RoadsideThoughts
A Gazetteer for the United States and Canada
Home >> State of Minnesota >> Blue Earth County >> Smiths Mill >> 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 Smiths Mill (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 Smiths Mill. 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 Smiths Mill ...

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.

  • A typical abbreviation for Smiths Mill: Smiths Ml. (or less commonly used: Smiths Mll.)
  • While the name of this community is Smiths Mill, be aware that it's the common practice of mapmakers to remove the apostrophe from possessive names<1>. So Smiths Mill may originally have been Smith's Mill.

    Sometimes the trailing 's' might be dropped altogether, in which case Smiths Mill might be written as Smith Mill.

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

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 and doctors 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.

Smiths Mill is primarily located in Blue Earth County. A portion of Smiths Mill extends into 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 Blue Earth County: Brown, Faribault, Le Sueur, Martin, Nicollet, Waseca & Watonwan.

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

  • Blue Earth County     (The home county of Smiths Mill)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Smiths Mill, with the one closest to Smiths Mill listed first.
    • Madison Lake
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
    • Saint Clair
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
    • Eagle Lake
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
    • Pemberton
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
      • Pemberton is located in Blue Earth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pemberton
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 241 people
    • Mankato
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
      • 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 <2>
    • Beauford
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Beauford is located in Blue Earth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beauford
    • Skyline
      (13 miles [20.9 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
    • Rapidan
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
      • Rapidan is located in Blue Earth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rapidan
    • Good Thunder
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Mapleton
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Garden City
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
      • Garden City is located in Blue Earth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garden City
    • Judson
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
      • Judson is located in Blue Earth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Judson
  • Faribault County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Smiths Mill, with the one closest to Smiths Mill listed first.
    • Minnesota Lake
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
    • Easton
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
      • Easton is located in Faribault County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Easton
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 183 people
    • Wells
      (27 miles [43.5 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 <2>
    • Delavan
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Delavan is located in Faribault County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Delavan
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 166 people
  • Freeborn County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Smiths Mill, with the one closest to Smiths Mill listed first.
    • Hartland
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Hartland is located in Freeborn County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hartland
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 307 people
    • Freeborn
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
    • Bath
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Bath is located in Freeborn County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bath
  • Le Sueur County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Smiths Mill, with the one closest to Smiths Mill listed first.
    • Greenland
      (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
      • Greenland is located in Le Sueur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenland
    • Marysburg
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
      • Marysburg is located in Le Sueur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marysburg
    • Waterville
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Cleveland
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
    • Cordova
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
      • Cordova is located in Le Sueur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cordova
    • Kasota
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Kilkenny
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Le Center
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
    • Ottawa
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Ottawa is located in Le Sueur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ottawa
    • Lexington
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
      • Lexington is located in Le Sueur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lexington
    • Montgomery
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Le Sueur
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
  • Nicollet County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Smiths Mill, with the one closest to Smiths Mill listed first.
    • North Mankato
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
    • Saint Peter
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Oshawa
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Oshawa is located in Nicollet County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oshawa
    • Nicollet
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
    • New Sweden
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • New Sweden is located in Nicollet County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Sweden
    • Courtland
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
  • Rice County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Smiths Mill, with the one closest to Smiths Mill listed first.
    • Morristown
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
    • Warsaw
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Warsaw is located in Rice County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Warsaw
    • Faribault
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Wheatland
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Wheatland is located in Rice County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wheatland
    • Walcott
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
      • Walcott is located in Rice County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walcott
    • Lonsdale
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Millersburg
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Millersburg is located in Rice County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millersburg
    • Trondjem
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Trondjem is located in Rice County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trondjem
    • Cannon City
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Cannon City is located in Rice County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cannon City
  • Scott County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Smiths Mill, with the one closest to Smiths Mill listed first.
    • Union Hill
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
      • Union Hill is located in Scott County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union Hill
    • New Prague
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
  • Sibley County
    • Henderson
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
  • Steele County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Smiths Mill, with the one closest to Smiths Mill listed first.
    • Medford
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
      • Medford is located in Steele County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Medford
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,255 people
    • Owatonna
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
    • Hope
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Hope is located in Steele County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hope
    • Steele Center
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
      • Steele Center is located in Steele County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Steele Center
    • Ellendale
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
    • River Point
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
      • River Point is located in Steele County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for River Point
  • Waseca County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Smiths Mill, with the one closest to Smiths Mill listed first.
    • Janesville
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Elysian
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Alma City
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
      • Alma City is located in Waseca County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alma City
    • Palmer
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
      • Palmer is located in Waseca County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Palmer
    • Waseca
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
    • Waldorf
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
      • Waldorf is located in Waseca County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waldorf
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 224 people
    • Wilton
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Wilton is located in Waseca County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilton
    • Vista
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Vista is located in Waseca County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vista
    • New Richland
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)

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

Cemeteries Near Smiths Mill ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Smiths Mill.

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 Smiths Mill - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • Smith's Mill Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
  • Calvary Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
  • St. Anns Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Janesville Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Bunker Hill Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • Cedar Hill Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
  • Greenland Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Round Lake Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Eagle Lake Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
  • McPherson Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Immaculate Conception Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
  • St. Johns Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Continue List   (258 more) ...
    • Burgess Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
    • Tivoli Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
    • Marysburg Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)

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.<4>

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

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

  • Janesville
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
  • Saint Clair
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Madison Lake
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
  • Greenland
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
    • Greenland is located in Le Sueur County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenland
  • Elysian
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Eagle Lake
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
  • Marysburg
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
    • Marysburg is located in Le Sueur County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marysburg
  • Alma City
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
    • Alma City is located in Waseca County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alma City
  • Palmer
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
    • Palmer is located in Waseca County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Palmer
  • Mankato
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
    • 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 <2>
  • Waterville
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Beauford
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Beauford is located in Blue Earth County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beauford
  • Continue List   (13 more) ...
    • Cleveland
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
    • Waseca
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
    • Cordova
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
      • Cordova is located in Le Sueur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cordova

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

Newspapers Published in Smiths Mill ...

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 192 newspapers that have been published in the area around Smiths Mill.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Smiths Mill, there are papers which were published within 29 miles [46.7 km]<5>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Smiths Mill.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we first visit 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 Smiths Mill:

Footnotes ...

<1>It's generally believed that possessive apostrophes are removed to prevent confusion on maps where the apostrophe may be confused with a cartographic symbol. While this is generally true, it's not uncommon to find possessive apostrophes in administrative names (such as towns or counties).
<2>While we're fans and frequent users of TripAdvisor, you should know that we're also members of the TripAdvisor affiliate program.
<3>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.
<4>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 Smiths Mill, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.
<5>Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Smiths Mill) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.