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 Ward (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 Ward. 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 and hospitals 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.
Ward is located in Moody 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 Moody County: Pipestone (MN), Brookings, Lake & Minnehaha.
Below are the counties that are near Ward. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Ward:
- Moody County (The home county of Ward)
- The following are listed by their distance from Ward, with the one closest to Ward listed first.
- Flandreau
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Egan
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Sioux Falls Junction
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Sioux Falls Junction is located in Moody County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sioux Falls Junction
- Estimated population in 2014: 119 people
- Lone Tree
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Lone Tree is located in Moody County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lone Tree
- Estimated population in 2014: 14 people
- Trent
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Dyce ‑ Historic
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Dyce is located in Moody County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dyce
- Colman
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Brookings County
- The following are listed by their distance from Ward, with the one closest to Ward listed first.
- Elkton
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Aurora
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Bushnell
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Bushnell is located in Brookings County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bushnell
- Population from the 2020 Census: 67 people
- Medary
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Medary is located in Brookings County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Medary
- Estimated population in 2014: 1,442 people
- Brookings
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Sunnyview
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Sunnyview is located in Brookings County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sunnyview
- Estimated population in 2014: 17 people
- White
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- North Grove Addition
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- North Grove Addition is located in Brookings County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Grove Addition
- Estimated population in 2014: 471 people
- Volga
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Bruce
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Sinai
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Deuel County
- The following are listed by their distance from Ward, with the one closest to Ward listed first.
- Astoria
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Toronto
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Lake County
- The following are listed by their distance from Ward, with the one closest to Ward listed first.
- Rutland
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Wentworth
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Nunda
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Prairie Queen ‑ Historic
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Prairie Queen is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prairie Queen
- Brant Lake
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Brant Lake is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brant Lake
- Chester
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Peninsula Park
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Peninsula Park is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peninsula Park
- Estimated population in 2014: 32 people
- Minnehaha County
- The following are listed by their distance from Ward, with the one closest to Ward listed first.
- Dell Rapids
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Sherman
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Sherman is located in Minnehaha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sherman
- Population from the 2020 Census: 82 people
- Garretson
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Baltic
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Lincoln County (MN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Ward, with the one closest to Ward listed first.
- Lake Benton
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Tyler
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Tyler is located in Lincoln County (MN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tyler
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,058 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Tyler <1>
- Arco
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Ivanhoe
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Hendricks
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Lyon County (MN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Ward, with the one closest to Ward listed first.
- Florence
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Florence is located in Lyon County (MN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Florence
- Population from the 2020 Census: 35 people
- Russell
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Russell is located in Lyon County (MN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Russell
- Population from the 2020 Census: 343 people
- Balaton
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Murray County (MN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Ward, with the one closest to Ward listed first.
- Lake Wilson
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Lake Wilson is located in Murray County (MN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Wilson
- Population from the 2020 Census: 224 people
- Chandler
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Chandler is located in Murray County (MN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chandler
- Population from the 2020 Census: 246 people
- Lowville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Lowville is located in Murray County (MN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lowville
- Pipestone County (MN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Ward, with the one closest to Ward listed first.
- Airlie
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Airlie is located in Pipestone County (MN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Airlie
- Holland
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Holland is located in Pipestone County (MN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 172 people
- Pipestone
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Ruthton
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Ihlen
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Hatfield
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Hatfield is located in Pipestone County (MN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hatfield
- Population from the 2020 Census: 52 people
- Trosky
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Woodstock
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Jasper Sunrise Village
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Jasper Sunrise Village is located in Pipestone County (MN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jasper Sunrise Village
- Jasper
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Jasper is located in Pipestone County (MN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jasper
- Population from the 2020 Census: 603 people
- Edgerton
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Rock County (MN)
- Hardwick
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Ward, see our County-by-County Page for Ward.
Cemeteries Near Ward ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Ward.
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 Ward - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Ward covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Ward, with the one closest to Ward listed first.
- German Evangelical Lutheran Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Trinity Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- St. Marys Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Troy Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Stolz Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Immanuel Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Union Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Union Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the southeast of Flandreau.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #97774 <2>
- Catholic Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Old Catholic Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Saints Simon and Jude Catholic Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Luctor Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- North Clare Cemetery
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Continue List (108 more) ...
- St. Leo Cemetery
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Old Woodlawn Cemetery
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Old Woodlawn Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Old Woodlawn Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the northwest of Pipestone (MN).
- The Old Woodlawn Cemetery has also been known as:
- Woodlawn Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2141410 <2>
- Memorial Cemetery
(11 miles [17.7 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>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that in 1895, Ward had a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Ward had a population of 51 people.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Ward, with the one closest to Ward listed first.
- Elkton
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Verdi
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Verdi is located in Lincoln County (MN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Verdi
- Cazenovia
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Cazenovia is located in Pipestone County (MN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cazenovia
- Airlie
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Airlie is located in Pipestone County (MN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Airlie
- Flandreau
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Lake Benton
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Pipestone
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Holland
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Holland is located in Pipestone County (MN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 172 people
- Egan
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Bushnell
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Bushnell is located in Brookings County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bushnell
- Population from the 2020 Census: 67 people
- Aurora
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Sioux Falls Junction
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Sioux Falls Junction is located in Moody County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sioux Falls Junction
- Estimated population in 2014: 119 people
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- Ihlen
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Ruthton
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Tyler
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Tyler is located in Lincoln County (MN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tyler
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,058 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Tyler <1>
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Ward. See our List of 1890's Communities around Ward.
Newspapers Published in Ward ...
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 92 newspapers that have been published in the area around Ward.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Ward, 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 Ward.
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 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 Ward:
- Websites specific to South Dakota
- Pages specific to Moody County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Brookings County
- Deuel County
- Lake County
- Minnehaha County
- Lincoln County
- Lyon County
- Murray County
- Pipestone County
- Rock 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 Ward, 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 obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Ward) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |