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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 Linden (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 Linden. 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.

Linden is located in Brown 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 Brown County: Blue Earth, Cottonwood, Nicollet, Redwood, Renville & Watonwan.

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

  • Brown County     (The home county of Linden)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Linden, with the one closest to Linden listed first.
    • Searles
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
      • Searles is located in Brown County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Searles
    • Hanska
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
    • New Ulm
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
    • Essig
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Iberia
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
      • Iberia is located in Brown County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Iberia
    • Sleepy Eye
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Leavenworth
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
      • Leavenworth is located in Brown County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leavenworth
    • Cobden
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
      • Cobden is located in Brown County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cobden
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 35 people
    • Evan
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Evan is located in Brown County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Evan
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 84 people
    • Comfrey
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
    • Springfield
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
  • Blue Earth County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Linden, with the one closest to Linden listed first.
    • Judson
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
      • Judson is located in Blue Earth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Judson
    • Lake Crystal
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Garden City
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Garden City is located in Blue Earth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garden City
    • Rapidan
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
      • Rapidan is located in Blue Earth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rapidan
    • Skyline
      (18 miles [29 km] to the east)
      • Skyline is located in Blue Earth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Skyline
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 299 people
    • Vernon Center
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Vernon Center is located in Blue Earth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vernon Center
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 313 people
    • Willow Creek
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
      • Willow Creek is located in Blue Earth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willow Creek
    • Good Thunder
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Mankato
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
      • 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>
    • Amboy
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
      • Amboy is located in Blue Earth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Amboy
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 505 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Amboy <1>
    • Eagle Lake
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
    • Beauford
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Beauford is located in Blue Earth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beauford
    • Mapleton
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
  • Cottonwood County
    • Mountain Lake
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Le Sueur County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Linden, with the one closest to Linden listed first.
    • Kasota
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
    • Ottawa
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Ottawa is located in Le Sueur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ottawa
    • Marysburg
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
      • Marysburg is located in Le Sueur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marysburg
    • Cleveland
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
  • Martin County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Linden, with the one closest to Linden listed first.
    • Truman
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
      • Truman is located in Martin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Truman
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,028 people
    • Ormsby
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Ormsby is located in Martin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ormsby
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 121 people
    • Northrop
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
  • Nicollet County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Linden, with the one closest to Linden listed first.
    • Courtland
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Nicollet
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Oshawa
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Oshawa is located in Nicollet County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oshawa
    • North Mankato
      (18 miles [29 km] to the east)
    • Lafayette
      (18 miles [29 km] to the north)
    • New Sweden
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
      • New Sweden is located in Nicollet County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Sweden
    • Saint Peter
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
  • Redwood County
    • Morgan
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Morgan is located in Redwood County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morgan
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 832 people
  • Renville County
    • Fairfax
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
  • Sibley County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Linden, with the one closest to Linden listed first.
    • Gibbon
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
    • Winthrop
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
    • Gaylord
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
  • Watonwan County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Linden, with the one closest to Linden listed first.
    • Madelia
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
    • La Salle
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
      • La Salle is located in Watonwan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for La Salle
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 86 people
    • Godahl
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Godahl is located in Watonwan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Godahl
    • Grogan
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Grogan is located in Watonwan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grogan
    • Lewisville
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
      • Lewisville is located in Watonwan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lewisville
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 244 people
    • Saint James
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Darfur
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Darfur is located in Watonwan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Darfur
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 102 people
    • Butterfield
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Butterfield is located in Watonwan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Butterfield
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 582 people
    • Odin
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Odin is located in Watonwan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Odin
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 104 people

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

Cemeteries Near Linden ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Linden.

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

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

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

  • Rice Lake Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the east)
  • St. Johns Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
  • Mt. Pisgah Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Linden Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • Cottonwood Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
  • Our Saviors Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Zion Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Lake Hanska Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
  • St. Josephs Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
  • North Lincoln Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Cambria Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Zimmerman Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Continue List   (211 more) ...
    • Fechner Farm Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Evangelical Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
    • Courtland Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 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>

The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Linden had a population of 12 people in 1895 with a post office and no railroad service.

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

  • Hanska
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Courtland
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
  • New Ulm
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
  • Madelia
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
  • Lake Crystal
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
  • Judson
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
    • Judson is located in Blue Earth County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Judson
  • Nicollet
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Grogan
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Grogan is located in Watonwan County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grogan
  • Essig
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
  • Iberia
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
    • Iberia is located in Brown County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Iberia
  • Garden City
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Garden City is located in Blue Earth County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garden City
  • Saint James
    (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Rapidan
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
      • Rapidan is located in Blue Earth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rapidan
    • Oshawa
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Oshawa is located in Nicollet County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oshawa
    • Sleepy Eye
      (17 miles [27.4 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 Linden. See our List of 1890's Communities around Linden.

Newspapers Published in Linden ...

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 93 newspapers that have been published in the area around Linden.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Linden, there are papers which were published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Linden.

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 Linden:

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 Linden, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.
<3>Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Linden) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.