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 Spring Valley (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 Spring Valley. 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 Spring Valley ...
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 Spring Valley: Spring Vly. (or less commonly used: Spring Vally. or Spring Vlly.)
You might be interested in other communities that are also named Spring Valley. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Spring Valley.
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 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.
Spring Valley is located in Turner 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 Turner County: Clay, Hutchinson, Lincoln, McCook, Minnehaha & Yankton.
Below are the counties that are near Spring Valley. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Spring Valley:
- Turner County (The home county of Spring Valley)
- The following are listed by their distance from Spring Valley, with the one closest to Spring Valley listed first.
- Viborg
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Hurley
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Irene
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Hooker
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Hooker is located in Turner County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hooker
- Davis
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Parker
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Marion
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Centerville
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Chancellor
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Monroe
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Dolton
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Dolton is located in Turner County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dolton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 39 people
- Bon Homme County
- The following are listed by their distance from Spring Valley, with the one closest to Spring Valley listed first.
- Scotland
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Tabor
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Clay County
- The following are listed by their distance from Spring Valley, with the one closest to Spring Valley listed first.
- Wakonda
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Riverside ‑ Historic
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Riverside is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riverside
- Lodi
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Lodi is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lodi
- Estimated population in 2014: 82 people
- Komstad ‑ Historic
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Komstad is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Komstad
- Estimated population in 2014: 12 people
- Westreville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Westreville is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westreville
- Population from the 2010 Census: 208 people
- Glenwood ‑ Historic
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Glenwood is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glenwood
- Estimated population in 2014: 103 people
- Bloomingdale
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Bloomingdale is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bloomingdale
- Hub City
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Hub City is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hub City
- Meckling
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Alsen
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Alsen is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alsen
- Greenfield
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Greenfield is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenfield
- Estimated population in 2014: 40 people
- Hutchinson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Spring Valley, with the one closest to Spring Valley listed first.
- Freeman
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Menno
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Wolf Creek
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Wolf Creek is located in Hutchinson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wolf Creek
- Estimated population in 2014: 195 people
- Olivet
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Tschetter Colony
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Tschetter Colony is located in Hutchinson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tschetter Colony
- Estimated population in 2014: 80 people
- Kaylor
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Milltown
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Milltown is located in Hutchinson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Milltown
- Estimated population in 2014: 115 people
- Lincoln County
- The following are listed by their distance from Spring Valley, with the one closest to Spring Valley listed first.
- Lennox
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Worthing
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Tea
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- McCook County
- The following are listed by their distance from Spring Valley, with the one closest to Spring Valley listed first.
- Bridgewater
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Canistota
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Minnehaha County
- The following are listed by their distance from Spring Valley, with the one closest to Spring Valley listed first.
- Pumpkin Center
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Pumpkin Center is located in Minnehaha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pumpkin Center
- Estimated population in 2014: 13 people
- El Rancho Acres
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- El Rancho Acres is located in Minnehaha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for El Rancho Acres
- Estimated population in 2014: 27 people
- Union County
- The following are listed by their distance from Spring Valley, with the one closest to Spring Valley listed first.
- Beresford
(26 miles [41.8 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
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Emmet is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Emmet
- Estimated population in 2014: 231 people
- Yankton County
- The following are listed by their distance from Spring Valley, with the one closest to Spring Valley listed first.
- Mayfield
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Mayfield is located in Yankton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mayfield
- Estimated population in 2014: 208 people
- Midway
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Midway is located in Yankton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Midway
- Jamesville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Jamesville is located in Yankton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jamesville
- Estimated population in 2014: 232 people
- Valleyview
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Valleyview is located in Yankton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Valleyview
- Volin
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Mission Hill
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Lesterville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Utica
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Gayville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Yankton
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Fairview Heights
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Fairview Heights is located in Yankton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairview Heights
- Estimated population in 2014: 77 people
- Oak Hills Addition
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Oak Hills Addition is located in Yankton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Hills Addition
- Estimated population in 2014: 23 people
- Cedar County (NE)
- The following are listed by their distance from Spring Valley, with the one closest to Spring Valley listed first.
- Aten
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Aten is located in Cedar County (NE)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aten
- Saint Helena
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Spring Valley, see our County-by-County Page for Spring Valley.
Cemeteries Near Spring Valley ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Spring Valley.
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 Spring Valley - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Spring Valley covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Spring Valley, with the one closest to Spring Valley listed first.
- Carlson Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Ogstad Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Meldal Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Bang Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- West Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Elim Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Evergreen Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Zion Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zion Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Zion Cemetery is located 11 miles [17.7 km]<2> to the south of Freeman.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #97830 <3>
- Bethania Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Bethany Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Zion Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Salem Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Continue List (131 more) ...
- Hansen Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Salem Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Swan Lake Catholic 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.<4>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Spring Valley had a population of 12 people in 1895 with a post office and no railroad service. In 2000, Spring Valley had a population of 167 people.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Spring Valley, with the one closest to Spring Valley listed first.
- Mayfield
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Mayfield is located in Yankton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mayfield
- Estimated population in 2014: 208 people
- Hurley
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Jamesville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Jamesville is located in Yankton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jamesville
- Estimated population in 2014: 232 people
- Freeman
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Parker
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Wakonda
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Marion
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Menno
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Volin
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Lesterville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Utica
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Riverside ‑ Historic
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Riverside is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riverside
- Continue List (19 more) ...
- Monroe
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Lodi
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Lodi is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lodi
- Estimated population in 2014: 82 people
- Olivet
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Spring Valley. See our List of 1890's Communities around Spring Valley.
Newspapers Published in Spring Valley ...
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 57 newspapers that have been published in the area around Spring Valley.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Spring Valley, there are papers which were published within 27 miles [43.5 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Spring Valley.
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 Spring Valley:
- Websites specific to South Dakota
- Pages specific to Turner County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Bon Homme County
- Clay County
- Hutchinson County
- Lincoln County
- McCook County
- Minnehaha County
- Union County
- Yankton County
- Cedar 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> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a '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- Spring Valley) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |
| <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> | 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 Spring Valley, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |