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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 Pierz (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 Pierz. 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 doctors and hospitals 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.

Pierz is located in Morrison 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 Morrison County: Benton, Cass, Crow Wing, Mille Lacs, Stearns & Todd.

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

  • Morrison County     (The home county of Pierz)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Pierz, with the one closest to Pierz listed first.
    • Genola
      (Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
      • Genola is located in Morrison County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Genola
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 66 people
    • Lastrup
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Buckman
      (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
      • Buckman is located in Morrison County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buckman
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 273 people
    • Harding
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
      • Harding is located in Morrison County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harding
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 122 people
    • Hillman
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
    • Morrill
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Morrill is located in Morrison County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morrill
    • Belle Prairie
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
      • Belle Prairie is located in Morrison County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belle Prairie
    • Ramey
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Ramey is located in Morrison County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ramey
    • Little Falls
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
    • Royalton
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
    • North Prairie
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
      • North Prairie is located in Morrison County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Prairie
    • Bowlus
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
    • Sobieski
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
      • Sobieski is located in Morrison County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sobieski
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 194 people
  • Aitkin County
    • Nichols
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Nichols is located in Aitkin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nichols
  • Benton County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Pierz, with the one closest to Pierz listed first.
    • Rice
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
      • Rice is located in Benton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rice
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,401 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Rice <1>
    • Gilman
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
    • Watab
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
      • Watab is located in Benton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Watab
    • Foley
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
    • Oak Park
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
      • Oak Park is located in Benton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Park
    • Ronneby
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
      • Ronneby is located in Benton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ronneby
    • Evergreen Village
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
      • Evergreen Village is located in Benton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Evergreen Village
    • Sauk Rapids
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
    • Duelm
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
      • Duelm is located in Benton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Duelm
  • Cass County
    • Pillager
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Crow Wing County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Pierz, with the one closest to Pierz listed first.
    • Fort Ripley
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Garrison
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Baxter
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
      • Baxter is located in Crow Wing County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Baxter
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 8,483 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Baxter <1>
    • Brainerd
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
  • Mille Lacs County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Pierz, with the one closest to Pierz listed first.
    • Vineland
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Vineland is located in Mille Lacs County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vineland
    • Onamia
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
    • Foreston
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Foreston is located in Mille Lacs County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Foreston
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 527 people
    • Milaca
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Milaca is located in Mille Lacs County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Milaca
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,899 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Milaca <1>
    • Estes Brook
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Estes Brook is located in Mille Lacs County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Estes Brook
    • Pease
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Pease is located in Mille Lacs County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pease
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 224 people
    • Wahkon
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
    • Bock
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Bock is located in Mille Lacs County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bock
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 108 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Bock <1>
  • Stearns County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Pierz, with the one closest to Pierz listed first.
    • Opole
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Opole is located in Stearns County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Opole
    • Saint Stephen
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Saint Stephen is located in Stearns County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Stephen
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 867 people
    • Holdingford
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Evergreen Village
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
      • Evergreen Village is located in Stearns County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Evergreen Village
    • Sartell
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
    • Saint Wendel
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Saint Wendel is located in Stearns County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Wendel
    • Saint Cloud
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
    • Waite Park
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
    • Collegeville
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Saint Joseph
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
    • Avon
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Avon is located in Stearns County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avon
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,652 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Avon <1>
  • Todd County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Pierz, with the one closest to Pierz listed first.
    • Pillsbury
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
      • Pillsbury is located in Todd County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pillsbury
    • Burtrum
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)

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

Cemeteries Near Pierz ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Pierz.

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

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

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

  • St. Joseph's Catholic Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the north)
  • St. John Nepomucene Catholic Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • St. Michael's Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • St. Johns Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
  • Pine Tree Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Freedhem Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Union Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
  • Holy Cross Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
  • St. Mary's Polish National Catholic Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
  • St. Marys Catholic Community Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for St. Marys Catholic Community Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the St. Marys Catholic Community Cemetery is located 2 miles [3.2 km]<2> to the west of Harding.
    • The St. Marys Catholic Community Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Free Polish National Church Cemetery
    • St. Marys Catholic Community Church Cemetery
    • St. Marys Free Polish National Church Cemetery
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2410525 <3>
  • Lone Pine Cemetery
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
  • Immanuel Lutheran Cemetery
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
  • Continue List   (146 more) ...

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.<4>

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

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

  • Buckman
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
    • Buckman is located in Morrison County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buckman
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 273 people
  • Morrill
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Morrill is located in Morrison County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morrill
  • Belle Prairie
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
    • Belle Prairie is located in Morrison County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belle Prairie
  • Gregory
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
    • Gregory is located in Morrison County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gregory
  • Little Falls
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
  • Royalton
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
  • Rice
    (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
    • Rice is located in Benton County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rice
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,401 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Rice <1>
  • North Prairie
    (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
    • North Prairie is located in Morrison County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Prairie
  • Fort Ripley
    (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
  • Gilman
    (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
  • Saint Mathias
    (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
    • Saint Mathias is located in Crow Wing County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Mathias
  • Opole
    (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Opole is located in Stearns County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Opole
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Vineland
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Vineland is located in Mille Lacs County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vineland
    • Randall
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
    • Elmdale
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Elmdale is located in Morrison County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elmdale
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 116 people

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

Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Pierz ...

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 40 newspapers that have been published in the area around Pierz.

We have organized these newspapers into two lists:

  • A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Pierz. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Pierz and those printed in the larger area surrounding Pierz.
  • An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<2> of Pierz.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we like to 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 Pierz:

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>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 from Point A (ie- Pierz) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.
<3>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.
<4>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 Pierz, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.