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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 Rush River (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 Rush River. 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.

Name Variations for Rush River ...

When searching records, keep in mind that names and their spelling can change over time. Our sources include documents like maps, railroad schedules, Travel, Express and Shipping Guides. Many of these documents date from the 1800's and it's common to find spelling differences.

For example, a typical abbreviation for Rush River: Rush Riv.

If you have information about these names (such as the reason for the change, date of change, the origin of the name), please Contact Us.

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 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.

Rush River is located in Sibley 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 Sibley County: Carver, Le Sueur, McLeod, Nicollet, Renville & Scott.

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

  • Sibley County     (The home county of Rush River)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Rush River, with the one closest to Rush River listed first.
    • Henderson
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Arlington
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
    • Gaylord
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Green Isle
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
    • New Auburn
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Winthrop
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
    • Gibbon
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
  • Blue Earth County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Rush River, with the one closest to Rush River listed first.
    • Judson
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
      • Judson is located in Blue Earth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Judson
    • Mankato
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
      • 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>
    • Madison Lake
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Eagle Lake
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
    • Skyline
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
      • Skyline is located in Blue Earth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Skyline
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 299 people
    • Rapidan
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
      • Rapidan is located in Blue Earth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rapidan
    • Lake Crystal
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
    • Smiths Mill
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Smiths Mill is located in Blue Earth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smiths Mill
    • Saint Clair
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
    • Garden City
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
      • Garden City is located in Blue Earth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garden City
  • Brown County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Rush River, with the one closest to Rush River listed first.
    • New Ulm
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Searles
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Searles is located in Brown County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Searles
    • Essig
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
  • Carver County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Rush River, with the one closest to Rush River listed first.
    • Assumption
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Assumption is located in Carver County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Assumption
    • Hamburg
      (18 miles [29 km] to the north)
      • Hamburg is located in Carver County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hamburg
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 526 people
    • Norwood
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
    • Gotha
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Gotha is located in Carver County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gotha
    • Norwood Young America
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
      • Norwood Young America is located in Carver County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Norwood Young America
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,794 people
    • Young America
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
    • Cologne
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
    • Hydes Lake
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
      • Hydes Lake is located in Carver County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hydes Lake
    • Dahlgren
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Dahlgren is located in Carver County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dahlgren
    • New Germany
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
    • Waconia
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Carver
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Hollywood
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • Hollywood is located in Carver County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hollywood
  • Le Sueur County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Rush River, with the one closest to Rush River listed first.
    • Le Sueur
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
    • Ottawa
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Ottawa is located in Le Sueur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ottawa
    • Kasota
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
    • Saint Thomas
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
      • Saint Thomas is located in Le Sueur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Thomas
    • Cleveland
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Le Center
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
    • Lexington
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
      • Lexington is located in Le Sueur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lexington
    • Marysburg
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Marysburg is located in Le Sueur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marysburg
    • Heidelberg
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
      • Heidelberg is located in Le Sueur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Heidelberg
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 122 people
    • Cordova
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Cordova is located in Le Sueur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cordova
    • Montgomery
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
    • Greenland
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Greenland is located in Le Sueur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenland
    • Kilkenny
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
  • McLeod County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Rush River, with the one closest to Rush River listed first.
    • Glencoe
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
    • Plato
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
    • Sumter
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Sumter is located in McLeod County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sumter
    • Brownton
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
    • Fernando
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
      • Fernando is located in McLeod County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fernando
    • Biscay
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Biscay is located in McLeod County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Biscay
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 109 people
    • Stewart
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Stewart is located in McLeod County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stewart
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 533 people
    • Lester Prairie
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
  • Nicollet County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Rush River, with the one closest to Rush River listed first.
    • New Sweden
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
      • New Sweden is located in Nicollet County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Sweden
    • Saint Peter
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Oshawa
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
      • Oshawa is located in Nicollet County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oshawa
    • Nicollet
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Lafayette
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
    • North Mankato
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
    • Courtland
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
  • Rice County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Rush River, with the one closest to Rush River listed first.
    • Wheatland
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
      • Wheatland is located in Rice County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wheatland
    • Lonsdale
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
  • Scott County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Rush River, with the one closest to Rush River listed first.
    • Belle Plaine
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Union Hill
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
      • Union Hill is located in Scott County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union Hill
    • New Prague
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
    • Jordan
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Saint Patrick
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
      • Saint Patrick is located in Scott County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Patrick
    • Marystown
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Marystown is located in Scott County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marystown
  • Waseca County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Rush River, with the one closest to Rush River listed first.
    • Elysian
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Janesville
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)

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

Cemeteries Near Rush River ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Rush River.

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 Rush River - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • Traver Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
  • Sauer Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
  • Methodist Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Scandian Grove Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
  • St. Johns Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
  • Trinity Lutheran Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
  • Scandian Grove Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Norseland Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Weckworth Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Anderson Family Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
  • Ebenezer Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
  • Green Lawn Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Continue List   (258 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.<3>

The Rand McNally Atlas shows that in 1895, Rush River had a post office and no railroad service.

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

  • Norseland
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Norseland is located in Nicollet County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Norseland
  • New Rome
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
    • New Rome is located in Sibley County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Rome
  • Le Sueur
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
  • New Sweden
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
    • New Sweden is located in Nicollet County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Sweden
  • Ottawa
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Ottawa is located in Le Sueur County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ottawa
  • Henderson
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
  • Arlington
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
  • Saint Peter
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
  • Gaylord
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
  • Oshawa
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
    • Oshawa is located in Nicollet County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oshawa
  • Kasota
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
  • Bernadotte
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
    • Bernadotte is located in Nicollet County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bernadotte
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Nicollet
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Cleveland
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Saint Henry
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Saint Henry is located in Le Sueur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Henry

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

Newspapers Published in Rush River ...

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 129 newspapers that have been published in the area around Rush River.

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

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we start 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 Rush River:

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