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 Smithville (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 Smithville. 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 southeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors 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.
Smithville is located in Saint Louis 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 Saint Louis County: Aitkin, Carlton, Itasca, Koochiching, Lake & Douglas (WI).
Below are the counties that are near Smithville. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Smithville:
- Saint Louis County (The home county of Smithville)
- The following are listed by their distance from Smithville, with the one closest to Smithville listed first.
- Proctor
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Gary
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Gary is located in Saint Louis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gary
- Oneota
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Oneota is located in Saint Louis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oneota
- New Duluth
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- New Duluth is located in Saint Louis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Duluth
- Adolph
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Hermantown
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Duluth
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Arnold
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Arnold is located in Saint Louis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arnold
- Twig
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Twig is located in Saint Louis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Twig
- Saginaw
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Saginaw is located in Saint Louis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saginaw
- Clifton
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Clifton is located in Saint Louis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clifton
- Brookston
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Alborn
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Alborn is located in Saint Louis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alborn
- Carlton County
- The following are listed by their distance from Smithville, with the one closest to Smithville listed first.
- Esko
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Thomson
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Thomson is located in Carlton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thomson
- Estimated population in 2014: 158 people
- Wrenshall
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Carlton
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Scanlon
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Scanlon is located in Carlton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Scanlon
- Population from the 2020 Census: 945 people
- Cloquet
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Otter Creek
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Otter Creek is located in Carlton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Otter Creek
- Holyoke
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Holyoke is located in Carlton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holyoke
- Sawyer
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Sawyer is located in Carlton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sawyer
- Mahtowa
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Mahtowa is located in Carlton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mahtowa
- Barnum
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Lake County
- Knife River
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Pine County
- Kerrick
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Douglas County (WI)
- The following are listed by their distance from Smithville, with the one closest to Smithville listed first.
- Oliver
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Oliver is located in Douglas County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oliver
- Population from the 2020 Census: 416 people
- Superior
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Superior is located in Douglas County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Superior
- Population from the 2020 Census: 26,213 people
- Superior Village
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Superior Village is located in Douglas County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Superior Village
- Population from the 2020 Census: 713 people
- Saunders
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Saunders is located in Douglas County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saunders
- Dedham
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Dedham is located in Douglas County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dedham
- South Range
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- South Range is located in Douglas County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Range
- Poplar
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Poplar is located in Douglas County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Poplar
- Population from the 2020 Census: 613 people
- Hawthorne
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Hawthorne is located in Douglas County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hawthorne
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,157 people
- Bennett
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Bennett is located in Douglas County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bennett
- Cloverland
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Cloverland is located in Douglas County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cloverland
- Moose Junction
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Moose Junction is located in Douglas County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moose Junction
- Lake Nebagamon
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Lake Nebagamon is located in Douglas County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Nebagamon
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,064 people
- Sauntry
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Sauntry is located in Douglas County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sauntry
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Smithville, see our County-by-County Page for Smithville.
Cemeteries Near Smithville ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Smithville.
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 Smithville - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Smithville covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Smithville, with the one closest to Smithville listed first.
- Oneota Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Augustana Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Hermantown Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Hebrew Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hebrew Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Hebrew Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located 4 miles [6.4 km]<3> to the south of Superior (WI).
- The Hebrew Cemetery has also been known as:
- Superior Hebrew Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #88116 <2>
- Calvary Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Calvary Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Calvary Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located 4 miles [6.4 km]<3> to the south of Superior (WI).
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #87670 <2>
- Graceland Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Riverside Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Bethany Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Union Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Union Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located 5 miles [8 km]<3> to the west of Duluth.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #83736 <2>
- Finnish Apostolic Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Greenwood Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Jewish Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Continue List (63 more) ...
- Thomson Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Woodlawn Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- St. Francis Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
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>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that in 1895, Smithville had a post office and railroad service.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Smithville, with the one closest to Smithville listed first.
- West Duluth
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- West Duluth is located in Saint Louis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Duluth
- New Duluth
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- New Duluth is located in Saint Louis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Duluth
- Oneota
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Oneota is located in Saint Louis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oneota
- Fond du Lac
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Fond du Lac is located in Saint Louis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fond du Lac
- Pokegama
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Pokegama is located in Douglas County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pokegama
- Superior
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Superior is located in Douglas County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Superior
- Population from the 2020 Census: 26,213 people
- South Superior
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- South Superior is located in Douglas County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Superior
- Thomson
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Thomson is located in Carlton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thomson
- Estimated population in 2014: 158 people
- Boylston
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Boylston is located in Douglas County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boylston
- Duluth
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Carlton
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Itasca
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Itasca is located in Douglas County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Itasca
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Dedham
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Dedham is located in Douglas County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dedham
- Cloquet
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- South Range
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- South Range is located in Douglas County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Range
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Smithville. See our List of 1890's Communities around Smithville.
Newspapers Published in Smithville ...
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 109 newspapers that have been published in the area around Smithville.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Smithville, there are papers which were published within 28 miles [45.1 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Smithville.
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 helpful 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 Smithville:
- Websites specific to Minnesota
- Pages specific to Saint Louis County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Carlton County
- Lake County
- Pine County
- Douglas County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Minnesota
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> | 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 from Point A (ie- Smithville) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |
| <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 Smithville, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |