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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 Heatwole (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 Heatwole. 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 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.

Heatwole is located in McLeod 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 McLeod County: Carver, Meeker, Renville, Sibley & Wright.

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

  • McLeod County     (The home county of Heatwole)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Heatwole, with the one closest to Heatwole listed first.
    • Hutchinson
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
    • Biscay
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
      • Biscay is located in McLeod County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Biscay
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 109 people
    • Brownton
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
    • Stewart
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Stewart is located in McLeod County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stewart
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 533 people
    • Sumter
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Sumter is located in McLeod County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sumter
    • Silver Lake
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Fernando
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
      • Fernando is located in McLeod County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fernando
    • Glencoe
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
    • Lester Prairie
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
    • Plato
      (18 miles [29 km] to the east)
    • Winsted
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
  • Carver County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Heatwole, with the one closest to Heatwole listed first.
    • Hollywood
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
      • Hollywood is located in Carver County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hollywood
    • New Germany
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
    • Hamburg
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
      • Hamburg is located in Carver County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hamburg
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 526 people
    • Hazelton
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
      • Hazelton is located in Carver County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hazelton
    • Norwood
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
    • Norwood Young America
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
      • Norwood Young America is located in Carver County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Norwood Young America
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,794 people
    • Young America
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
    • Mayer
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
    • Hydes Lake
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
      • Hydes Lake is located in Carver County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hydes Lake
    • Assumption
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
      • Assumption is located in Carver County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Assumption
    • Watertown
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
    • Waconia
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
  • Kandiyohi County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Heatwole, with the one closest to Heatwole listed first.
    • Lake Lillian
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
    • Atwater
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
  • Meeker County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Heatwole, with the one closest to Heatwole listed first.
    • Cedar Mills
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Cedar Mills is located in Meeker County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar Mills
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 51 people
    • Cosmos
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Dassel
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
    • Darwin
      (18 miles [29 km] to the north)
    • Rosendale
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Rosendale is located in Meeker County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rosendale
    • Litchfield
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
    • Forest City
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
      • Forest City is located in Meeker County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest City
    • Kingston
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
      • Kingston is located in Meeker County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kingston
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 162 people
    • Grove City
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Manannah
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • Manannah is located in Meeker County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Manannah
  • Nicollet County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Heatwole, with the one closest to Heatwole listed first.
    • Lafayette
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
    • New Sweden
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
      • New Sweden is located in Nicollet County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Sweden
  • Renville County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Heatwole, with the one closest to Heatwole listed first.
    • Buffalo Lake
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Hector
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Bird Island
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
    • Fairfax
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Olivia
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
  • Sibley County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Heatwole, with the one closest to Heatwole listed first.
    • New Auburn
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Winthrop
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
    • Gibbon
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
    • Gaylord
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Green Isle
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Arlington
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Wright County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Heatwole, with the one closest to Heatwole listed first.
    • Cokato
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
    • Smith Lake
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Smith Lake is located in Wright County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smith Lake
    • Howard Lake
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Albright
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Albright is located in Wright County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Albright
    • Waverly
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Albion Center
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Albion Center is located in Wright County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Albion Center
    • Montrose
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Rassat
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Rassat is located in Wright County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rassat

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

Cemeteries Near Heatwole ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Heatwole.

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

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

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

  • St. Mortens Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the south)
  • Trinity Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the west)
  • Zion Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
  • Oakland Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
  • Lake Marion Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • Acoma Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • St. John's Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • Biscay Evangelical Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • Evangelical Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • Peace Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Emmanuel Lutheran Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Emmanuel Evangelical Lutheran Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Continue List   (216 more) ...
    • Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
    • St. Anastasia Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
    • Immanuel Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 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.<4>

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

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

  • Hutchinson
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
  • Biscay
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
    • Biscay is located in McLeod County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Biscay
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 109 people
  • Brownton
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
  • Lakeside
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
    • Lakeside is located in Renville County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakeside
  • Stewart
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Stewart is located in McLeod County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stewart
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 533 people
  • Sumter
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Sumter is located in McLeod County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sumter
  • Cedar Mills
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Cedar Mills is located in Meeker County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar Mills
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 51 people
  • Silver Lake
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
  • Buffalo Lake
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Greenleaf
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Greenleaf is located in Meeker County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenleaf
  • New Auburn
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
  • Glencoe
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
  • Continue List   (17 more) ...
    • Hector
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Cosmos
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Lester Prairie
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)

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

Newspapers Published in Heatwole ...

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 86 newspapers that have been published in the area around Heatwole.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Heatwole, there are papers which were published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Heatwole.

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 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 Heatwole:

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>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 from Point A (ie- Heatwole) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.
<3>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.
<4>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 Heatwole, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.