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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 Janesville (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 Janesville. 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.

Janesville is located in Waseca 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 Waseca County: Blue Earth, Faribault, Freeborn, Le Sueur, Rice & Steele.

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

  • Waseca County     (The home county of Janesville)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Janesville, with the one closest to Janesville listed first.
    • Elysian
      (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
    • Alma City
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
      • Alma City is located in Waseca County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alma City
    • Palmer
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
      • Palmer is located in Waseca County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Palmer
    • Waseca
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
    • Wilton
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Wilton is located in Waseca County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilton
    • Waldorf
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
      • Waldorf is located in Waseca County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waldorf
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 224 people
    • Vista
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Vista is located in Waseca County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vista
    • New Richland
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
  • Blue Earth County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Janesville, with the one closest to Janesville listed first.
    • Smiths Mill
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Smiths Mill is located in Blue Earth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smiths Mill
    • Madison Lake
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Saint Clair
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
    • Pemberton
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Pemberton is located in Blue Earth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pemberton
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 241 people
    • Eagle Lake
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
    • Mankato
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
      • Mankato is located in Blue Earth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mankato
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 43,435 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Mankato <1>
    • Beauford
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Beauford is located in Blue Earth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beauford
    • Skyline
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
      • Skyline is located in Blue Earth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Skyline
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 299 people
    • Rapidan
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
      • Rapidan is located in Blue Earth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rapidan
    • Mapleton
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
    • Good Thunder
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Garden City
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
      • Garden City is located in Blue Earth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garden City
  • Faribault County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Janesville, with the one closest to Janesville listed first.
    • Minnesota Lake
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
    • Wells
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
      • Wells is located in Faribault County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wells
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,157 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Wells <1>
    • Easton
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
      • Easton is located in Faribault County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Easton
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 183 people
    • Delavan
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Delavan is located in Faribault County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Delavan
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 166 people
  • Freeborn County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Janesville, with the one closest to Janesville listed first.
    • Hartland
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Hartland is located in Freeborn County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hartland
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 307 people
    • Freeborn
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
    • Bath
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Bath is located in Freeborn County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bath
    • Geneva
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Manchester
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Manchester is located in Freeborn County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Manchester
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 55 people
  • Le Sueur County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Janesville, with the one closest to Janesville listed first.
    • Greenland
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
      • Greenland is located in Le Sueur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenland
    • Waterville
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Marysburg
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Marysburg is located in Le Sueur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marysburg
    • Kilkenny
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Cordova
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
      • Cordova is located in Le Sueur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cordova
    • Cleveland
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Kasota
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Le Center
      (18 miles [29 km] to the north)
    • Ottawa
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Ottawa is located in Le Sueur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ottawa
    • Lexington
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
      • Lexington is located in Le Sueur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lexington
    • Montgomery
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
    • Le Sueur
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
  • Nicollet County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Janesville, with the one closest to Janesville listed first.
    • North Mankato
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
    • Saint Peter
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
    • Oshawa
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
      • Oshawa is located in Nicollet County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oshawa
    • Nicollet
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
  • Rice County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Janesville, with the one closest to Janesville listed first.
    • Morristown
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Warsaw
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
      • Warsaw is located in Rice County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Warsaw
    • Faribault
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
    • Wheatland
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Wheatland is located in Rice County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wheatland
    • Walcott
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
      • Walcott is located in Rice County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walcott
    • Cannon City
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Cannon City is located in Rice County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cannon City
    • Lonsdale
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Millersburg
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Millersburg is located in Rice County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millersburg
    • Trondjem
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Trondjem is located in Rice County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trondjem
  • Scott County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Janesville, with the one closest to Janesville listed first.
    • Union Hill
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
      • Union Hill is located in Scott County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union Hill
    • New Prague
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
  • Sibley County
    • Henderson
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
  • Steele County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Janesville, with the one closest to Janesville listed first.
    • Medford
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
      • Medford is located in Steele County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Medford
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,255 people
    • Owatonna
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
    • Hope
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Hope is located in Steele County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hope
    • Steele Center
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
      • Steele Center is located in Steele County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Steele Center
    • Ellendale
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
    • River Point
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • River Point is located in Steele County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for River Point
    • Havana
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
      • Havana is located in Steele County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Havana
    • Pratt
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
      • Pratt is located in Steele County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pratt

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

Cemeteries Near Janesville ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Janesville.

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

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

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

  • Janesville Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
  • St. Anns Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
  • Smith's Mill Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
  • St. Johns Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
  • Bunker Hill Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Minske Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • St. Jarlath Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
  • Cedar Hill Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Round Lake Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
  • Alma City Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
  • Peddler's Grove Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
  • Ebenezer Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
  • Continue List   (260 more) ...
    • Greenland Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
    • Immaculate Conception Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
    • St. Johns Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)

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>

The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Janesville had a population of 921 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Janesville had a population of 2,247 people.

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

  • Elysian
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Alma City
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
    • Alma City is located in Waseca County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alma City
  • Greenland
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
    • Greenland is located in Le Sueur County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenland
  • Saint Clair
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
  • Madison Lake
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Palmer
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
    • Palmer is located in Waseca County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Palmer
  • Waterville
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
  • Marysburg
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Marysburg is located in Le Sueur County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marysburg
  • Eagle Lake
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
  • Waseca
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
  • Mankato
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
    • Mankato is located in Blue Earth County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mankato
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 43,435 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Mankato <1>
  • Beauford
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Beauford is located in Blue Earth County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beauford
  • Continue List   (17 more) ...
    • Otisco
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Otisco is located in Waseca County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Otisco
    • Kilkenny
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Cleveland
      (15 miles [24.1 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 Janesville. See our List of 1890's Communities around Janesville.

Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Janesville ...

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 165 newspapers that have been published in the area around Janesville.

We have organized these newspapers into two lists:

  • A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Janesville. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Janesville and those printed in the larger area surrounding Janesville.
  • An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<3> of Janesville.

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 Janesville:

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>Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' (or 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- Janesville) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.
<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 Janesville, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.