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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 Nelson (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 Nelson. 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.

Nelson is located in Douglas 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 Douglas County: Grant, Otter Tail, Pope, Stearns, Stevens & Todd.

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

  • Douglas County     (The home county of Nelson)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Nelson, with the one closest to Nelson listed first.
    • Osakis
      (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
    • Alexandria
      (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
    • Carlos
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
    • Belle River
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
      • Belle River is located in Douglas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belle River
    • Forada
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Miltona
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
    • Garfield
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
    • Holmes City
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
      • Holmes City is located in Douglas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holmes City
    • Rose City
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
      • Rose City is located in Douglas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rose City
    • Brandon
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
    • Millerville
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
      • Millerville is located in Douglas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millerville
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 103 people
    • Evansville
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
    • Kensington
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
  • Grant County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Nelson, with the one closest to Nelson listed first.
    • Hoffman
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
    • Erdahl
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • Erdahl is located in Grant County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Erdahl
    • Ashby
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Barrett
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
      • Barrett is located in Grant County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barrett
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 414 people
  • Morrison County
    • Swanville
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
  • Otter Tail County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Nelson, with the one closest to Nelson listed first.
    • Parkers Prairie
      (18 miles [29 km] to the north)
    • Urbank
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Urbank is located in Otter Tail County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Urbank
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 52 people
    • Vining
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Pope County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Nelson, with the one closest to Nelson listed first.
    • Villard
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
    • Westport
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
      • Westport is located in Pope County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westport
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 61 people
    • Glenwood
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
    • Long Beach
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Long Beach is located in Pope County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Long Beach
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 417 people
    • Lowry
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Grove Lake
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
      • Grove Lake is located in Pope County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grove Lake
    • Farwell
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Farwell is located in Pope County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Farwell
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 52 people
    • Sedan
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
      • Sedan is located in Pope County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sedan
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 50 people
    • Starbuck
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
    • New Prairie ‑ Historic
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
      • New Prairie is located in Pope County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Prairie
    • Cyrus
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Stearns County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Nelson, with the one closest to Nelson listed first.
    • Sauk Centre
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
    • Meire Grove
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Meire Grove is located in Stearns County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meire Grove
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 200 people
    • Melrose
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Brooten
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
      • Brooten is located in Stearns County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brooten
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 750 people
    • Elrosa
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Greenwald
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Saint Rosa
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
      • Saint Rosa is located in Stearns County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Rosa
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 71 people
    • New Munich
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Todd County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Nelson, with the one closest to Nelson listed first.
    • West Union
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
      • West Union is located in Todd County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Union
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 123 people
    • Clotho
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Clotho is located in Todd County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clotho
    • Long Prairie
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
    • Clarissa
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Eagle Bend
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Browerville
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
      • Browerville is located in Todd County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Browerville
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 744 people
    • Grey Eagle
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
    • Burtrum
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
    • Pillsbury
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
      • Pillsbury is located in Todd County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pillsbury
    • Bertha
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)

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

Cemeteries Near Nelson ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Nelson.

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

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

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

  • Nelson Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
  • Fahlun Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the north)
  • Geneva Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
  • Calvary Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
  • Hudson Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Evergreen Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • Emmanuel Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
  • Lakeside Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
  • Carlos Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Kinkead Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kinkead Cemetery
    • The Kinkead Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Kinkaid Cemetery
    • Sunset Memorial Park
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #82630 <2>
  • St. Marys Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
  • Evergreen Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
  • Continue List   (189 more) ...
    • English Grove Cemetery
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Lake Charley Cemetery
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Lake Mary 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>

The Rand McNally Atlas shows that in 1895, Nelson had a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Nelson had a population of 192 people.

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

  • Osakis
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • Alexandria
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
  • Belle River
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
    • Belle River is located in Douglas County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belle River
  • West Union
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
    • West Union is located in Todd County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Union
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 123 people
  • Miltona
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
  • Villard
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
  • Garfield
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
  • Westport
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
    • Westport is located in Pope County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westport
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 61 people
  • Holmes City
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
    • Holmes City is located in Douglas County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holmes City
  • Clotho
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Clotho is located in Todd County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clotho
  • Leaf Valley
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Leaf Valley is located in Douglas County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leaf Valley
  • Little Sauk
    (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
    • Little Sauk is located in Todd County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Little Sauk
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Brandon
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
    • Lowry
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Glenwood
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)

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

Newspapers Published in Nelson ...

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 72 newspapers that have been published in the area around Nelson.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Nelson, there are papers which were published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Nelson.

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 Nelson:

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 Nelson, 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' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Nelson) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.