Our Genealogy Helper
Introduction ...
So far, we found very little information about Brownsville. The little that we've found leads us believe that the community is historic.<1>
We've added Brownsville to our Gazetteer with the hope that we can develop more information. If you can help us with Brownsville, please Contact Us.
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 Brownsville (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 Brownsville. 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 southeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors were in the next county to the east. Almost all of the nearby churches and cemeteries were in the county to the south.
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 south 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.
Although our information shows that the community of Brownsville is historic, it would have been located within present day Lawrence County.
To see how the shape of South Dakota's counties may have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.
The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Lawrence County: Butte, Meade, Pennington, Crook (WY) & Weston (WY).
Below are the counties that are near Brownsville. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Brownsville:
- Lawrence County (The home county of Brownsville)
- The following are listed by their distance from Brownsville, with the one closest to Brownsville listed first.
- Roubaix
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Roubaix is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roubaix
- Estimated population in 2013: 14 people
- Woodville
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Woodville is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodville
- Galena
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Galena is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Galena
- Englewood
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Englewood is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Englewood
- Estimated population in 2014: 25 people
- Flatiron ‑ Historic
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Flatiron is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flatiron
- Estimated population in 2014: 15 people
- Dumont
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Dumont is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dumont
- Estimated population in 2014: 45 people
- Lead
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Deadwood
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Central City
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Central City is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Central City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 155 people
- Greenwood
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Greenwood is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenwood
- Greenwood has also been known as:
- Laflin
- Nahant
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Nahant is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nahant
- Diamond City ‑ Historic
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Diamond City is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Diamond City
- Butte County
- The following are listed by their distance from Brownsville, with the one closest to Brownsville listed first.
- Fruitdale
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Vale
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Belle Fourche
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Nisland
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Meade County
- The following are listed by their distance from Brownsville, with the one closest to Brownsville listed first.
- Tilford
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Tilford is located in Meade County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tilford
- Sturgis
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Piedmont
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Summerset
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Blackhawk
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Pennington County
- The following are listed by their distance from Brownsville, with the one closest to Brownsville listed first.
- Rochford
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Fairview ‑ Historic
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Fairview is located in Pennington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairview
- Estimated population in 2014: 65 people
- Myersville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Myersville is located in Pennington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Myersville
- Estimated population in 2014: 10 people
- Canyon City ‑ Historic
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Canyon City is located in Pennington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Canyon City
- Mystic
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Mystic is located in Pennington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mystic
- Silver City
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Silver City is located in Pennington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Silver City
- Estimated population in 2014: 60 people
- Pactola ‑ Historic
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Pactola is located in Pennington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pactola
- Redfern
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Redfern is located in Pennington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Redfern
- Johnson Siding
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Johnson Siding is located in Pennington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Johnson Siding
- Population from the 2010 Census: 659 people
- South Canyon Country Estates
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- South Canyon Country Estates is located in Pennington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Canyon Country Estates
- Population from the 2010 Census: 364 people
- Ridgeland Heights
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Ridgeland Heights is located in Pennington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ridgeland Heights
- Estimated population in 2014: 11 people
- Sheridan ‑ Historic
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Sheridan is located in Pennington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sheridan
- Estimated population in 2014: 447 people
- Crook County (WY)
- The following are listed by their distance from Brownsville, with the one closest to Brownsville listed first.
- Moskee ‑ Historic
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Moskee is located in Crook County (WY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moskee
- Beulah
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Weston County (WY)
- The following are listed by their distance from Brownsville, with the one closest to Brownsville listed first.
- Four Corners
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Horton ‑ Historic
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Horton is located in Weston County (WY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Horton
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Brownsville, see our County-by-County Page for Brownsville.
Cemeteries Near Brownsville ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Brownsville.
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 Brownsville - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Brownsville covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Brownsville, with the one closest to Brownsville listed first.
- Galena Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Mountain Meadow Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- South Lead Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Lead Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the South Lead Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located in Lead.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2180695 <3>
- Englewood Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- West Lead Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Lead Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the West Lead Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the west of Lead.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #1967595 <3>
- Seth Bullock Grave
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Mt. Moran Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Mt. Moriah Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- St. Ambrose Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Oak Ridge Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Terry Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Ward Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Continue List (34 more) ...
- Rochford Cemetery
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Preston Cemetery
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Black Hills National Cemetery
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
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.
Brownsville itself is historic and was described in the Rand McNally Atlas as having railroad service and no post office.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Brownsville, with the one closest to Brownsville listed first.
- Woodville
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Woodville is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodville
- Galena
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Galena is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Galena
- Englewood
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Englewood is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Englewood
- Estimated population in 2014: 25 people
- Pluma
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Pluma is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pluma
- Terraville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Terraville is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Terraville
- Lead
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Deadwood
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Nahant
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Nahant is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nahant
- Central City
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Central City is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Central City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 155 people
- Gregory ‑ Historic
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Gregory is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gregory
- Estimated population in 2014: 1,264 people
- Rochford
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Nemo
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Merritt
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Merritt is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Merritt
- Estimated population in 2014: 175 people
- Crook City
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Crook City is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crook City
- Carbonate ‑ Historic
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Carbonate is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carbonate
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Brownsville. See our List of 1890's Communities around Brownsville.
Newspapers Published in Brownsville ...
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 55 newspapers that have been published in the area around Brownsville.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Brownsville, there are papers which were published within 29 miles [46.7 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Brownsville.
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 professional and volunteer 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 Brownsville:
- Websites specific to South Dakota
- Pages specific to Lawrence County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Butte County
- Meade County
- Pennington County
- Crook County
- Weston County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for South Dakota
Footnotes ...
| <1> | 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 Brownsville, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <2> | While we're fans and frequent users of TripAdvisor, you should know that we're also members of the TripAdvisor affiliate program. |
| <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> | 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- Brownsville) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |