Our Genealogy Helper for Saint Helena ...
We have a couple of goals for our Gazetteer:
- That it be a tool that can help us with planning our trips.
- That it also helps us to understand the community in which our ancestors lived, the community that was part of their daily lives.
By learning about Saint Helena (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 Saint Helena. 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.
It's still very early in our research, but as we gather more information it will be added to this page.
Name Variations for Saint Helena ...
When searching records, keep in mind that names and their spelling can change over time. Various errors happen - anything from simple spelling to bad translations or people who just guessed at the name. Sometimes the post office had a slightly different name than the community and while one document might refer to the community name, the next might use the post office name.
Although we can't give a definitive list, hopefully the following will give a you a feel for the variations that might have occurred with Saint Helena.
- Typical abbreviation for Saint Helena: St. Helena
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 and doctors 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.
Saint Helena is located in Cedar County.
The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Cedar County: Dixon, Knox, Pierce, Wayne, Clay (SD) & Yankton (SD).
Below are the counties that are near Saint Helena. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Saint Helena:
| Dir | Distance | ||
| Cedar (The home county for Saint Helena) | |||
| Bow Valley [Map] | S | 6 miles [9.7 km]<1> | |
| Wynot [Map] | SE | 6 miles [9.7 km] | |
| Fordyce [Map] | SW | 9 miles [14.5 km] | |
| Aten [Map] | W | 9 miles [14.5 km] | |
| Constance [Map] | SW | 11 miles [17.7 km] | |
| Hartington [Map] | S | 13 miles [20.9 km] | |
| Obert [Map] | SE | 14 miles [22.5 km] | |
| Coleridge [Map] | S | 21 miles [33.8 km] | |
| Magnet [Map] | SW | 26 miles [41.8 km] | |
| Belden [Map] | S | 27 miles [43.5 km] | |
| Laurel [Map] | S | 27 miles [43.5 km] | |
| Randolph [Map] | S | 30 miles [48.3 km] | |
| Dakota | |||
| Willis [Map] | SE | 39 miles [62.8 km] | |
| Dixon | |||
| Maskell [Map] | SE | 15 miles [24.1 km] | |
| Newcastle [Map] | SE | 21 miles [33.8 km] | |
| Martinsburg [Map] | SE | 29 miles [46.7 km] | |
| Dixon [Map] | SE | 30 miles [48.3 km] | |
| Concord [Map] | SE | 32 miles [51.5 km] | |
| Ponca [Map] | SE | 32 miles [51.5 km] | |
| Allen [Map] | SE | 34 miles [54.7 km] | |
| Waterbury [Map] | SE | 35 miles [56.3 km] | |
| Knox | |||
| Crofton [Map] | SW | 13 miles [20.9 km] | |
| Bloomfield [Map] | SW | 24 miles [38.6 km] | |
| Lindy [Map] | W | 25 miles [40.2 km] | |
| Tewsville - Historic [Map] | W | 25 miles [40.2 km] | |
| Wausa [Map] | SW | 26 miles [41.8 km] | |
| Santee [Map] | W | 30 miles [48.3 km] | |
| Center [Map] | SW | 34 miles [54.7 km] | |
| Bazile Mills [Map] | SW | 39 miles [62.8 km] | |
| Niobrara [Map] | W | 39 miles [62.8 km] | |
| Pierce | |||
| McLean [Map] | S | 31 miles [49.9 km] | |
| Osmond [Map] | SW | 35 miles [56.3 km] | |
| Breslau [Map] | SW | 39 miles [62.8 km] | |
| Wayne | |||
| Sholes [Map] | S | 33 miles [53.1 km] | |
| Carroll [Map] | S | 37 miles [59.5 km] | |
| Plymouth (IA) | |||
| Westfield (IA) [Map] | E | 32 miles [51.5 km] | |
| Akron (IA) [Map] | E | 35 miles [56.3 km] | |
| Sioux (IA) | |||
| Chatsworth (IA) [Map] | E | 37 miles [59.5 km] | |
| Hawarden (IA) [Map] | E | 40 miles [64.4 km] | |
| Bon Homme (SD) | |||
| Tabor (SD) [Map] | NW | 22 miles [35.4 km] | |
| Southeast Bon Homme (SD) [Map] | W | 26 miles [41.8 km] | |
| Northeast Bon Homme (SD) [Map] | NW | 31 miles [49.9 km] | |
| Springfield (SD) [Map] | W | 32 miles [51.5 km] | |
| Scotland (SD) [Map] | NW | 33 miles [53.1 km] | |
| Tyndall (SD) [Map] | W | 33 miles [53.1 km] | |
| Kingsburg (SD) [Map] | W | 35 miles [56.3 km] | |
| Southwest Bon Homme (SD) [Map] | W | 37 miles [59.5 km] | |
| Clay (SD) | |||
| Meckling (SD) [Map] | E | 9 miles [14.5 km] | |
| Westreville (SD) [Map] | NE | 13 miles [20.9 km] | |
| Wakonda (SD) [Map] | NE | 15 miles [24.1 km] | |
| Vermillion (SD) [Map] | E | 16 miles [25.7 km] | |
| Lodi (SD) [Map] | NE | 17 miles [27.4 km] | |
| Greenfield (SD) [Map] | E | 20 miles [32.2 km] | |
| Hub City (SD) [Map] | NE | 20 miles [32.2 km] | |
| Burbank (SD) [Map] | E | 21 miles [33.8 km] | |
| Komstad (SD) - Historic [Map] | NE | 23 miles [37 km] | |
| Alsen (SD) [Map] | NE | 24 miles [38.6 km] | |
| Glenwood (SD) - Historic [Map] | NE | 27 miles [43.5 km] | |
| Hutchinson (SD) | |||
| Menno (SD) [Map] | NW | 33 miles [53.1 km] | |
| Olivet (SD) [Map] | NW | 36 miles [57.9 km] | |
| Freeman (SD) [Map] | N | 38 miles [61.2 km] | |
| Kaylor (SD) [Map] | NW | 39 miles [62.8 km] | |
| Lincoln (SD) | |||
| Moe (SD) [Map] | NE | 40 miles [64.4 km] | |
| Perkins (SD) | |||
| Richland (SD) [Map] | E | 30 miles [48.3 km] | |
| Turner (SD) | |||
| Irene (SD) [Map] | N | 19 miles [30.6 km] | |
| Centerville (SD) [Map] | NE | 25 miles [40.2 km] | |
| Viborg (SD) [Map] | N | 26 miles [41.8 km] | |
| Spring Valley (SD) [Map] | N | 27 miles [43.5 km] | |
| Hooker (SD) [Map] | N | 29 miles [46.7 km] | |
| Davis (SD) [Map] | N | 33 miles [53.1 km] | |
| Hurley (SD) [Map] | N | 33 miles [53.1 km] | |
| Chancellor (SD) [Map] | N | 40 miles [64.4 km] | |
| Parker (SD) [Map] | N | 40 miles [64.4 km] | |
| Union (SD) | |||
| Junction City (SD) [Map] | E | 23 miles [37 km] | |
| Spink (SD) [Map] | E | 25 miles [40.2 km] | |
| Nora (SD) [Map] | E | 28 miles [45.1 km] | |
| Emmet (SD) [Map] | NE | 28 miles [45.1 km] | |
| Elk Point (SD) [Map] | E | 30 miles [48.3 km] | |
| Richland (SD) [Map] | E | 30 miles [48.3 km] | |
| Beresford (SD) [Map] | NE | 30 miles [48.3 km] | |
| Alcester (SD) [Map] | NE | 34 miles [54.7 km] | |
| Jefferson (SD) [Map] | E | 37 miles [59.5 km] | |
| Yankton (SD) | |||
| Gayville (SD) [Map] | NE | 6 miles [9.7 km] | |
| Southeast Yankton (SD) [Map] | NW | 6 miles [9.7 km] | |
| Mission Hill (SD) [Map] | N | 7 miles [11.3 km] | |
| Yankton (SD) [Map] | NW | 9 miles [14.5 km] | |
| Valleyview (SD) [Map] | N | 10 miles [16.1 km] | |
| Volin (SD) [Map] | N | 10 miles [16.1 km] | |
| Fairview Heights (SD) [Map] | W | 14 miles [22.5 km] | |
| Oak Hills Addition (SD) [Map] | W | 14 miles [22.5 km] | |
| Utica (SD) [Map] | NW | 17 miles [27.4 km] | |
| Mayfield (SD) [Map] | N | 19 miles [30.6 km] | |
| West Yankton (SD) [Map] | NW | 19 miles [30.6 km] | |
| Jamesville (SD) [Map] | NW | 23 miles [37 km] | |
| Lesterville (SD) [Map] | NW | 23 miles [37 km] | |
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Saint Helena, see our County-by-County Page for Saint Helena.
