RoadsideThoughts
A Gazetteer for the United States and Canada
Home >> State of Minnesota >> Stearns County >> Saint Stephen >> Genealogy HelperIndex...

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 Stephen (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 Stephen. 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 Stephen ...

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 Stephen: St. Stephen

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

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 southwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors and hospitals were in the next county to the west. 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 west 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 Stephen 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 Saint Stephen. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Saint Stephen:

  • Stearns County     (The home county of Saint Stephen)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Saint Stephen, with the one closest to Saint Stephen listed first.
    • Opole
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
      • Opole is located in Stearns County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Opole
    • Saint Wendel
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
      • Saint Wendel is located in Stearns County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Wendel
    • Evergreen Village
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Evergreen Village is located in Stearns County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Evergreen Village
    • Sartell
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Collegeville
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Saint Joseph
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
    • Holdingford
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
    • Waite Park
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
    • Avon
      (10 miles [16.1 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>
    • Saint Cloud
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Pleasant Lake
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
      • Pleasant Lake is located in Stearns County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Lake
    • Albany
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
  • Benton County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Saint Stephen, with the one closest to Saint Stephen listed first.
    • Watab
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
      • Watab is located in Benton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Watab
    • Rice
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
      • 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>
    • Evergreen Village
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Evergreen Village is located in Benton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Evergreen Village
    • Sauk Rapids
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Gilman
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
    • Foley
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
    • Duelm
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
      • Duelm is located in Benton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Duelm
    • Ronneby
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
      • Ronneby is located in Benton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ronneby
    • Oak Park
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
      • Oak Park is located in Benton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Park
  • Meeker County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Saint Stephen, with the one closest to Saint Stephen listed first.
    • Watkins
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
    • Eden Valley
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Mille Lacs County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Saint Stephen, with the one closest to Saint Stephen listed first.
    • Estes Brook
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
      • Estes Brook is located in Mille Lacs County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Estes Brook
    • Foreston
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
      • Foreston is located in Mille Lacs County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Foreston
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 527 people
    • Milaca
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
      • 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>
    • Pease
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
      • Pease is located in Mille Lacs County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pease
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 224 people
  • Morrison County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Saint Stephen, with the one closest to Saint Stephen listed first.
    • North Prairie
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
      • North Prairie is located in Morrison County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Prairie
    • Royalton
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
    • Bowlus
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Elmdale
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Elmdale is located in Morrison County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elmdale
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 116 people
    • Buckman
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Buckman is located in Morrison County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buckman
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 273 people
    • Upsala
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Morrill
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Morrill is located in Morrison County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morrill
    • Ramey
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
      • Ramey is located in Morrison County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ramey
    • Sobieski
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
      • Sobieski is located in Morrison County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sobieski
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 194 people
    • Genola
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
      • Genola is located in Morrison County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Genola
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 66 people
    • Little Falls
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
    • Pierz
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Pierz is located in Morrison County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pierz
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,364 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Pierz <1>
  • Sherburne County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Saint Stephen, with the one closest to Saint Stephen listed first.
    • Cable
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Cable is located in Sherburne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cable
    • Clear Lake
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Santiago
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Santiago is located in Sherburne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Santiago
    • Becker
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Becker is located in Sherburne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Becker
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 5,033 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Becker <1>
  • Todd County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Saint Stephen, with the one closest to Saint Stephen listed first.
    • Burtrum
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Grey Eagle
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
    • Pillsbury
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Pillsbury is located in Todd County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pillsbury
  • Wright County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Saint Stephen, with the one closest to Saint Stephen listed first.
    • Clearwater
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Hasty
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Hasty is located in Wright County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hasty
    • South Haven
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
    • Silver Creek
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Silver Creek is located in Wright County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Silver Creek

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

Cemeteries Near Saint Stephen ...

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

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

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

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

  • St. Stephni Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the west)
  • Brockway Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
  • Rice Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
  • Immaculate Conception Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • St. Wendel Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Mt. Carmel Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
  • Oak Hill Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
  • St. Francis Xavier Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
  • St. Marys Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
  • Holy Cross Church Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Graham Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
  • Royalton Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
  • Continue List   (167 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.<2>

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

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

  • Watab
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
    • Watab is located in Benton County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Watab
  • Rice
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
    • 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>
  • Saint Wendel
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
    • Saint Wendel is located in Stearns County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Wendel
  • Opole
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
    • Opole is located in Stearns County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Opole
  • North Prairie
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
    • North Prairie is located in Morrison County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Prairie
  • Collegeville
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
  • Saint Joseph
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
  • Sauk Rapids
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
  • Royalton
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
  • Holdingford
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
  • Saint Anna
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
    • Saint Anna is located in Stearns County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Anna
  • Avon
    (10 miles [16.1 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>
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Saint Cloud
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Elmdale
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Elmdale is located in Morrison County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elmdale
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 116 people
    • Parent
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
      • Parent is located in Benton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parent

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

Newspapers Published in Saint Stephen ...

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 90 newspapers that have been published in the area around Saint Stephen.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Saint Stephen, there are papers which were published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Saint Stephen.

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 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 Stephen:

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>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 Stephen, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.
<3>Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' (or 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 Stephen) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.