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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 Ormsby (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 Ormsby. 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 hospitals 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.

Ormsby is primarily located in Martin County. A portion of Ormsby extends into Watonwan 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 Martin County: Emmet (IA), Kossuth (IA), Blue Earth, Cottonwood, Faribault, Jackson & Watonwan.

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

  • Martin County     (The home county of Ormsby)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ormsby, with the one closest to Ormsby listed first.
    • Trimont
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
    • Truman
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
      • Truman is located in Martin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Truman
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,028 people
    • Sherburn
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
    • Welcome
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
    • Northrop
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Fairmont
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
    • Dunnell
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
      • Dunnell is located in Martin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunnell
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 145 people
    • Granada
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Ceylon
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
  • Blue Earth County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ormsby, with the one closest to Ormsby listed first.
    • Willow Creek
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
      • Willow Creek is located in Blue Earth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willow Creek
    • Amboy
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
      • 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>
    • Vernon Center
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
      • Vernon Center is located in Blue Earth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vernon Center
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 313 people
    • Garden City
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Garden City is located in Blue Earth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garden City
    • Lake Crystal
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Brown County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ormsby, with the one closest to Ormsby listed first.
    • Comfrey
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Hanska
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Iberia
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
      • Iberia is located in Brown County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Iberia
    • Leavenworth
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
      • Leavenworth is located in Brown County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leavenworth
    • Searles
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Searles is located in Brown County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Searles
    • Cobden
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • Cobden is located in Brown County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cobden
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 35 people
    • Sleepy Eye
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
    • Springfield
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Cottonwood County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ormsby, with the one closest to Ormsby listed first.
    • Mountain Lake
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Bingham Lake
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
    • Windom
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
      • Windom is located in Cottonwood County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Windom
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 4,403 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Windom <1>
    • Jeffers
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Jeffers is located in Cottonwood County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jeffers
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 346 people
  • Faribault County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ormsby, with the one closest to Ormsby listed first.
    • Huntley
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
      • Huntley is located in Faribault County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Huntley
    • Winnebago
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
  • Jackson County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ormsby, with the one closest to Ormsby listed first.
    • Alpha
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Alpha is located in Jackson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alpha
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 119 people
    • Jackson
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Petersburg
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Petersburg is located in Jackson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Petersburg
    • Wilder
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
      • Wilder is located in Jackson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilder
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 56 people
    • Lakefield
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Watonwan County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ormsby, with the one closest to Ormsby listed first.
    • Odin
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Odin is located in Watonwan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Odin
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 104 people
    • Butterfield
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Butterfield is located in Watonwan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Butterfield
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 582 people
    • Saint James
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
    • Grogan
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
      • Grogan is located in Watonwan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grogan
    • Lewisville
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
      • Lewisville is located in Watonwan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lewisville
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 244 people
    • Darfur
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Darfur is located in Watonwan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Darfur
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 102 people
    • La Salle
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
      • La Salle is located in Watonwan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for La Salle
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 86 people
    • Godahl
      (18 miles [29 km] to the north)
      • Godahl is located in Watonwan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Godahl
    • Madelia
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
  • Emmet County (IA)
    • Dolliver
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)

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

Cemeteries Near Ormsby ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Ormsby.

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

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

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

  • Long Lake Lutheran Church Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
  • Zion Lutheran Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
  • Kansas Lake Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
  • St. Olaf Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
  • Cedar Lake Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Waverly Lutheran Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
  • Cedar Lutheran Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Cedar Hill Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Sell - Lamb Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
  • First Lutheran Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
  • North Star Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
  • Mt. Hope Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
  • Continue List   (137 more) ...
    • Butterfield Cemetery
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Elm Creek Cemetery
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
    • Mennonite Cemetery
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)

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>

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

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

  • Odin
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Odin is located in Watonwan County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Odin
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 104 people
  • South Branch
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
    • South Branch is located in Watonwan County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Branch
  • Butterfield
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Butterfield is located in Watonwan County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Butterfield
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 582 people
  • Saint James
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
  • Mountain Lake
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Sherburn
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
  • Welcome
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
  • Grogan
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Grogan is located in Watonwan County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grogan
  • Bingham Lake
    (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
  • Fairmont
    (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
  • Nashville Center
    (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
    • Nashville Center is located in Martin County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nashville Center
  • Madelia
    (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
  • Continue List   (13 more) ...
    • Dunnell
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
      • Dunnell is located in Martin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunnell
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 145 people
    • Comfrey
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Jackson
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)

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

Newspapers Published in Ormsby ...

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 97 newspapers that have been published in the area around Ormsby.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Ormsby, 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 Ormsby.

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 professional and volunteer 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 Ormsby:

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 Ormsby, 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- Ormsby) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.