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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 Springfield (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 Springfield. 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 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.

Springfield 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 Springfield. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Springfield:

  • Brown County     (The home county of Springfield)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Springfield, with the one closest to Springfield listed first.
    • Cobden
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Cobden is located in Brown County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cobden
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 35 people
    • Leavenworth
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
      • Leavenworth is located in Brown County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leavenworth
    • Comfrey
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Evan
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Evan is located in Brown County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Evan
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 84 people
    • Sleepy Eye
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
    • Iberia
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
      • Iberia is located in Brown County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Iberia
    • Essig
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
    • Hanska
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
    • New Ulm
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
    • Searles
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
      • Searles is located in Brown County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Searles
  • Cottonwood County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Springfield, with the one closest to Springfield listed first.
    • Jeffers
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Jeffers is located in Cottonwood County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jeffers
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 346 people
    • Mountain Lake
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
    • Storden
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Storden is located in Cottonwood County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Storden
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 204 people
    • Bingham Lake
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
    • Windom
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
      • Windom is located in Cottonwood County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Windom
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 4,403 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Windom <1>
    • Westbrook
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Jackson County
    • Wilder
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
      • Wilder is located in Jackson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilder
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 56 people
  • Martin County
    • Ormsby
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Ormsby is located in Martin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ormsby
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 121 people
  • Murray County
    • Dovray
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Dovray is located in Murray County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dovray
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 51 people
  • Redwood County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Springfield, with the one closest to Springfield listed first.
    • Sanborn
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
    • Clements
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
      • Clements is located in Redwood County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clements
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 140 people
    • Morgan
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
      • Morgan is located in Redwood County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morgan
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 832 people
    • Wanda
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Lamberton
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
    • Wabasso
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Revere
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
    • Redwood Falls
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
    • North Redwood
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
      • North Redwood is located in Redwood County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Redwood
    • Seaforth
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
    • Lucan
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
    • Walnut Grove
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
  • Renville County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Springfield, with the one closest to Springfield listed first.
    • Franklin
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
    • Morton
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
    • Fairfax
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
  • Sibley County
    • Gibbon
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Watonwan County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Springfield, with the one closest to Springfield listed first.
    • Darfur
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Darfur is located in Watonwan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Darfur
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 102 people
    • Godahl
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Godahl is located in Watonwan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Godahl
    • Butterfield
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Butterfield is located in Watonwan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Butterfield
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 582 people
    • La Salle
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
      • La Salle is located in Watonwan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for La Salle
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 86 people
    • Saint James
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
    • Grogan
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Grogan is located in Watonwan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grogan
    • Odin
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Odin is located in Watonwan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Odin
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 104 people
    • Madelia
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)

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

Cemeteries Near Springfield ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Springfield.

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

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

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

  • Springfield Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the east)
  • St. Paul Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
  • St. Rachael Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the north)
  • St. Raphael Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the north)
  • North Star Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
  • Moravian Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • Dannebod Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dannebod Cemetery
    • The Dannebod Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Danebod Cemetery
  • Sundown Lutheran Church Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Sanborn Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
  • Christ Lutheran Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
  • Faith Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
  • Japanese Martyrs Catholic Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Japanese Martyrs Catholic Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Japanese Martyrs Catholic Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located 6 miles [9.7 km]<2> to the southwest of Sleepy Eye.
    • The Japanese Martyrs Catholic Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Japanese Martyrs Church Cemetery
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2262028 <3>
  • Continue List   (169 more) ...
    • Mielke Cemetery
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
    • Sundown Cemetery
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Tonak Cemetery
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)

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 Springfield had a population of 716 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Springfield had a population of 1,990 people.

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

  • Sanborn
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
  • Cobden
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Cobden is located in Brown County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cobden
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 35 people
  • Leavenworth
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
    • Leavenworth is located in Brown County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leavenworth
  • Comfrey
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
  • Evan
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Evan is located in Brown County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Evan
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 84 people
  • Morgan
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
    • Morgan is located in Redwood County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morgan
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 832 people
  • Sleepy Eye
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
  • Iberia
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
    • Iberia is located in Brown County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Iberia
  • Lamberton
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
  • Gilfillan
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
    • Gilfillan is located in Redwood County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gilfillan
  • Revere
    (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
  • Essig
    (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
  • Continue List   (17 more) ...
    • Mountain Lake
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
    • Franklin
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
    • Morton
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)

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

Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Springfield ...

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 93 newspapers that have been published in the area around Springfield.

We have organized these newspapers into two lists:

  • A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Springfield. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Springfield and those printed in the larger area surrounding Springfield.
  • An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<2> of Springfield.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we first turn to 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 Springfield:

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