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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 Mary (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 Mary. 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 Mary ...

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 Saint Mary: St. Mary

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

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 Mary is located in Waseca 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 Waseca County: Blue Earth, Faribault, Freeborn, Le Sueur, Rice & Steele.

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

  • Waseca County     (The home county of Saint Mary)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Saint Mary, with the one closest to Saint Mary listed first.
    • Wilton
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
      • Wilton is located in Waseca County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilton
    • Waseca
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
    • Alma City
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
      • Alma City is located in Waseca County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alma City
    • Janesville
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Vista
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Vista is located in Waseca County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vista
    • Waldorf
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Waldorf is located in Waseca County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waldorf
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 224 people
    • Palmer
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
      • Palmer is located in Waseca County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Palmer
    • New Richland
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Elysian
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
  • Blue Earth County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Saint Mary, with the one closest to Saint Mary listed first.
    • Pemberton
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
      • Pemberton is located in Blue Earth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pemberton
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 241 people
    • Smiths Mill
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Smiths Mill is located in Blue Earth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smiths Mill
    • Saint Clair
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
    • Eagle Lake
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Madison Lake
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Beauford
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
      • Beauford is located in Blue Earth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beauford
    • Mapleton
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
    • Mankato
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
      • 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>
    • Skyline
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
      • Skyline is located in Blue Earth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Skyline
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 299 people
    • Good Thunder
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
    • Rapidan
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
      • Rapidan is located in Blue Earth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rapidan
    • Garden City
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • Garden City is located in Blue Earth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garden City
    • Vernon Center
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
      • Vernon Center is located in Blue Earth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vernon Center
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 313 people
  • Dodge County
    • Claremont
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
  • Faribault County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Saint Mary, with the one closest to Saint Mary listed first.
    • Minnesota Lake
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Wells
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
      • Wells is located in Faribault County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wells
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,157 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Wells <1>
    • Easton
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
      • Easton is located in Faribault County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Easton
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 183 people
    • Delavan
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Delavan is located in Faribault County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Delavan
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 166 people
    • Walters
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
      • Walters is located in Faribault County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walters
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 67 people
  • Freeborn County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Saint Mary, with the one closest to Saint Mary listed first.
    • Hartland
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
      • Hartland is located in Freeborn County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hartland
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 307 people
    • Bath
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Bath is located in Freeborn County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bath
    • Freeborn
      (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
    • Geneva
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Manchester
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
      • Manchester is located in Freeborn County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Manchester
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 55 people
    • Clarks Grove
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Alden
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
    • Hollandale
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Conger
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
      • Conger is located in Freeborn County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Conger
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 144 people
    • Albert Lea
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
  • Le Sueur County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Saint Mary, with the one closest to Saint Mary listed first.
    • Waterville
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
    • Greenland
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Greenland is located in Le Sueur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenland
    • Marysburg
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
      • Marysburg is located in Le Sueur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marysburg
    • Kilkenny
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
    • Cordova
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
      • Cordova is located in Le Sueur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cordova
    • Cleveland
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
    • Le Center
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
    • Kasota
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Montgomery
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
    • Lexington
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
      • Lexington is located in Le Sueur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lexington
    • Ottawa
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Ottawa is located in Le Sueur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ottawa
  • Nicollet County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Saint Mary, with the one closest to Saint Mary listed first.
    • North Mankato
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
    • Saint Peter
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
  • Rice County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Saint Mary, with the one closest to Saint Mary listed first.
    • Morristown
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Warsaw
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
      • Warsaw is located in Rice County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Warsaw
    • Faribault
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
    • Walcott
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Walcott is located in Rice County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walcott
    • Cannon City
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Cannon City is located in Rice County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cannon City
    • Moland
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Moland is located in Rice County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moland
    • Wheatland
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • Wheatland is located in Rice County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wheatland
    • Millersburg
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Millersburg is located in Rice County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millersburg
  • Steele County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Saint Mary, with the one closest to Saint Mary listed first.
    • Hope
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
      • Hope is located in Steele County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hope
    • River Point
      (18 miles [29 km] to the east)
      • River Point is located in Steele County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for River Point
    • Steele Center
      (18 miles [29 km] to the east)
      • Steele Center is located in Steele County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Steele Center
    • Ellendale
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
    • Owatonna
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
    • Medford
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Medford is located in Steele County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Medford
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,255 people
    • Pratt
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
      • Pratt is located in Steele County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pratt
    • Havana
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
      • Havana is located in Steele County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Havana
    • Union
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
      • Union is located in Steele County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union
    • Rice Lake
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
      • Rice Lake is located in Steele County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rice Lake
    • Blooming Prairie
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)

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

Cemeteries Near Saint Mary ...

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

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

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

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

  • St. Mary Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the east)
  • Krassin Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the east)
  • Wilton Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
  • Calvary Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
  • Peddler's Grove Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
  • Freedom Lutheran Church Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • St. Johns Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Freedom Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Woodville Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Minske Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
  • St. Anns Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Alma City Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
  • Continue List   (246 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>

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

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

  • Waseca
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
  • Otisco
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Otisco is located in Waseca County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Otisco
  • Alma City
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
    • Alma City is located in Waseca County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alma City
  • Janesville
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
  • Palmer
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
    • Palmer is located in Waseca County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Palmer
  • New Richland
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
  • Lemond
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
    • Lemond is located in Steele County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lemond
  • Meriden
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
    • Meriden is located in Steele County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meriden
  • Elysian
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
  • Greenland
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Greenland is located in Le Sueur County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenland
  • Waterville
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
  • Saint Clair
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
  • Continue List   (13 more) ...
    • Deerfield
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Deerfield is located in Steele County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deerfield
    • Morristown
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Hartland
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
      • Hartland is located in Freeborn County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hartland
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 307 people

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

Newspapers Published in Saint Mary ...

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 115 newspapers that have been published in the area around Saint Mary.

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

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 Saint Mary:

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