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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 Saint Josephs (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 Saint Josephs. 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 Saint Josephs ...

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.

Although we can't give a definitive list, hopefully the following will give you a feel for the variations that might occur.

For example, a typical abbreviation for Saint Josephs: St. Josephs

You might be interested in other communities that are also named Saint Josephs. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Saint Josephs.

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 southeast 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 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.

Saint Josephs is located in Scott 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 Scott County: Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Le Sueur, Rice & Sibley.

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

  • Scott County     (The home county of Saint Josephs)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Saint Josephs, with the one closest to Saint Josephs listed first.
    • Jordan
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
    • Marystown
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
      • Marystown is located in Scott County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marystown
    • Saint Patrick
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
      • Saint Patrick is located in Scott County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Patrick
    • Prior Lake
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
    • New Prague
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
    • Cedar Lake
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Cedar Lake is located in Scott County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar Lake
    • Shakopee
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Credit River
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
      • Credit River is located in Scott County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Credit River
    • Union Hill
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Union Hill is located in Scott County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union Hill
    • Belle Plaine
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
    • Savage
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
    • New Market
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Elko New Market
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Elko New Market is located in Scott County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elko New Market
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 4,733 people
  • Anoka County
    • Columbia Heights
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Carver County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Saint Josephs, with the one closest to Saint Josephs listed first.
    • Carver
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Chaska
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
    • Dahlgren
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Dahlgren is located in Carver County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dahlgren
    • Gotha
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
      • Gotha is located in Carver County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gotha
    • Hazeltine
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
      • Hazeltine is located in Carver County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hazeltine
    • Cologne
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Chanhassen
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
    • Victoria
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
    • Waconia
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Assumption
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
      • Assumption is located in Carver County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Assumption
    • Hydes Lake
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Hydes Lake is located in Carver County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hydes Lake
    • Norwood Young America
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
      • 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
    • Norwood
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
  • Dakota County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Saint Josephs, with the one closest to Saint Josephs listed first.
    • Lakeville
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
    • Burnsville
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Eureka Center
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
      • Eureka Center is located in Dakota County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eureka Center
    • Apple Valley
      (18 miles [29 km] to the east)
    • Farmington
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
    • Nicols
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Nicols is located in Dakota County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nicols
    • Castle Rock
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
      • Castle Rock is located in Dakota County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Castle Rock
    • Eagan
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Eagan is located in Dakota County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eagan
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 65,975 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Eagan <1>
    • Waterford
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
      • Waterford is located in Dakota County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waterford
    • Rosemount
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
    • Mendota Heights
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Mendota
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Coates
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
      • Coates is located in Dakota County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coates
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 155 people
  • Goodhue County
    • Stanton
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Stanton is located in Goodhue County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stanton
  • Hennepin County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Saint Josephs, with the one closest to Saint Josephs listed first.
    • Eden Prairie
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
    • Excelsior
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
    • Greenwood
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
      • Greenwood is located in Hennepin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenwood
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 937 people
    • Shorewood
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
    • Tonka Bay
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
      • Tonka Bay is located in Hennepin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tonka Bay
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,551 people
    • Bloomington
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Deephaven
      (18 miles [29 km] to the north)
    • Edina
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
      • Edina is located in Hennepin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edina
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 52,477 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Edina <1>
    • Hopkins
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
    • Minnetonka Beach
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
      • Minnetonka Beach is located in Hennepin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Minnetonka Beach
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 584 people
    • Minnetonka
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
    • Minnetrista
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
    • Mound
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
      • Mound is located in Hennepin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mound
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 9,404 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Mound <1>
  • Le Sueur County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Saint Josephs, with the one closest to Saint Josephs listed first.
    • Heidelberg
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
      • Heidelberg is located in Le Sueur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Heidelberg
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 122 people
    • Saint Thomas
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Saint Thomas is located in Le Sueur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Thomas
    • Montgomery
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
    • Lexington
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Lexington is located in Le Sueur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lexington
    • Le Center
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Le Sueur
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Cordova
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
      • Cordova is located in Le Sueur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cordova
    • Kilkenny
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
    • Cleveland
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Ottawa
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Ottawa is located in Le Sueur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ottawa
    • Waterville
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
  • McLeod County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Saint Josephs, with the one closest to Saint Josephs listed first.
    • Plato
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
    • Lester Prairie
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Glencoe
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
  • Nicollet County
    • Saint Peter
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Ramsey County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Saint Josephs, with the one closest to Saint Josephs listed first.
    • Falcon Heights
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Lauderdale
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Lauderdale is located in Ramsey County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lauderdale
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,484 people
    • Saint Paul
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Rice County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Saint Josephs, with the one closest to Saint Josephs listed first.
    • Webster
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Wheatland
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
      • Wheatland is located in Rice County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wheatland
    • Lonsdale
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Trondjem
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Trondjem is located in Rice County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trondjem
    • Millersburg
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Millersburg is located in Rice County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millersburg
    • Dundas
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
    • Northfield
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
    • Cannon City
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Cannon City is located in Rice County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cannon City
    • Warsaw
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
      • Warsaw is located in Rice County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Warsaw
    • Faribault
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Morristown
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
  • Sibley County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Saint Josephs, with the one closest to Saint Josephs listed first.
    • Henderson
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Green Isle
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
    • Arlington
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
  • Washington County
    • Saint Paul Park
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Wright County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Saint Josephs, with the one closest to Saint Josephs listed first.
    • Delano
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Rockford
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)

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

Cemeteries Near Saint Josephs ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Saint Josephs.

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 Saint Josephs - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • Calvary Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
  • Spirit Hill Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
  • Concord Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
  • Fish Lake Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
  • St. Marys Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
  • Catholic Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • St. Patrick Catholic Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
  • St. Catherine Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
  • Swedish Methodist Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
  • Sancti Wenceslai Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
  • St. Nickolas Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Swedish Lutheran Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Continue List   (278 more) ...
    • Mt. Hope Cemetery
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
    • St. Michaels Cemetery
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
    • St. Pauls Cemetery
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)

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

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

  • Lydia
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
    • Lydia is located in Scott County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lydia
  • Jordan
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
  • Marystown
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
    • Marystown is located in Scott County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marystown
  • Merriam
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
    • Merriam is located in Scott County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Merriam
  • Saint Patrick
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
    • Saint Patrick is located in Scott County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Patrick
  • New Prague
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
  • Cedar Lake
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Cedar Lake is located in Scott County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar Lake
  • Carver
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Prior Lake
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
  • East Union
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
    • East Union is located in Carver County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Union
  • Chaska
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
  • Shakopee
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
  • Continue List   (17 more) ...
    • Union Hill
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Union Hill is located in Scott County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union Hill
    • Credit River
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
      • Credit River is located in Scott County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Credit River
    • Dahlgren
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Dahlgren is located in Carver County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dahlgren

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

Newspapers Published in Saint Josephs ...

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 167 newspapers that have been published in the area around Saint Josephs.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Saint Josephs, there are papers which were published within 25 miles [40.2 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Saint Josephs.

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 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 Saint Josephs:

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