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 Waltham (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 Waltham. 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 and hospitals 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.
Waltham is located in Mower 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 Mower County: Howard (IA), Mitchell (IA), Worth (IA), Dodge, Fillmore, Freeborn & Olmsted.
Below are the counties that are near Waltham. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Waltham:
- Mower County (The home county of Waltham)
- The following are listed by their distance from Waltham, with the one closest to Waltham listed first.
- Sargeant
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Sargeant is located in Mower County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sargeant
- Population from the 2020 Census: 60 people
- Brownsdale
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Renova ‑ Historic
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Renova is located in Mower County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Renova
- Lansing
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Lansing is located in Mower County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lansing
- Mapleview
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Mapleview is located in Mower County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mapleview
- Population from the 2020 Census: 177 people
- Dexter
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Austin
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Elkton
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Elkton is located in Mower County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elkton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 148 people
- Rose Creek
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Varco
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Varco is located in Mower County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Varco
- Grand Meadow
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Adams
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Dodge County
- The following are listed by their distance from Waltham, with the one closest to Waltham listed first.
- Hayfield
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Westfield Center ‑ Historic
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Westfield Center is located in Dodge County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westfield Center
- Dodge Center
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Kasson
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Claremont
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Mantorville
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Concord
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Concord is located in Dodge County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Concord
- West Concord
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Fillmore County
- The following are listed by their distance from Waltham, with the one closest to Waltham listed first.
- Spring Valley
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Ostrander
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Fillmore
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Fillmore is located in Fillmore County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fillmore
- Etna
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Etna is located in Fillmore County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Etna
- Freeborn County
- The following are listed by their distance from Waltham, with the one closest to Waltham listed first.
- Oakland
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Oakland is located in Freeborn County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakland
- Hollandale
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Geneva
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Hayward
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- London
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- London is located in Freeborn County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for London
- Myrtle
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Myrtle is located in Freeborn County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Myrtle
- Population from the 2020 Census: 46 people
- Clarks Grove
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Bath
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Bath is located in Freeborn County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bath
- Glenville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Albert Lea
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Manchester
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Manchester is located in Freeborn County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Manchester
- Population from the 2020 Census: 55 people
- Hartland
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Hartland is located in Freeborn County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hartland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 307 people
- Goodhue County
- The following are listed by their distance from Waltham, with the one closest to Waltham listed first.
- Roscoe
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Roscoe is located in Goodhue County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roscoe
- Pine Island
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Olmsted County
- The following are listed by their distance from Waltham, with the one closest to Waltham listed first.
- Rock Dell
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Rock Dell is located in Olmsted County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock Dell
- Shanty Town
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Shanty Town is located in Olmsted County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shanty Town
- High Forest
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- High Forest is located in Olmsted County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for High Forest
- Byron
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Stewartville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Post Town
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Post Town is located in Olmsted County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Post Town
- Rochester
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Simpson
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Simpson is located in Olmsted County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Simpson
- Genoa
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Genoa is located in Olmsted County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Genoa
- Predmore
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Predmore is located in Olmsted County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Predmore
- Oronoco
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Rice County
- Moland
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Moland is located in Rice County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moland
- Steele County
- The following are listed by their distance from Waltham, with the one closest to Waltham listed first.
- Blooming Prairie
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Union
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Union is located in Steele County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union
- Pratt
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Pratt is located in Steele County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pratt
- River Point
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- River Point is located in Steele County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for River Point
- Havana
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Havana is located in Steele County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Havana
- Rice Lake
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Rice Lake is located in Steele County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rice Lake
- Steele Center
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Steele Center is located in Steele County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Steele Center
- Ellendale
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Hope
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Hope is located in Steele County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hope
- Owatonna
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Medford
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Medford is located in Steele County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Medford
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,255 people
- Waseca County
- Vista
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Vista is located in Waseca County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vista
- Mitchell County (IA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Waltham, with the one closest to Waltham listed first.
- Meyer
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Meyer is located in Mitchell County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meyer
- Stacyville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Stacyville is located in Mitchell County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stacyville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 466 people
- Toeterville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Carpenter
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Carpenter is located in Mitchell County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carpenter
- Population from the 2020 Census: 108 people
- McIntire
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- McIntire is located in Mitchell County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McIntire
- Population from the 2020 Census: 127 people
- Saint Ansgar
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Waltham, see our County-by-County Page for Waltham.
Cemeteries Near Waltham ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Waltham.
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 Waltham - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Waltham covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Waltham, with the one closest to Waltham listed first.
- Trinity Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- St. Michael's Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Waltham Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waltham Cemetery
- The Waltham Cemetery has also been known as:
- Waltham Trinity Luthern Cemetery
- Fairview Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Brown Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brown Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Brown Cemetery is located outside and to the northwest of Brownsdale.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #81990 <2>
- St. John's Lutheran Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Udolpho Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Lansing Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Tanner Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Greenwood Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Evanger Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- First Lutheran Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Continue List (216 more) ...
- Red Oak Grove Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Zion Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Westfield Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 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.<3>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that in 1895, Waltham had a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Waltham had a population of 149 people.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Waltham, with the one closest to Waltham listed first.
- Sargeant
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Sargeant is located in Mower County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sargeant
- Population from the 2020 Census: 60 people
- Hayfield
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Brownsdale
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Lansing
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Lansing is located in Mower County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lansing
- Renova ‑ Historic
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Renova is located in Mower County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Renova
- Ramsey
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Ramsey is located in Mower County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ramsey
- Oslo
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Oslo is located in Dodge County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oslo
- Blooming Prairie
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Westfield Center ‑ Historic
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Westfield Center is located in Dodge County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westfield Center
- Austin
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Dexter
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Moscow
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Moscow is located in Freeborn County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moscow
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Elkton
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Elkton is located in Mower County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elkton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 148 people
- Rock Dell
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Rock Dell is located in Olmsted County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock Dell
- Bixby
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Bixby is located in Steele County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bixby
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Waltham. See our List of 1890's Communities around Waltham.
Newspapers Published in Waltham ...
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 92 newspapers that have been published in the area around Waltham.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Waltham, 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 Waltham.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we begin 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 Waltham:
- Websites specific to Minnesota
- Pages specific to Mower County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Dodge County
- Fillmore County
- Freeborn County
- Goodhue County
- Olmsted County
- Rice County
- Steele County
- Waseca County
- Mitchell 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> | 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 Waltham, 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' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Waltham) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |