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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 Stark (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 Stark. 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 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.

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

  • Brown County     (The home county of Stark)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Stark, with the one closest to Stark listed first.
    • Iberia
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
      • Iberia is located in Brown County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Iberia
    • Sleepy Eye
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
    • Essig
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
    • Leavenworth
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
      • Leavenworth is located in Brown County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leavenworth
    • Hanska
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Searles
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
      • Searles is located in Brown County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Searles
    • New Ulm
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Cobden
      (10 miles [16.1 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
      (12 miles [19.3 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
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Springfield
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
  • Blue Earth County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Stark, with the one closest to Stark listed first.
    • Judson
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
      • Judson is located in Blue Earth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Judson
    • Lake Crystal
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
    • Garden City
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Garden City is located in Blue Earth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garden City
    • Rapidan
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
      • Rapidan is located in Blue Earth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rapidan
    • Vernon Center
      (30 miles [48.3 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
    • Willow Creek
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Willow Creek is located in Blue Earth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willow Creek
  • Cottonwood County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Stark, with the one closest to Stark listed first.
    • Mountain Lake
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Jeffers
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Jeffers is located in Cottonwood County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jeffers
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 346 people
    • Bingham Lake
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Martin County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Stark, with the one closest to Stark listed first.
    • Ormsby
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
      • Ormsby is located in Martin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ormsby
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 121 people
    • Truman
      (30 miles [48.3 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
  • McLeod County
    • Fernando
      (30 miles [48.3 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 Stark, with the one closest to Stark listed first.
    • Courtland
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
    • Lafayette
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
    • Nicollet
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
    • New Sweden
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
      • New Sweden is located in Nicollet County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Sweden
    • Oshawa
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
      • Oshawa is located in Nicollet County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oshawa
    • North Mankato
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
  • Redwood County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Stark, with the one closest to Stark listed first.
    • Morgan
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
      • Morgan is located in Redwood County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morgan
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 832 people
    • Clements
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Clements is located in Redwood County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clements
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 140 people
    • Sanborn
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
    • Wanda
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
    • Redwood Falls
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Lamberton
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
  • Renville County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Stark, with the one closest to Stark listed first.
    • Fairfax
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
    • Franklin
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
    • Morton
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
  • Sibley County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Stark, with the one closest to Stark listed first.
    • Gibbon
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
    • Winthrop
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Gaylord
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Watonwan County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Stark, with the one closest to Stark listed first.
    • Godahl
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
      • Godahl is located in Watonwan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Godahl
    • La Salle
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
      • La Salle is located in Watonwan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for La Salle
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 86 people
    • Darfur
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Darfur is located in Watonwan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Darfur
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 102 people
    • Grogan
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
      • Grogan is located in Watonwan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grogan
    • Saint James
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
    • Madelia
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Butterfield
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
      • Butterfield is located in Watonwan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Butterfield
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 582 people
    • Lewisville
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Lewisville is located in Watonwan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lewisville
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 244 people
    • Odin
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
      • 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 Stark, see our County-by-County Page for Stark.

Cemeteries Near Stark ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Stark.

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

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

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

  • Home Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
  • St. Marys Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
  • Japanese Martyrs Catholic Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
    • 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>
  • Current Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
  • Mielke Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
  • Zion Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
  • St. Josephs Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
  • Golden Gate Cemetery
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
  • Lake Hanska Cemetery
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
  • Mt. Pisgah Cemetery
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
  • St. Johns Cemetery
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
  • Cottonwood Cemetery
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
  • Continue List   (182 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.<4>

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

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

  • Iberia
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
    • Iberia is located in Brown County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Iberia
  • Sleepy Eye
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
  • Essig
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
  • Leavenworth
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
    • Leavenworth is located in Brown County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leavenworth
  • Hanska
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
  • New Ulm
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
  • Cobden
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
    • Cobden is located in Brown County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cobden
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 35 people
  • Linden
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
    • Linden is located in Brown County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Linden
  • Evan
    (12 miles [19.3 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
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
  • Courtland
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
  • Grogan
    (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
    • Grogan is located in Watonwan County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grogan
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Springfield
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
    • Saint James
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
    • Madelia
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)

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

Newspapers Published in Stark ...

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 94 newspapers that have been published in the area around Stark.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Stark, there are papers which were published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Stark.

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 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 Stark:

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 things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Stark) 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 Stark, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.