Marshall, Roseau, Pembina (ND) & Walsh (ND).

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

  • Kittson County     (The home county of Donaldson)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Donaldson, with the one closest to Donaldson listed first.
    • Kennedy
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
    • Mattson
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Mattson is located in Kittson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mattson
    • Hallock
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
    • Deerwood
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
      • Deerwood is located in Kittson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deerwood
    • Halma
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Lake Bronson
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Karlstad
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
    • Lancaster
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
    • Humboldt
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
      • Humboldt is located in Kittson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Humboldt
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 42 people
  • Marshall County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Donaldson, with the one closest to Donaldson listed first.
    • Stephen
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
    • Englund
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Englund is located in Marshall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Englund
    • Argyle
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
    • Big Woods
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Big Woods is located in Marshall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Big Woods
    • Strandquist
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
    • Alvarado
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
      • Alvarado is located in Marshall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alvarado
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 362 people
    • Warren
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
    • Oslo
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
      • Oslo is located in Marshall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oslo
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 323 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Oslo <1>
    • Newfolden
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Newfolden is located in Marshall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newfolden
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 363 people
  • Pembina County (ND)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Donaldson, with the one closest to Donaldson listed first.
    • Drayton
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
      • Drayton is located in Pembina County (ND)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Drayton
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 728 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Drayton <1>
    • Pittsburgh
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
      • Pittsburgh is located in Pembina County (ND)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pittsburgh
    • Bowesmont
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Bowesmont is located in Pembina County (ND)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bowesmont
    • Joliette
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Joliette is located in Pembina County (ND)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Joliette
    • McArthur
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
      • McArthur is located in Pembina County (ND)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McArthur
    • Saint Thomas
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
    • Glasston
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
    • Hamilton
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Walsh County (ND)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Donaldson, with the one closest to Donaldson listed first.
    • Herrick
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
    • Cashel ‑ Historic
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
      • Cashel is located in Walsh County (ND)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cashel
    • Grafton
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Grafton is located in Walsh County (ND)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grafton
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 4,075 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Grafton <1>
    • Warsaw
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Warsaw is located in Walsh County (ND)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Warsaw
    • Auburn
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
      • Auburn is located in Walsh County (ND)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Auburn
    • Herriott
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Herriott is located in Walsh County (ND)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Herriott
    • Minto
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Minto is located in Walsh County (ND)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Minto
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 582 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Minto <1>

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

Cemeteries Near Donaldson ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Donaldson.

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

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

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

  • Hillcrest Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
  • Tree Claim Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
  • Kennedy Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
  • St. Petri Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Spring Brook Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
  • Jupiter Mission Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
  • West Emmaus Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Stephen Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
  • St. Stephen Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
  • Edward Johnson Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
  • Red River Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
  • Pederson Burials
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
  • Continue List   (98 more) ...
    • Oslo Lutheran Cemetery
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
    • East Emmaus Cemetery
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Jupiter Community 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.<2>

The Rand McNally Atlas shows that in 1895, Donaldson had a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Donaldson had a population of 39 people.

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

  • Kennedy
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
  • Stephen
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
  • Mattson
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Mattson is located in Kittson County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mattson
  • Drayton
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
    • Drayton is located in Pembina County (ND)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Drayton
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 728 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Drayton <1>
  • Englund
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Englund is located in Marshall County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Englund
  • Pittsburgh
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
    • Pittsburgh is located in Pembina County (ND)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pittsburgh
  • Hallock
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
  • Bowesmont
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Bowesmont is located in Pembina County (ND)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bowesmont
  • Argyle
    (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
  • Cashel ‑ Historic
    (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
    • Cashel is located in Walsh County (ND)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cashel
  • Northcote
    (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
    • Northcote is located in Kittson County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Northcote
  • Big Woods
    (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Big Woods is located in Marshall County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Big Woods
  • Continue List   (13 more) ...
    • Joliette
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Joliette is located in Pembina County (ND)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Joliette
    • Foldahl
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
      • Foldahl is located in Marshall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Foldahl
    • Pelan
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
      • Pelan is located in Kittson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pelan

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

Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Donaldson ...

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 44 newspapers that have been published in the area around Donaldson.

We have organized these newspapers into two lists:

  • A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Donaldson. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Donaldson and those printed in the larger area surrounding Donaldson.
  • An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 29 miles [46.7 km]<3> of Donaldson.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we first visit 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 Donaldson:

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 Donaldson, 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' (or point-to-point) distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Donaldson) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.