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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 Lafayette (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 Lafayette. 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 northeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most hospitals and doctors were in the next county to the east. 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 east 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.

Lafayette is located in Nicollet 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 Nicollet County: Blue Earth, Brown, Le Sueur, Renville & Sibley.

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

  • Nicollet County     (The home county of Lafayette)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Lafayette, with the one closest to Lafayette listed first.
    • New Sweden
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
      • New Sweden is located in Nicollet County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Sweden
    • Courtland
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
    • Nicollet
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Oshawa
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Oshawa is located in Nicollet County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oshawa
    • Saint Peter
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
    • North Mankato
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
  • Blue Earth County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Lafayette, with the one closest to Lafayette listed first.
    • Judson
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Judson is located in Blue Earth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Judson
    • Lake Crystal
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
    • Mankato
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
      • 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>
    • Skyline
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Skyline is located in Blue Earth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Skyline
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 299 people
    • Garden City
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Garden City is located in Blue Earth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garden City
    • Rapidan
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Rapidan is located in Blue Earth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rapidan
  • Brown County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Lafayette, with the one closest to Lafayette listed first.
    • New Ulm
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
    • Essig
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Searles
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
      • Searles is located in Brown County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Searles
    • Sleepy Eye
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Iberia
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Iberia is located in Brown County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Iberia
    • Hanska
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
    • Evan
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
      • Evan is located in Brown County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Evan
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 84 people
    • Cobden
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Cobden is located in Brown County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cobden
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 35 people
    • Leavenworth
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Leavenworth is located in Brown County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leavenworth
  • Carver County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Lafayette, with the one closest to Lafayette listed first.
    • Hamburg
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Hamburg is located in Carver County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hamburg
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 526 people
    • Assumption
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Assumption is located in Carver County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Assumption
  • Le Sueur County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Lafayette, with the one closest to Lafayette listed first.
    • Ottawa
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
      • Ottawa is located in Le Sueur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ottawa
    • Le Sueur
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
    • Kasota
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
    • Cleveland
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
  • McLeod County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Lafayette, with the one closest to Lafayette listed first.
    • Fernando
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
      • Fernando is located in McLeod County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fernando
    • Brownton
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
    • Stewart
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
      • Stewart is located in McLeod County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stewart
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 533 people
    • Sumter
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
      • Sumter is located in McLeod County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sumter
    • Glencoe
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Biscay
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
      • Biscay is located in McLeod County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Biscay
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 109 people
    • Plato
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Hutchinson
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
  • Redwood County
    • Morgan
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
      • Morgan is located in Redwood County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morgan
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 832 people
  • Renville County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Lafayette, with the one closest to Lafayette listed first.
    • Fairfax
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
    • Buffalo Lake
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Franklin
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
    • Hector
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Morton
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
  • Sibley County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Lafayette, with the one closest to Lafayette listed first.
    • Winthrop
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
    • Gibbon
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Gaylord
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
    • New Auburn
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Arlington
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
    • Henderson
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
    • Green Isle
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
  • Watonwan County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Lafayette, with the one closest to Lafayette listed first.
    • Godahl
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Godahl is located in Watonwan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Godahl
    • La Salle
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
      • La Salle is located in Watonwan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for La Salle
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 86 people
    • Madelia
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
    • Grogan
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
      • Grogan is located in Watonwan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grogan

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

Cemeteries Near Lafayette ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Lafayette.

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

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

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

  • St. Gregory Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
  • Methodist Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
  • Bernadotte Lutheran Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
  • Clear Lake Lutheran Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
  • Salem Methodist Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • Winthrop Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
  • St. George Catholic Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Brighton Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
  • Swan Lake Lutheran Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
  • Greenwood Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
  • Goodman Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
  • Continue List   (221 more) ...
    • Augustana Cemetery
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
    • West Newton Cemetery
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
    • Lutheran Cemetery
      (9 miles [14.5 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.<3>

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

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

  • Bernadotte
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
    • Bernadotte is located in Nicollet County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bernadotte
  • Winthrop
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
  • Gibbon
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
  • New Ulm
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
  • New Sweden
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
    • New Sweden is located in Nicollet County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Sweden
  • Gaylord
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Courtland
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
  • Essig
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
  • Norseland
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
    • Norseland is located in Nicollet County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Norseland
  • Nicollet
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
  • Rush River
    (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
    • Rush River is located in Sibley County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rush River
  • New Rome
    (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
    • New Rome is located in Sibley County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Rome
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Oshawa
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Oshawa is located in Nicollet County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oshawa
    • New Auburn
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Fairfax
      (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 Lafayette. See our List of 1890's Communities around Lafayette.

Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Lafayette ...

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 57 newspapers that have been published in the area around Lafayette.

We have organized these newspapers into two lists:

  • A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Lafayette. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Lafayette and those printed in the larger area surrounding Lafayette.
  • An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<4> of Lafayette.

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 Lafayette:

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