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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 Searles (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 Searles. 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 northwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors were in the next county to the west. 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 west 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.

Searles is located in Brown 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 Brown County: Blue Earth, Cottonwood, Nicollet, Redwood, Renville & Watonwan.

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

  • Brown County     (The home county of Searles)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Searles, with the one closest to Searles listed first.
    • New Ulm
      (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
    • Hanska
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Essig
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Iberia
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
      • Iberia is located in Brown County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Iberia
    • Sleepy Eye
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
    • Leavenworth
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
      • Leavenworth is located in Brown County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leavenworth
    • Cobden
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
      • Cobden is located in Brown County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cobden
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 35 people
    • Evan
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Evan is located in Brown County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Evan
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 84 people
    • Comfrey
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
    • Springfield
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
  • Blue Earth County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Searles, with the one closest to Searles listed first.
    • Judson
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
      • Judson is located in Blue Earth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Judson
    • Lake Crystal
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Garden City
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
      • Garden City is located in Blue Earth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garden City
    • Skyline
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
      • Skyline is located in Blue Earth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Skyline
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 299 people
    • Rapidan
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Rapidan is located in Blue Earth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rapidan
    • Mankato
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
      • 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>
    • Vernon Center
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Vernon Center is located in Blue Earth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vernon Center
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 313 people
    • Good Thunder
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
    • Willow Creek
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
      • Willow Creek is located in Blue Earth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willow Creek
    • Eagle Lake
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
    • Amboy
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Amboy is located in Blue Earth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Amboy
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 505 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Amboy <1>
    • Beauford
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Beauford is located in Blue Earth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beauford
    • Madison Lake
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
  • Le Sueur County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Searles, with the one closest to Searles listed first.
    • Kasota
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
    • Ottawa
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Ottawa is located in Le Sueur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ottawa
    • Cleveland
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
    • Marysburg
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
      • Marysburg is located in Le Sueur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marysburg
    • Le Sueur
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Martin County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Searles, with the one closest to Searles listed first.
    • Truman
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
      • Truman is located in Martin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Truman
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,028 people
    • Ormsby
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Ormsby is located in Martin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ormsby
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 121 people
  • McLeod County
    • Fernando
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
      • Fernando is located in McLeod County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fernando
  • Nicollet County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Searles, with the one closest to Searles listed first.
    • Courtland
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
    • Nicollet
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
    • Lafayette
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
    • Oshawa
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
      • Oshawa is located in Nicollet County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oshawa
    • New Sweden
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
      • New Sweden is located in Nicollet County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Sweden
    • North Mankato
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
    • Saint Peter
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
  • Redwood County
    • Morgan
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Morgan is located in Redwood County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morgan
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 832 people
  • Renville County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Searles, with the one closest to Searles listed first.
    • Fairfax
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Franklin
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Sibley County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Searles, with the one closest to Searles listed first.
    • Gibbon
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
    • Winthrop
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
    • Gaylord
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
  • Watonwan County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Searles, with the one closest to Searles listed first.
    • Madelia
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
    • La Salle
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
      • La Salle is located in Watonwan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for La Salle
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 86 people
    • Godahl
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Godahl is located in Watonwan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Godahl
    • Grogan
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
      • Grogan is located in Watonwan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grogan
    • Saint James
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Lewisville
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
      • Lewisville is located in Watonwan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lewisville
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 244 people
    • Darfur
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
      • Darfur is located in Watonwan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Darfur
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 102 people
    • Butterfield
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Butterfield is located in Watonwan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Butterfield
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 582 people
    • Odin
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Odin is located in Watonwan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Odin
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 104 people

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

Cemeteries Near Searles ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Searles.

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

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

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

  • St. Johns Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the south)
  • Cottonwood Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the north)
  • St. Josephs Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
  • Rice Lake Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Evangelical Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • Zimmerman Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
  • Fechner Farm Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
  • Zion Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Mt. Pisgah Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
  • Cambria Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
  • Courtland Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Lake Hanska Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Continue List   (201 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 Searles in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Searles.

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

  • Linden
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
    • Linden is located in Brown County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Linden
  • New Ulm
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Courtland
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
  • Hanska
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Essig
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
  • Madelia
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
  • Judson
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
    • Judson is located in Blue Earth County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Judson
  • Nicollet
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
  • Iberia
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
    • Iberia is located in Brown County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Iberia
  • Lake Crystal
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
  • Grogan
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
    • Grogan is located in Watonwan County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grogan
  • Sleepy Eye
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Bernadotte
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
      • Bernadotte is located in Nicollet County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bernadotte
    • Oshawa
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
      • Oshawa is located in Nicollet County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oshawa
    • New Sweden
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
      • New Sweden is located in Nicollet County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Sweden

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

Newspapers Published in Searles ...

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 100 newspapers that have been published in the area around Searles.

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

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 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 Searles:

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