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 Ellsworth (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 Ellsworth. 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 northwest 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 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.
Ellsworth is located in Nobles 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 Nobles County: Lyon (IA), Osceola (IA), Cottonwood, Jackson, Murray & Rock.
Below are the counties that are near Ellsworth. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Ellsworth:
- Nobles County (The home county of Ellsworth)
- The following are listed by their distance from Ellsworth, with the one closest to Ellsworth listed first.
- Adrian
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Ransom
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Ransom is located in Nobles County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ransom
- Rushmore
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Rushmore is located in Nobles County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rushmore
- Population from the 2020 Census: 334 people
- Bigelow
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Bigelow is located in Nobles County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bigelow
- Population from the 2020 Census: 226 people
- Lismore
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Lismore is located in Nobles County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lismore
- Population from the 2020 Census: 218 people
- Org
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Org is located in Nobles County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Org
- Reading
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Reading is located in Nobles County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reading
- Wilmont
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Leota
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Leota is located in Nobles County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leota
- Worthington
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Round Lake
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Brewster
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Brewster is located in Nobles County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brewster
- Population from the 2020 Census: 466 people
- Murray County
- The following are listed by their distance from Ellsworth, with the one closest to Ellsworth listed first.
- Chandler
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Chandler is located in Murray County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chandler
- Population from the 2020 Census: 246 people
- Iona
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Pipestone County
- The following are listed by their distance from Ellsworth, with the one closest to Ellsworth listed first.
- Edgerton
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Trosky
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Jasper Sunrise Village
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Jasper
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Jasper is located in Pipestone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jasper
- Population from the 2020 Census: 603 people
- Rock County
- The following are listed by their distance from Ellsworth, with the one closest to Ellsworth listed first.
- Kanaranzi
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Ash Creek
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Ash Creek is located in Rock County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ash Creek
- Magnolia
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Magnolia is located in Rock County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Magnolia
- Population from the 2020 Census: 208 people
- Steen
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Steen is located in Rock County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Steen
- Population from the 2020 Census: 164 people
- Luverne
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Kenneth
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Kenneth is located in Rock County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kenneth
- Population from the 2020 Census: 66 people
- Hills
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Beaver Creek
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Beaver Creek is located in Rock County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beaver Creek
- Population from the 2020 Census: 283 people
- Hardwick
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Bruce
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Bruce is located in Rock County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bruce
- Manley
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Manley is located in Rock County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Manley
- Lyon County (IA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Ellsworth, with the one closest to Ellsworth listed first.
- Little Rock
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Rock Rapids
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Edna
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Edna is located in Lyon County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edna
- George
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Lester
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Lester is located in Lyon County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lester
- Population from the 2020 Census: 303 people
- Alvord
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Doon
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Larchwood
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Inwood
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Klondike
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Klondike is located in Lyon County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Klondike
- O'Brien County (IA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Ellsworth, with the one closest to Ellsworth listed first.
- Sheldon
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Sanborn
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Osceola County (IA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Ellsworth, with the one closest to Ellsworth listed first.
- Sibley
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Ashton
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Allendorf
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Allendorf is located in Osceola County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Allendorf
- Cloverdale
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Cloverdale is located in Osceola County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cloverdale
- Ocheyedan
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Ocheyedan is located in Osceola County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ocheyedan
- Population from the 2020 Census: 463 people
- Melvin
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Melvin is located in Osceola County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Melvin
- Population from the 2020 Census: 197 people
- Harris
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Harris is located in Osceola County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harris
- Population from the 2020 Census: 158 people
- May City
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- May City is located in Osceola County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for May City
- Sioux County (IA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Ellsworth, with the one closest to Ellsworth listed first.
- Matlock
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Boyden
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Boyden is located in Sioux County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boyden
- Population from the 2020 Census: 682 people
- Hull
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Hull is located in Sioux County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hull
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,296 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Hull <1>
- Perkins
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Perkins is located in Sioux County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Perkins
- Rock Valley
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Middleburg
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Middleburg is located in Sioux County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Middleburg
- Minnehaha County (SD)
- The following are listed by their distance from Ellsworth, with the one closest to Ellsworth listed first.
- Valley Springs
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Rowena
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Garretson
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Sherman
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Sherman is located in Minnehaha County (SD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sherman
- Population from the 2020 Census: 82 people
- Brandon
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Pine Lakes Addition
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Pine Lakes Addition is located in Minnehaha County (SD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Lakes Addition
- Population from the 2010 Census: 314 people
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Ellsworth, see our County-by-County Page for Ellsworth.
Cemeteries Near Ellsworth ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Ellsworth.
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 Ellsworth - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Ellsworth covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Ellsworth, with the one closest to Ellsworth listed first.
- St. Mary's Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Grand Prairie Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Ash Wood Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Ebenezer Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Zion Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Westside Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Pleasant View Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Sunrise Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Norwegian Lutheran Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- St. Adrian Cathholic Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for St. Adrian Cathholic Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the St. Adrian Cathholic Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the east of Adrian.
- The St. Adrian Cathholic Cemetery has also been known as:
- St. Adrian Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #83229 <2>
- Adrian Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adrian Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Adrian Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the east of Adrian.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #81835 <2>
- Holy Name Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Continue List (113 more) ...
- Riverside Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- First Baptist Church Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Grant Twp. Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
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>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Ellsworth had a population of 258 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Ellsworth had a population of 450 people.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Ellsworth, with the one closest to Ellsworth listed first.
- Kanaranzi
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Little Rock
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Adrian
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Ash Creek
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Ash Creek is located in Rock County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ash Creek
- Rock Rapids
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Magnolia
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Magnolia is located in Rock County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Magnolia
- Population from the 2020 Census: 208 people
- Edna
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Edna is located in Lyon County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edna
- George
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Rushmore
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Rushmore is located in Nobles County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rushmore
- Population from the 2020 Census: 334 people
- Steen
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Steen is located in Rock County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Steen
- Population from the 2020 Census: 164 people
- Luverne
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Lester
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Lester is located in Lyon County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lester
- Population from the 2020 Census: 303 people
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- Sibley
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Bigelow
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Bigelow is located in Nobles County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bigelow
- Population from the 2020 Census: 226 people
- Hills
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Ellsworth. See our List of 1890's Communities around Ellsworth.
Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Ellsworth ...
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 128 newspapers that have been published in the area around Ellsworth.
We have organized these newspapers into two lists:
- A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Ellsworth. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Ellsworth and those printed in the larger area surrounding Ellsworth.
- An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<4> of Ellsworth.
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 helpful 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 Ellsworth:
- Websites specific to Minnesota
- Pages specific to Nobles County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Murray County
- Pipestone County
- Rock County
- Lyon County
- O'Brien County
- Osceola County
- Sioux County
- Minnehaha 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 Ellsworth, 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 things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Ellsworth) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |