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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 Epsom (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 Epsom. 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 and 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.

Epsom is located in Rice 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 Rice County: Dakota, Dodge, Goodhue, Le Sueur, Scott, Steele & Waseca.

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

  • Rice County     (The home county of Epsom)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Epsom, with the one closest to Epsom listed first.
    • Moland
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
      • Moland is located in Rice County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moland
    • Nerstrand
      (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
    • Walcott
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
      • Walcott is located in Rice County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walcott
    • Cannon City
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Cannon City is located in Rice County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cannon City
    • Faribault
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
    • Dundas
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Northfield
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
    • Warsaw
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
      • Warsaw is located in Rice County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Warsaw
    • Millersburg
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Millersburg is located in Rice County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millersburg
    • Morristown
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
    • Trondjem
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Trondjem is located in Rice County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trondjem
    • Lonsdale
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
    • Webster
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
  • Dakota County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Epsom, with the one closest to Epsom listed first.
    • Waterford
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
      • Waterford is located in Dakota County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waterford
    • Randolph
      (18 miles [29 km] to the north)
      • Randolph is located in Dakota County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Randolph
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 444 people
    • Castle Rock
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
      • Castle Rock is located in Dakota County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Castle Rock
    • Eureka Center
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
      • Eureka Center is located in Dakota County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eureka Center
    • Hampton
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
    • New Trier
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
      • New Trier is located in Dakota County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Trier
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 106 people
    • Farmington
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
    • Miesville
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Lakeville
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
    • Vermillion
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
  • Dodge County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Epsom, with the one closest to Epsom listed first.
    • West Concord
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Concord
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Concord is located in Dodge County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Concord
    • Claremont
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
    • Dodge Center
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
    • Mantorville
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Kasson
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Westfield Center ‑ Historic
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
      • Westfield Center is located in Dodge County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westfield Center
    • Hayfield
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
  • Goodhue County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Epsom, with the one closest to Epsom listed first.
    • Kenyon
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
    • Dennison
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
    • Wangs
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
      • Wangs is located in Goodhue County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wangs
    • Wanamingo
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
    • Roscoe
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
      • Roscoe is located in Goodhue County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roscoe
    • Stanton
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
      • Stanton is located in Goodhue County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stanton
    • Hader
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Hader is located in Goodhue County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hader
    • Belle Creek
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
      • Belle Creek is located in Goodhue County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belle Creek
    • Cannon Falls
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
    • Zumbrota
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
    • White Rock
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
      • White Rock is located in Goodhue County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White Rock
    • Pine Island
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
    • Goodhue
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
  • Le Sueur County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Epsom, with the one closest to Epsom listed first.
    • Kilkenny
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
    • Waterville
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
    • Montgomery
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Cordova
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
      • Cordova is located in Le Sueur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cordova
  • Olmsted County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Epsom, with the one closest to Epsom listed first.
    • Post Town
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
      • Post Town is located in Olmsted County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Post Town
    • Genoa
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Genoa is located in Olmsted County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Genoa
    • Byron
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Byron is located in Olmsted County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Byron
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 5,691 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Byron <1>
    • Oronoco
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
    • Shanty Town
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Shanty Town is located in Olmsted County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shanty Town
  • Scott County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Epsom, with the one closest to Epsom listed first.
    • Elko
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
    • Elko New Market
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
      • 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
    • New Market
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Cedar Lake
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Cedar Lake is located in Scott County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar Lake
  • Steele County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Epsom, with the one closest to Epsom listed first.
    • Rice Lake
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
      • Rice Lake is located in Steele County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rice Lake
    • Medford
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Medford is located in Steele County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Medford
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,255 people
    • Havana
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
      • Havana is located in Steele County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Havana
    • Owatonna
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Pratt
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
      • Pratt is located in Steele County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pratt
    • Steele Center
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Steele Center is located in Steele County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Steele Center
    • Hope
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
      • Hope is located in Steele County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hope
    • River Point
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
      • River Point is located in Steele County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for River Point
    • Union
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
      • Union is located in Steele County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union
    • Blooming Prairie
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
    • Ellendale
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Wabasha County
    • Mazeppa
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
  • Waseca County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Epsom, with the one closest to Epsom listed first.
    • Waseca
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Palmer
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
      • Palmer is located in Waseca County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Palmer
    • Vista
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Vista is located in Waseca County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vista
    • Wilton
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Wilton is located in Waseca County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilton
    • Elysian
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)

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

Cemeteries Near Epsom ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Epsom.

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

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

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

  • Hauge Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the east)
  • Norwegian Lutheran Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
  • St. Michaels Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • Knoll Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
  • Wheeling Evangelical Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
  • Richland Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Moland Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • Little Cannon Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
  • Eklund Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
  • German Methodist Episcopal Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Nerstrand Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
  • Merton Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Continue List   (225 more) ...
    • Hegre Church Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Wangs Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Holden Norwegian Lutheran Cemetery
      (8 miles [12.9 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>

While we didn't find Epsom in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Epsom.

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

  • Kenyon
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
  • Moland
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
    • Moland is located in Rice County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moland
  • Nerstrand
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Walcott
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
    • Walcott is located in Rice County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walcott
  • Skyberg
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Skyberg is located in Goodhue County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Skyberg
  • Merton
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Merton is located in Steele County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Merton
  • West Concord
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
  • Wangs
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
    • Wangs is located in Goodhue County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wangs
  • Dennison
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
  • Faribault
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
  • Medford
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Medford is located in Steele County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Medford
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,255 people
  • Clinton Falls
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Clinton Falls is located in Steele County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clinton Falls
  • Continue List   (13 more) ...
    • Concord
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Concord is located in Dodge County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Concord
    • Wanamingo
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
    • Dundas
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)

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

Newspapers Published in Epsom ...

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 158 newspapers that have been published in the area around Epsom.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Epsom, there are papers which were published within 29 miles [46.7 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Epsom.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we first turn to the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These websites either 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 Epsom:

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 Epsom, 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- Epsom) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.