Cemeteries Near Saint Helena ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Saint Helena.
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.
If you click on the [Map] that follows each cemetery's name, a Google map will open showing a satellite view of the area where the cemetery is located. We have tried to place the cemetery in the center of the map, but we're still working on our data and the map might not not be centered properly. If you don't see the cemetery right away, try zooming-in. Usually, but not always, you can see the outline of the cemetery or some of the headstones.
If you need information about a burial or interment, photos, transcripts, how to contact the cemetery or local authorities, please visit our selection of Genealogy Websites (see below).
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Saint Helena covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
| Distance & Direction | Name of Cemetery | |
| Less than 2 miles | ||
| E | St. Helena Cemetery [Map] | |
| About 4 miles [6.4 km] | ||
| E | Danisi Cemetery [Map] | |
| Within 6 miles [9.7 km] | ||
| SE | Wynot Cemetery [Map] | |
| NNE | Gayville Cemetery [Map] | |
| Within 8 miles [12.9 km] | ||
| E | Evergreen Cemetery [Map] | |
| E | Meckling Cemetery [Map] | |
| ENE | Taylor Cemetery [Map] | |
| Within 9 miles [14.5 km] | ||
| SW | Fordyce Cemetery [Map] | |
| N | Rosenberg Cemetery [Map] | |
| NW | Garden of Memories Cemetery [Map] | |
| NW | Sacred Heart Cemetery [Map] [FindAGrave<2>] | |
| NW | Yankton Municipal Cemetery [Map] [FindAGrave] | |
| Within 10 miles [16.1 km] | ||
| W | Aten Cemetery [Map] | |
Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Saint Helena ...
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 223 newspapers that have been published in the area around Saint Helena.
We have organized these newspapers into two lists:
- A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Saint Helena. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Saint Helena and those printed in the larger area surrounding Saint Helena.
- An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 44 miles [70.8 km] of Saint Helena.
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 Saint Helena had a population of 189 people in 1895 with a post office and no railroad service. In 2017, Saint Helena had a population of 92 people.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Saint Helena, with the one closest to Saint Helena listed first.
