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 East Chain (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 East Chain. 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 East Chain ...
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.
For example, a typical abbreviation for East Chain: E. Chain
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 northwest 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 north.
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 north 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.
East Chain is located in Martin 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 Martin County: Emmet (IA), Kossuth (IA), Blue Earth, Cottonwood, Faribault, Jackson & Watonwan.
Below are the counties that are near East Chain. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to East Chain:
- Martin County (The home county of East Chain)
- The following are listed by their distance from East Chain, with the one closest to East Chain listed first.
- Fairmont
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Granada
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Northrop
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Ceylon
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Welcome
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Truman
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Truman is located in Martin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Truman
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,028 people
- Sherburn
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Dunnell
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Dunnell is located in Martin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunnell
- Population from the 2020 Census: 145 people
- Trimont
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Ormsby
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Ormsby is located in Martin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ormsby
- Population from the 2020 Census: 121 people
- Blue Earth County
- The following are listed by their distance from East Chain, with the one closest to East Chain listed first.
- Willow Creek
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Willow Creek is located in Blue Earth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willow Creek
- Amboy
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Vernon Center
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Vernon Center is located in Blue Earth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vernon Center
- Population from the 2020 Census: 313 people
- Faribault County
- The following are listed by their distance from East Chain, with the one closest to East Chain listed first.
- Huntley
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Huntley is located in Faribault County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Huntley
- Elmore
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Elmore is located in Faribault County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elmore
- Population from the 2020 Census: 613 people
- Blue Earth
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Blue Earth is located in Faribault County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blue Earth
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,098 people
- Former name for Blue Earth:
- Blue Earth City
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Blue Earth <1>
- Winnebago
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Dell
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Dell is located in Faribault County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dell
- Frost
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Delavan
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Delavan is located in Faribault County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Delavan
- Population from the 2020 Census: 166 people
- Bricelyn
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Bricelyn is located in Faribault County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bricelyn
- Population from the 2020 Census: 334 people
- Easton
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Easton is located in Faribault County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Easton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 183 people
- Jackson County
- The following are listed by their distance from East Chain, with the one closest to East Chain listed first.
- Alpha
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Alpha is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alpha
- Population from the 2020 Census: 119 people
- Petersburg
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Petersburg is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Petersburg
- Watonwan County
- The following are listed by their distance from East Chain, with the one closest to East Chain listed first.
- Lewisville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Lewisville is located in Watonwan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lewisville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 244 people
- Odin
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Odin is located in Watonwan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Odin
- Population from the 2020 Census: 104 people
- Dickinson County (IA)
- Superior
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Emmet County (IA)
- The following are listed by their distance from East Chain, with the one closest to East Chain listed first.
- Armstrong
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Armstrong is located in Emmet County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Armstrong
- Population from the 2020 Census: 841 people
- Dolliver
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Ringsted
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Gruver
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Gruver is located in Emmet County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gruver
- Population from the 2020 Census: 82 people
- Hoprig
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Hoprig is located in Emmet County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hoprig
- Estherville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Wallingford
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Wallingford is located in Emmet County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wallingford
- Population from the 2020 Census: 168 people
- Kossuth County (IA)
- The following are listed by their distance from East Chain, with the one closest to East Chain listed first.
- Swea City
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Ledyard
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Gerled
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Gerled is located in Kossuth County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gerled
- Seneca
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Seneca is located in Kossuth County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seneca
- Lakota
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Lakota is located in Kossuth County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakota
- Population from the 2020 Census: 275 people
- Bancroft
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Bancroft is located in Kossuth County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bancroft
- Population from the 2020 Census: 684 people
- Fenton
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Fenton is located in Kossuth County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fenton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 225 people
- Lone Rock
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Burt
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Burt is located in Kossuth County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burt
- Population from the 2020 Census: 493 people
- German Valley
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- German Valley is located in Kossuth County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for German Valley
- Titonka
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Titonka is located in Kossuth County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Titonka
- Population from the 2020 Census: 433 people
- Palo Alto County (IA)
- Graettinger
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Winnebago County (IA)
- The following are listed by their distance from East Chain, with the one closest to East Chain listed first.
- Rake
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Rake is located in Winnebago County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rake
- Population from the 2020 Census: 206 people
- Buffalo Center
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to East Chain, see our County-by-County Page for East Chain.
Cemeteries Near East Chain ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of East Chain.
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 East Chain - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for East Chain covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from East Chain, with the one closest to East Chain listed first.
- Oakwood Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Holy Family Catholic Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Calkins Farm Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Pleasant Prairie Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Center Chain Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Rose Lake Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Calvary Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Lakeside Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- St. Paul's Lutheran Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Teitje Farm Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Lutheran Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Fairview Memorial Park
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Continue List (153 more) ...
- Half Moon Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Harrison Twp. Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Pilot Grove Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
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>
While we didn't find East Chain in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of East Chain.
These communities are listed based on their distance from East Chain, with the one closest to East Chain listed first.
- Pilot Grove
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Pilot Grove is located in Faribault County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pilot Grove
- Fairmont
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Swea ‑ Historic
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Swea is located in Kossuth County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Swea
- Armstrong
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Armstrong is located in Emmet County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Armstrong
- Population from the 2020 Census: 841 people
- Ledyard
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Huntley
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Huntley is located in Faribault County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Huntley
- Dolliver
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Elmore
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Elmore is located in Faribault County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elmore
- Population from the 2020 Census: 613 people
- Blue Earth
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Blue Earth is located in Faribault County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blue Earth
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,098 people
- Former name for Blue Earth:
- Blue Earth City
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Blue Earth <1>
- Welcome
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Maple Hill
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Maple Hill is located in Emmet County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maple Hill
- Winnebago
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- Seneca
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Seneca is located in Kossuth County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seneca
- Ringsted
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Bancroft
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Bancroft is located in Kossuth County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bancroft
- Population from the 2020 Census: 684 people
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around East Chain. See our List of 1890's Communities around East Chain.
Newspapers Published in East Chain ...
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 101 newspapers that have been published in the area around East Chain.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of East Chain, there are papers which were published within 29 miles [46.7 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for East Chain.
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 East Chain:
- Websites specific to Minnesota
- Pages specific to Martin County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Blue Earth County
- Faribault County
- Jackson County
- Watonwan County
- Dickinson County
- Emmet County
- Kossuth County
- Palo Alto County
- Winnebago 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 East Chain, 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 obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- East Chain) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |