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 Wells (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 Wells. 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 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.
Wells is located in Faribault 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 Faribault County: Kossuth (IA), Winnebago (IA), Blue Earth, Freeborn, Martin & Waseca.
Below are the counties that are near Wells. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Wells:
- Faribault County (The home county of Wells)
- The following are listed by their distance from Wells, with the one closest to Wells listed first.
- Minnesota Lake
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Easton
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Easton is located in Faribault County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Easton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 183 people
- Walters
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Walters is located in Faribault County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walters
- Population from the 2020 Census: 67 people
- Dell
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Dell is located in Faribault County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dell
- Bricelyn
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Bricelyn is located in Faribault County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bricelyn
- Population from the 2020 Census: 334 people
- Kiester
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Frost
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Delavan
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Delavan is located in Faribault County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Delavan
- Population from the 2020 Census: 166 people
- Blue Earth
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Blue Earth is located in Faribault County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blue Earth
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,098 people
- Former name for Blue Earth:
- Blue Earth City
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Blue Earth <1>
- Winnebago
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Elmore
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Elmore is located in Faribault County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elmore
- Population from the 2020 Census: 613 people
- Huntley
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Huntley is located in Faribault County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Huntley
- Blue Earth County
- The following are listed by their distance from Wells, with the one closest to Wells listed first.
- Mapleton
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Pemberton
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Pemberton is located in Blue Earth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pemberton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 241 people
- Beauford
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Beauford is located in Blue Earth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beauford
- Amboy
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Saint Clair
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Good Thunder
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Vernon Center
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Vernon Center is located in Blue Earth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vernon Center
- Population from the 2020 Census: 313 people
- Smiths Mill
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Smiths Mill is located in Blue Earth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smiths Mill
- Willow Creek
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Willow Creek is located in Blue Earth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willow Creek
- Eagle Lake
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Rapidan
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Rapidan is located in Blue Earth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rapidan
- Garden City
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Garden City is located in Blue Earth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garden City
- Freeborn County
- The following are listed by their distance from Wells, with the one closest to Wells listed first.
- Freeborn
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Alden
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Hartland
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Hartland is located in Freeborn County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hartland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 307 people
- Manchester
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Manchester is located in Freeborn County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Manchester
- Population from the 2020 Census: 55 people
- Conger
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Conger is located in Freeborn County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Conger
- Population from the 2020 Census: 144 people
- Bath
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Bath is located in Freeborn County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bath
- Albert Lea
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Twin Lakes
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Twin Lakes is located in Freeborn County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Twin Lakes
- Population from the 2020 Census: 149 people
- Clarks Grove
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Emmons
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Emmons is located in Freeborn County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Emmons
- Population from the 2020 Census: 380 people
- Geneva
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Glenville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Steele County
- The following are listed by their distance from Wells, with the one closest to Wells listed first.
- Ellendale
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Hope
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Hope is located in Steele County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hope
- River Point
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- River Point is located in Steele County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for River Point
- Steele Center
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Steele Center is located in Steele County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Steele Center
- Waseca County
- The following are listed by their distance from Wells, with the one closest to Wells listed first.
- Waldorf
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Waldorf is located in Waseca County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waldorf
- Population from the 2020 Census: 224 people
- New Richland
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Alma City
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Alma City is located in Waseca County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alma City
- Vista
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Vista is located in Waseca County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vista
- Wilton
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Wilton is located in Waseca County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilton
- Janesville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Waseca
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Palmer
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Palmer is located in Waseca County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Palmer
- Winnebago County (IA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Wells, with the one closest to Wells listed first.
- Vinje
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Vinje is located in Winnebago County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vinje
- Scarville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Rake
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Rake is located in Winnebago County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rake
- Population from the 2020 Census: 206 people
- Lake Mills
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Thompson
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Buffalo Center
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Leland
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Leland is located in Winnebago County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 268 people
- Worth County (IA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Wells, with the one closest to Wells listed first.
- Silver Lake
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Silver Lake is located in Worth County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Silver Lake
- Bristol
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Bristol is located in Worth County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bristol
- Joice
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Joice is located in Worth County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Joice
- Population from the 2020 Census: 209 people
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Wells, see our County-by-County Page for Wells.
Cemeteries Near Wells ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Wells.
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 Wells - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Wells covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Wells, with the one closest to Wells listed first.
- Rose Hill Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- St. Casimir Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Walnut Lake Methodist Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- St. Paul's Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Walnut Lake Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Zions Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Schermerhorn Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Trahm's Farm Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Brush Creek Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Rice Lake Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Alden Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Carlston Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Continue List (224 more) ...
- Freeborn Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Freeborn Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Freeborn Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the north of Freeborn.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #82353 <2>
- Oak Grove Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Oak Grove 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.<3>
While we didn't find Wells in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Wells.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Wells, with the one closest to Wells listed first.
- Freeborn
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Minnesota Lake
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Easton
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Easton is located in Faribault County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Easton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 183 people
- Alden
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Dell
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Dell is located in Faribault County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dell
- Hartland
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Hartland is located in Freeborn County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hartland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 307 people
- Mansfield
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Mansfield is located in Freeborn County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mansfield
- Manchester
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Manchester is located in Freeborn County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Manchester
- Population from the 2020 Census: 55 people
- Kiester
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Armstrong
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Armstrong is located in Freeborn County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Armstrong
- Delavan
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Delavan is located in Faribault County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Delavan
- Population from the 2020 Census: 166 people
- New Richland
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Continue List (13 more) ...
- Bath
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Bath is located in Freeborn County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bath
- Mapleton
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Blue Earth
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Blue Earth is located in Faribault County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blue Earth
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,098 people
- Former name for Blue Earth:
- Blue Earth City
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Blue Earth <1>
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Wells. See our List of 1890's Communities around Wells.
Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Wells ...
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 113 newspapers that have been published in the area around Wells.
We have organized these newspapers into two lists:
- A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Wells. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Wells and those printed in the larger area surrounding Wells.
- An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<4> of Wells.
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 Wells:
- Websites specific to Minnesota
- Pages specific to Faribault County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Blue Earth County
- Freeborn County
- Steele County
- Waseca County
- Winnebago County
- Worth 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 Wells, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <4> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'point-to-point' distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Wells) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |