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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 Padua (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 Padua. 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.

Padua is located in Stearns 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 Stearns County: Benton, Douglas, Kandiyohi, Meeker, Morrison, Pope, Sherburne, Todd & Wright.

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

  • Stearns County     (The home county of Padua)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Padua, with the one closest to Padua listed first.
    • Elrosa
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Brooten
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
      • Brooten is located in Stearns County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brooten
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 750 people
    • Greenwald
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
    • Meire Grove
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
      • Meire Grove is located in Stearns County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meire Grove
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 200 people
    • Sauk Centre
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Belgrade
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
      • Belgrade is located in Stearns County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belgrade
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 787 people
    • Melrose
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
    • Spring Hill
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Spring Hill is located in Stearns County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spring Hill
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 95 people
    • New Munich
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
    • Lake Henry
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Lake Henry is located in Stearns County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Henry
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 113 people
    • Freeport
      (18 miles [29 km] to the east)
    • Saint Rosa
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
      • Saint Rosa is located in Stearns County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Rosa
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 71 people
    • Saint Martin
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
  • Douglas County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Padua, with the one closest to Padua listed first.
    • Osakis
      (18 miles [29 km] to the north)
    • Forada
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
    • Nelson
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Nelson is located in Douglas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nelson
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 192 people
    • Alexandria
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
    • Belle River
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
      • Belle River is located in Douglas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belle River
    • Carlos
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Holmes City
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Holmes City is located in Douglas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holmes City
    • Garfield
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Kandiyohi County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Padua, with the one closest to Padua listed first.
    • Regal
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Regal is located in Kandiyohi County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Regal
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 35 people
    • Sunburg
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Sunburg is located in Kandiyohi County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sunburg
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 99 people
    • Hawick
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Hawick is located in Kandiyohi County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hawick
    • New London
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
    • Spicer
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
      • Spicer is located in Kandiyohi County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spicer
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,224 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Spicer <1>
  • Morrison County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Padua, with the one closest to Padua listed first.
    • Upsala
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Swanville
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
  • Pope County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Padua, with the one closest to Padua listed first.
    • Grove Lake
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
      • Grove Lake is located in Pope County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grove Lake
    • Westport
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Westport is located in Pope County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westport
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 61 people
    • Sedan
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
      • Sedan is located in Pope County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sedan
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 50 people
    • Villard
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Glenwood
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
    • Long Beach
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
      • Long Beach is located in Pope County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Long Beach
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 417 people
    • Starbuck
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
    • Lowry
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
    • Farwell
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
      • Farwell is located in Pope County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Farwell
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 52 people
    • New Prairie ‑ Historic
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
      • New Prairie is located in Pope County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Prairie
  • Swift County
    • Swift Falls
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
      • Swift Falls is located in Swift County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Swift Falls
  • Todd County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Padua, with the one closest to Padua listed first.
    • West Union
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
      • West Union is located in Todd County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Union
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 123 people
    • Grey Eagle
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Burtrum
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
    • Long Prairie
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
    • Clotho
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
      • Clotho is located in Todd County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clotho
    • Pillsbury
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Pillsbury is located in Todd County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pillsbury

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

Cemeteries Near Padua ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Padua.

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

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

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

  • St. Anthony Padua Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the east)
  • Unity Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
  • Bohemian Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • Lyman Prairie Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
  • Big Grove Church Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • Grove Lake Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
  • St.s Peter & Paul Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
  • St. Johns Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
  • Trinity Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
  • Christian Reform Church Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
  • Immaculate Conception Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
  • St. Donatus Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
  • Continue List   (182 more) ...
    • Union Cemetery
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
    • St. Andrews Cemetery
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
    • St. Johns Cemetery
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)

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 Padua in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Padua.

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

  • Grove Lake
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
    • Grove Lake is located in Pope County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grove Lake
  • Brooten
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
    • Brooten is located in Stearns County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brooten
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 750 people
  • Westport
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Westport is located in Pope County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westport
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 61 people
  • Meire Grove
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
    • Meire Grove is located in Stearns County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meire Grove
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 200 people
  • Sauk Centre
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
  • Belgrade
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
    • Belgrade is located in Stearns County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belgrade
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 787 people
  • Spring Hill
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Spring Hill is located in Stearns County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spring Hill
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 95 people
  • Melrose
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
  • Villard
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
  • West Union
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
    • West Union is located in Todd County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Union
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 123 people
  • Terrace
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Terrace is located in Pope County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Terrace
  • Georgeville
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Georgeville is located in Stearns County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Georgeville
  • Continue List   (15 more) ...
    • New Munich
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
    • Spaulding
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Spaulding is located in Todd County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spaulding
    • Lake Henry
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Lake Henry is located in Stearns County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Henry
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 113 people

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

Newspapers Published in Padua ...

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 74 newspapers that have been published in the area around Padua.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Padua, there are papers which were published within 29 miles [46.7 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Padua.

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 Padua:

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 Padua, 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 from Point A (ie- Padua) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.