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 Kiester (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 Kiester. 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 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.
Kiester is located in Faribault 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 Faribault County: Kossuth (IA), Winnebago (IA), Blue Earth, Freeborn, Martin & Waseca.
Below are the counties that are near Kiester. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Kiester:
- Faribault County (The home county of Kiester)
- The following are listed by their distance from Kiester, with the one closest to Kiester listed first.
- Walters
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Walters is located in Faribault County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walters
- Population from the 2020 Census: 67 people
- Bricelyn
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Bricelyn is located in Faribault County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bricelyn
- Population from the 2020 Census: 334 people
- Dell
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Dell is located in Faribault County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dell
- Frost
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Wells
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Easton
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Easton is located in Faribault County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Easton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 183 people
- Elmore
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Elmore is located in Faribault County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elmore
- Population from the 2020 Census: 613 people
- Blue Earth
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- 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>
- Minnesota Lake
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Delavan
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Delavan is located in Faribault County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Delavan
- Population from the 2020 Census: 166 people
- Winnebago
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Huntley
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Huntley is located in Faribault County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Huntley
- Blue Earth County
- Mapleton
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Freeborn County
- The following are listed by their distance from Kiester, with the one closest to Kiester listed first.
- Conger
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Conger is located in Freeborn County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Conger
- Population from the 2020 Census: 144 people
- Emmons
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Emmons is located in Freeborn County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Emmons
- Population from the 2020 Census: 380 people
- Alden
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Twin Lakes
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Twin Lakes is located in Freeborn County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Twin Lakes
- Population from the 2020 Census: 149 people
- Freeborn
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Albert Lea
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Manchester
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Manchester is located in Freeborn County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Manchester
- Population from the 2020 Census: 55 people
- Glenville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Hartland
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Hartland is located in Freeborn County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hartland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 307 people
- Hayward
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Clarks Grove
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Bath
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Bath is located in Freeborn County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bath
- Waseca County
- The following are listed by their distance from Kiester, with the one closest to Kiester listed first.
- New Richland
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Waldorf
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Waldorf is located in Waseca County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waldorf
- Population from the 2020 Census: 224 people
- Cerro Gordo County (IA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Kiester, with the one closest to Kiester listed first.
- Creamery
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Creamery is located in Cerro Gordo County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Creamery
- Ventura
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Hancock County (IA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Kiester, with the one closest to Kiester listed first.
- Crystal Lake
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Crystal Lake is located in Hancock County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crystal Lake
- Population from the 2020 Census: 228 people
- Woden
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Duncan
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Duncan is located in Hancock County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Duncan
- Britt
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Britt is located in Hancock County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Britt
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,928 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Britt <1>
- Garner
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Kossuth County (IA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Kiester, with the one closest to Kiester listed first.
- Lakota
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Lakota is located in Kossuth County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakota
- Population from the 2020 Census: 275 people
- Ledyard
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- German Valley
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- German Valley is located in Kossuth County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for German Valley
- Gerled
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Gerled is located in Kossuth County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gerled
- Titonka
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Titonka is located in Kossuth County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Titonka
- Population from the 2020 Census: 433 people
- Bancroft
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Bancroft is located in Kossuth County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bancroft
- Population from the 2020 Census: 684 people
- Winnebago County (IA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Kiester, with the one closest to Kiester listed first.
- Vinje
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Vinje is located in Winnebago County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vinje
- Scarville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Thompson
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Rake
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Rake is located in Winnebago County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rake
- Population from the 2020 Census: 206 people
- Lake Mills
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Leland
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Leland is located in Winnebago County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 268 people
- Buffalo Center
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Forest City
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Worth County (IA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Kiester, with the one closest to Kiester listed first.
- Bristol
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Bristol is located in Worth County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bristol
- Silver Lake
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Silver Lake is located in Worth County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Silver Lake
- Joice
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Joice is located in Worth County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Joice
- Population from the 2020 Census: 209 people
- Fertile
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Hanlontown
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Hanlontown is located in Worth County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hanlontown
- Population from the 2020 Census: 220 people
- Northwood
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Kensett
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Kensett is located in Worth County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kensett
- Population from the 2020 Census: 249 people
- Manly
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Kiester, see our County-by-County Page for Kiester.
Cemeteries Near Kiester ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Kiester.
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 Kiester - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Kiester covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Kiester, with the one closest to Kiester listed first.
- American Lutheran Church Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Fairview Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- United Brethren Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Eden Twp. Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Bethel Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Zion Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Synod Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Mansfield Lutheran Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- United Lutheran Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for United Lutheran Cemetery
- The United Lutheran Cemetery has also been known as:
- St. John's Cemetery
- St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Cemetery
- St. John's Lutheran Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2443887 <2>
- Immanuel Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Schnieder Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Bricelyn Lutheran Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Continue List (214 more) ...
- Rice Lake Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Clayton Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- North Prairie Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 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 in 1895, Kiester had a post office and no railroad service. In 2020, Kiester had a population of 456 people.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Kiester, with the one closest to Kiester listed first.
- Mansfield
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Mansfield is located in Freeborn County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mansfield
- Amund
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Amund is located in Winnebago County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Amund
- Rake
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Rake is located in Winnebago County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rake
- Population from the 2020 Census: 206 people
- Thompson
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Norman ‑ Historic
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Norman is located in Winnebago County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Norman
- Emmons
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Emmons is located in Freeborn County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Emmons
- Population from the 2020 Census: 380 people
- Alden
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Dell
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Dell is located in Faribault County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dell
- Lake Mills
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Leland
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Leland is located in Winnebago County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 268 people
- Bristol
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Bristol is located in Worth County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bristol
- Twin Lakes
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Twin Lakes is located in Freeborn County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Twin Lakes
- Population from the 2020 Census: 149 people
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- Buffalo Center
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Armstrong
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Armstrong is located in Freeborn County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Armstrong
- Somber
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Somber is located in Worth County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Somber
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Kiester. See our List of 1890's Communities around Kiester.
Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Kiester ...
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 118 newspapers that have been published in the area around Kiester.
We have organized these newspapers into two lists:
- A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Kiester. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Kiester and those printed in the larger area surrounding Kiester.
- An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<4> of Kiester.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we begin with 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 Kiester:
- Websites specific to Minnesota
- Pages specific to Faribault County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Blue Earth County
- Freeborn County
- Waseca County
- Cerro Gordo County
- Hancock County
- Kossuth County
- Winnebago County
- Worth 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 Kiester, 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' (or point-to-point) distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Kiester) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |