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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 Waterville (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 Waterville. 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.

Waterville is located in Le Sueur 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 Le Sueur County: Blue Earth, Nicollet, Rice, Scott, Sibley & Waseca.

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

  • Le Sueur County     (The home county of Waterville)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Waterville, with the one closest to Waterville listed first.
    • Kilkenny
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
    • Greenland
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
      • Greenland is located in Le Sueur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenland
    • Cordova
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Cordova is located in Le Sueur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cordova
    • Marysburg
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
      • Marysburg is located in Le Sueur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marysburg
    • Le Center
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Montgomery
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
    • Cleveland
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Lexington
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Lexington is located in Le Sueur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lexington
    • Heidelberg
      (18 miles [29 km] to the north)
      • Heidelberg is located in Le Sueur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Heidelberg
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 122 people
    • Kasota
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
    • Ottawa
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Ottawa is located in Le Sueur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ottawa
    • Saint Thomas
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Saint Thomas is located in Le Sueur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Thomas
  • Blue Earth County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Waterville, with the one closest to Waterville listed first.
    • Smiths Mill
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Smiths Mill is located in Blue Earth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smiths Mill
    • Madison Lake
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
    • Eagle Lake
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
    • Saint Clair
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Pemberton
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
      • Pemberton is located in Blue Earth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pemberton
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 241 people
    • Mankato
      (20 miles [32.2 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 <1>
    • Skyline
      (23 miles [37 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
    • Beauford
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Beauford is located in Blue Earth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beauford
    • Rapidan
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
      • Rapidan is located in Blue Earth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rapidan
    • Mapleton
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Good Thunder
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Judson
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
      • Judson is located in Blue Earth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Judson
  • Dakota County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Waterville, with the one closest to Waterville listed first.
    • Waterford
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Waterford is located in Dakota County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waterford
    • Castle Rock
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Castle Rock is located in Dakota County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Castle Rock
    • Eureka Center
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Eureka Center is located in Dakota County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eureka Center
  • Faribault County
    • Minnesota Lake
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Freeborn County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Waterville, with the one closest to Waterville listed first.
    • Bath
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
      • Bath is located in Freeborn County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bath
    • Hartland
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
      • 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 Waterville, with the one closest to Waterville listed first.
    • Kenyon
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
    • Dennison
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Nicollet County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Waterville, with the one closest to Waterville listed first.
    • Saint Peter
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
    • North Mankato
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
    • Oshawa
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
      • Oshawa is located in Nicollet County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oshawa
    • Nicollet
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
  • Rice County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Waterville, with the one closest to Waterville listed first.
    • Morristown
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
    • Warsaw
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
      • Warsaw is located in Rice County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Warsaw
    • Faribault
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
    • Wheatland
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
      • Wheatland is located in Rice County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wheatland
    • Millersburg
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
      • Millersburg is located in Rice County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millersburg
    • Walcott
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
      • Walcott is located in Rice County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walcott
    • Cannon City
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Cannon City is located in Rice County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cannon City
    • Lonsdale
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
    • Trondjem
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Trondjem is located in Rice County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trondjem
    • Dundas
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
    • Webster
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
    • Moland
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
      • Moland is located in Rice County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moland
  • Scott County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Waterville, with the one closest to Waterville listed first.
    • New Prague
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
    • Union Hill
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
      • Union Hill is located in Scott County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union Hill
    • Cedar Lake
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
      • Cedar Lake is located in Scott County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar Lake
    • Saint Patrick
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
      • Saint Patrick is located in Scott County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Patrick
    • Elko New Market
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Elko New Market is located in Scott County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elko New Market
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 4,733 people
    • Elko
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
    • New Market
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Belle Plaine
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
    • Jordan
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
  • Sibley County
    • Henderson
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
  • Steele County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Waterville, with the one closest to Waterville listed first.
    • Medford
      (16 miles [25.7 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
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
    • Havana
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
      • Havana is located in Steele County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Havana
    • Hope
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
      • Hope is located in Steele County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hope
    • Steele Center
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
      • Steele Center is located in Steele County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Steele Center
    • Pratt
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Pratt is located in Steele County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pratt
    • River Point
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
      • River Point is located in Steele County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for River Point
    • Rice Lake
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
      • Rice Lake is located in Steele County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rice Lake
    • Ellendale
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
  • Waseca County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Waterville, with the one closest to Waterville listed first.
    • Palmer
      (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
      • Palmer is located in Waseca County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Palmer
    • Elysian
      (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
    • Janesville
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Waseca
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
    • Wilton
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
      • Wilton is located in Waseca County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilton
    • Alma City
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Alma City is located in Waseca County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alma City
    • Vista
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
      • Vista is located in Waseca County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vista
    • Waldorf
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
      • Waldorf is located in Waseca County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waldorf
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 224 people
    • New Richland
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)

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

Cemeteries Near Waterville ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Waterville.

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

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

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

  • County Line Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the south)
  • Sakatah Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
  • Calvary Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
  • Van Blaracom Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
  • Gish Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
  • Okaman Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
  • Pommerans Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
  • Horseshoe Lake Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
  • Gregor Farm Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
  • St. Jarlath Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • Iosco Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Cannonville Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
  • Continue List   (260 more) ...
    • Cedar Hill Cemetery
      (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
    • Ebenezer Cemetery
      (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
    • North Waseca Cemetery
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)

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 Waterville had a population of 937 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Waterville had a population of 1,870 people.

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

  • Elysian
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
  • Palmer
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
    • Palmer is located in Waseca County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Palmer
  • Morristown
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
  • Kilkenny
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
  • Greenland
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
    • Greenland is located in Le Sueur County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenland
  • Janesville
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
  • Warsaw
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
    • Warsaw is located in Rice County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Warsaw
  • Cordova
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Cordova is located in Le Sueur County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cordova
  • Doyle
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
    • Doyle is located in Le Sueur County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Doyle
  • Waseca
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
  • Deerfield
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
    • Deerfield is located in Steele County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deerfield
  • Shieldsville
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Shieldsville is located in Rice County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shieldsville
  • Continue List   (16 more) ...
    • Marysburg
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
      • Marysburg is located in Le Sueur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marysburg
    • Madison Lake
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
    • Meriden
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Meriden is located in Steele County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meriden

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

Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Waterville ...

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 135 newspapers that have been published in the area around Waterville.

We have organized these newspapers into two lists:

  • A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Waterville. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Waterville and those printed in the larger area surrounding Waterville.
  • An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<3> of Waterville.

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 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 Waterville:

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- Waterville) 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 Waterville, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.