| Menominee [Map] | |
| - | Located 6 miles [9.7 km] to the West Southwest (WSW) from Saint Helena |
| - | Menominee had no post office or railroad service |
| Menominee [Map] | |
| - | Located 6 miles [9.7 km] to the West Southwest (WSW) from Saint Helena |
| - | Menominee had a post office and no railroad service |
| Bow Valley [Map] | |
| - | Located 6 miles [9.7 km] to the South (S) from Saint Helena |
| - | Bow Valley had no post office or railroad service |
| Bow Valley [Map] | |
| - | Located 6 miles [9.7 km] to the South (S) from Saint Helena |
| - | 1895 population of 18 people |
| - | Bow Valley had a post office and no railroad service |
| Gayville (SD) [Map] | |
| - | Located 6 miles [9.7 km] to the Northeast (NE) from Saint Helena |
| - | 1895 population of 124 people (with 401 people in 2017) |
| - | Gayville had a post office and railroad service |
| Saint James [Map] | |
| - | Located 7 miles [11.3 km] to the Southeast (SE) from Saint Helena |
| - | Saint James had no post office or railroad service |
| Saint James [Map] | |
| - | Located 7 miles [11.3 km] to the Southeast (SE) from Saint Helena |
| - | 1895 population of 177 people |
| - | Saint James had a post office and no railroad service |
| Meckling (SD) [Map] | |
| - | Located 9 miles [14.5 km] to the East Northeast (ENE) from Saint Helena |
| - | 1895 population of 42 people (with 231 people in 2014) |
| - | Meckling had a post office and railroad service |
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Saint Helena. The list can be found on our page for Communities Neighboring Saint Helena in the 1890's.
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 all and free to view - although they might link to other websites which do charge.
To help you get started, the following links will take you to the pages that are relevant to Saint Helena:
These websites are specific to Nebraska:
| Cyndi's List | Family Search | Genealogy Trails |
Website for the Library/Archives Division of the Nebraska State Historical Society
Not to be confused with the official state website, we've found the Digital State Archives website for the State of Nebraska to be a good source for additional links.
These pages are specific to Cedar County:
| Cyndi's List | Family Search | Genealogy Trails |
Genealogy information for nearby counties:
Cemetery Information and Directories for Nebraska:
| Cemetery Junction: | Directory for Nebraska |
| FamilySearch.org: | Cemetery Wiki for Nebraska |
| Find-A-Grave: | Home Page |
| Internment.net: | Cemeteries for Nebraska, for Cedar County |
Of Special Interest ...
The GenDisasters website specializes in newspaper articles about tragedies and disasters. While it makes interesting reading all by itself, it should be of special interest to genealogists and family historians looking for people who were either affected by or directly involved in such tragedies.
| Disaster Stories from Nebraska |
| Also see Disaster Stories for ... |
| Iowa |
| South Dakota |
Miscellaneous References and Mentions for Saint Helena ...
While our initial data about Saint Helena came from various goverment sources, we have found mention of Saint Helena in old books and maps. When we do, we'll find a fact here or a snippet there. We've created the following list to keep track of the documents we found useful in adding to our knowledge about Saint Helena.
We hope that the following list of documents will be of interest to you.
Business Atlas and Shippers' Guide
Published by Rand McNally & Co.
(Document found on Google Books)
Notes for Saint Helena:
- Services available at that time (1895): had Post Office, no Railroad mentioned
1895 Map of Nebraska - shows location of Saint Helena
Published by Rand McNally & Co.
We have found Saint Helena in these Censuses: 2010-1990. See our Census Page for Saint Helena for more information.
Both the GNIS and FIPS databases contain entries for Saint Helena. See our Misc Page for Saint Helena for more information.
Other Roadside Stops ...
Find a Community located in Nebraska
Off-the-Road Links ...
Unfortunately, we don't know of a website for Saint Helena. If you can help, please contact us through our Feedback Page.
The official website for Cedar County: www.co.cedar.ne.us/
The official website for State of Nebraska: www.nebraska.gov/
Footnotes ...
| <1> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' (or point-to-point) distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Saint Helena) to Point B. If you need the driving distance, we recommend that you use one of the Mapping Services listed on our Map Page for Saint Helena. Since we usually use Google Maps, we've provided the following link for your convenience: Google Map and Driving Directions starting from Saint Helena Our distance measurements begin at a specific point in Saint Helena. The point we use is located at these GPS coordinates - Latitude: 42.8108, Longitude: -97.2491 [Map]. In this case, the coordinates for Saint Helena have been provided by the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS). |
| <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 Saint Helena, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |