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 Colfax Corner (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 Colfax Corner. 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.
Name Variations for Colfax Corner ...
When searching records, keep in mind that names and their spelling can change over time. Our sources include documents like maps, railroad schedules, Travel, Express and Shipping Guides. Many of these documents date from the 1800's and it's common to find spelling differences.
Although we can't give a definitive list, hopefully the following will give you a feel for the variations that might occur.
For example, a typical abbreviation for Colfax Corner: Colfax Cor. (or less commonly used: Colfax Crn.)
If you have information about these names (such as the reason for the change, date of change, the origin of the name), please Contact Us.
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 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.
Colfax Corner is located in Clay 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 Clay County: Cedar (NE), Dixon (NE), Lincoln, Turner, Union & Yankton.
Below are the counties that are near Colfax Corner. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Colfax Corner:
- Clay County (The home county of Colfax Corner)
- The following are listed by their distance from Colfax Corner, with the one closest to Colfax Corner listed first.
- Lodi
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Lodi is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lodi
- Estimated population in 2014: 82 people
- Riverside ‑ Historic
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Riverside is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riverside
- Wakonda
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Komstad ‑ Historic
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Komstad is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Komstad
- Estimated population in 2014: 12 people
- Westreville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Westreville is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westreville
- Population from the 2010 Census: 208 people
- Bloomingdale
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Bloomingdale is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bloomingdale
- Hub City
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Hub City is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hub City
- Glenwood ‑ Historic
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Glenwood is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glenwood
- Estimated population in 2014: 103 people
- Alsen
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Alsen is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alsen
- Meckling
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Greenfield
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Greenfield is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenfield
- Estimated population in 2014: 40 people
- Vermillion
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Burbank
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Lincoln County
- The following are listed by their distance from Colfax Corner, with the one closest to Colfax Corner listed first.
- Moe
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Moe is located in Lincoln County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moe
- Lennox
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Worthing
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Hudson
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Canton
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Fairview
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Turner County
- The following are listed by their distance from Colfax Corner, with the one closest to Colfax Corner listed first.
- Centerville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Irene
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Viborg
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Hooker
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Hooker is located in Turner County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hooker
- Davis
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Spring Valley
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Spring Valley is located in Turner County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spring Valley
- Hurley
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Chancellor
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Parker
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Marion
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Union County
- The following are listed by their distance from Colfax Corner, with the one closest to Colfax Corner listed first.
- Beresford
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Beresford is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beresford
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,043 people
- Former name for Beresford:
- Paris
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Beresford <1>
- Emmet
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Emmet is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Emmet
- Estimated population in 2014: 231 people
- Nora
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Nora is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nora
- Estimated population in 2014: 240 people
- Spink
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Spink is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spink
- Estimated population in 2014: 237 people
- Alcester
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Junction City
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Junction City is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Junction City
- Big Springs
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Big Springs is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Big Springs
- Richland
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Richland is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Richland
- Estimated population in 2014: 215 people
- Elk Point
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Yankton County
- The following are listed by their distance from Colfax Corner, with the one closest to Colfax Corner listed first.
- Volin
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Gayville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Valleyview
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Valleyview is located in Yankton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Valleyview
- Mission Hill
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Mayfield
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Mayfield is located in Yankton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mayfield
- Estimated population in 2014: 208 people
- Midway
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Midway is located in Yankton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Midway
- Yankton
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Jamesville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Jamesville is located in Yankton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jamesville
- Estimated population in 2014: 232 people
- Utica
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Fairview Heights
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Fairview Heights is located in Yankton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairview Heights
- Estimated population in 2014: 77 people
- Oak Hills Addition
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Oak Hills Addition is located in Yankton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Hills Addition
- Estimated population in 2014: 23 people
- Lesterville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Lyon County (IA)
- Beloit
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Beloit is located in Lyon County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beloit
- Plymouth County (IA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Colfax Corner, with the one closest to Colfax Corner listed first.
- Akron
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Akron is located in Plymouth County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Akron
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,454 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Akron <1>
- Westfield
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Sioux County (IA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Colfax Corner, with the one closest to Colfax Corner listed first.
- Chatsworth
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Chatsworth is located in Sioux County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chatsworth
- Population from the 2020 Census: 81 people
- Hawarden
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Cedar County (NE)
- The following are listed by their distance from Colfax Corner, with the one closest to Colfax Corner listed first.
- Saint Helena
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Wynot
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Obert
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Obert is located in Cedar County (NE)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Obert
- Population from the 2020 Census: 22 people
- Bow Valley
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Bow Valley is located in Cedar County (NE)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bow Valley
- Aten
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Aten is located in Cedar County (NE)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aten
- Fordyce
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Constance
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Constance is located in Cedar County (NE)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Constance
- Hartington
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Dixon County (NE)
- The following are listed by their distance from Colfax Corner, with the one closest to Colfax Corner listed first.
- Maskell
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Maskell is located in Dixon County (NE)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maskell
- Population from the 2020 Census: 68 people
- Newcastle
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Knox County (NE)
- Crofton
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Colfax Corner, see our County-by-County Page for Colfax Corner.
Cemeteries Near Colfax Corner ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Colfax Corner.
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 Colfax Corner - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Colfax Corner covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Colfax Corner, with the one closest to Colfax Corner listed first.
- Lodi Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- St. Patricks Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Riverside Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- South Lodi Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Columkill Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Union Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Pleasant Valley Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Bluff Center Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Mortvedt Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Holland Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- St. Johns Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Volin Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Continue List (135 more) ...
- Danefield Seventh-day Advent Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Houde Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Hovde Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 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.<3>
While we didn't find Colfax Corner in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Colfax Corner.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Colfax Corner, with the one closest to Colfax Corner listed first.
- Lodi
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Lodi is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lodi
- Estimated population in 2014: 82 people
- Riverside ‑ Historic
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Riverside is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riverside
- Wakonda
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Bloomingdale
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Bloomingdale is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bloomingdale
- Dalesburg
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Dalesburg is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dalesburg
- Komstad ‑ Historic
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Komstad is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Komstad
- Estimated population in 2014: 12 people
- Marshalltown ‑ Historic
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Marshalltown is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marshalltown
- Volin
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Clay Point
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Clay Point is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clay Point
- Gayville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Meckling
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Alsen
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Alsen is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alsen
- Continue List (13 more) ...
- Greenfield
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Greenfield is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenfield
- Estimated population in 2014: 40 people
- Beresford
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Beresford is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beresford
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,043 people
- Former name for Beresford:
- Paris
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Beresford <1>
- Emmet
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Emmet is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Emmet
- Estimated population in 2014: 231 people
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Colfax Corner. See our List of 1890's Communities around Colfax Corner.
Newspapers Published in Colfax Corner ...
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 90 newspapers that have been published in the area around Colfax Corner.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Colfax Corner, 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 Colfax Corner.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we start with the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These websites either 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 Colfax Corner:
- Websites specific to South Dakota
- Pages specific to Clay County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Lincoln County
- Turner County
- Union County
- Yankton County
- Lyon County
- Plymouth County
- Sioux County
- Cedar County
- Dixon County
- Knox County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for South Dakota
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 Colfax Corner, 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' (or point-to-point) distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Colfax Corner) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |