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 Bruce (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 Bruce. 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 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.
Bruce is located in Rusk County.
To see how the shape of Wisconsin's counties may have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.
The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Rusk County: Barron, Chippewa, Price, Sawyer, Taylor & Washburn.
Below are the counties that are near Bruce. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Bruce:
- Rusk County (The home county of Bruce)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bruce, with the one closest to Bruce listed first.
- Apollonia
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Apollonia is located in Rusk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Apollonia
- Port Arthur
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Port Arthur is located in Rusk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Port Arthur
- Weyerhaeuser
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Weyerhaeuser is located in Rusk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weyerhaeuser
- Population from the 2020 Census: 210 people
- Ladysmith
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Ladysmith is located in Rusk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ladysmith
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,054 people
- Conrath
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Conrath is located in Rusk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Conrath
- Population from the 2020 Census: 90 people
- Strickland
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Strickland is located in Rusk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Strickland
- Tony
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Tony is located in Rusk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tony
- Population from the 2020 Census: 100 people
- Glen Flora
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Glen Flora is located in Rusk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glen Flora
- Population from the 2020 Census: 85 people
- Sheldon
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Sheldon is located in Rusk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sheldon
- Population from the 2020 Census: 210 people
- Ingram
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Ingram is located in Rusk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ingram
- Population from the 2020 Census: 70 people
- Hawkins
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Hawkins is located in Rusk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hawkins
- Population from the 2020 Census: 275 people
- Barron County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bruce, with the one closest to Bruce listed first.
- Chetek
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Chetek is located in Barron County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chetek
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,094 people
- Rice Lake
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Rice Lake is located in Barron County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rice Lake
- Population from the 2020 Census: 8,498 people
- Cameron
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Cameron is located in Barron County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cameron
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,798 people
- Haugen
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Haugen is located in Barron County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Haugen
- Population from the 2020 Census: 270 people
- Barron
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Barron is located in Barron County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barron
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,235 people
- Dallas
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Dallas is located in Barron County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dallas
- Population from the 2020 Census: 344 people
- Hillsdale
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Hillsdale is located in Barron County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hillsdale
- Chippewa County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bruce, with the one closest to Bruce listed first.
- Cornell
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Cornell is located in Chippewa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cornell
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,400 people
- Estella
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Estella is located in Chippewa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Estella
- Population from the 2020 Census: 452 people
- New Auburn
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- New Auburn is located in Chippewa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Auburn
- Population from the 2020 Census: 576 people
- Bloomer
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Bloomer is located in Chippewa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bloomer
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,508 people
- Drywood
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Drywood is located in Chippewa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Drywood
- Eagleton
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Eagleton is located in Chippewa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eagleton
- Sawyer County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bruce, with the one closest to Bruce listed first.
- Exeland
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Exeland is located in Sawyer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Exeland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 190 people
- Radisson
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Radisson is located in Sawyer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Radisson
- Population from the 2020 Census: 232 people
- Couderay
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Couderay is located in Sawyer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Couderay
- Population from the 2020 Census: 86 people
- Winter
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Winter is located in Sawyer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winter
- Population from the 2020 Census: 294 people
- Reserve
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Reserve is located in Sawyer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reserve
- Stone Lake
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Stone Lake is located in Sawyer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stone Lake
- New Post
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- New Post is located in Sawyer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Post
- Taylor County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bruce, with the one closest to Bruce listed first.
- Jump River
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Jump River is located in Taylor County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jump River
- Gilman
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Gilman is located in Taylor County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gilman
- Population from the 2020 Census: 390 people
- Washburn County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bruce, with the one closest to Bruce listed first.
- Birchwood
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Birchwood is located in Washburn County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Birchwood
- Population from the 2020 Census: 426 people
- Nobleton
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Nobleton is located in Washburn County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nobleton
- Madge
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Madge is located in Washburn County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Madge
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Bruce, see our County-by-County Page for Bruce.
Cemeteries Near Bruce ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Bruce.
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 Bruce - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Bruce covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Bruce, with the one closest to Bruce listed first.
- Bruce Protestant Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Apollonia Protestant Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Apollonia Catholic Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- St. Marys Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Blue Hills Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- St.s Peter & Paul Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Weyerhauser Protestant Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Servants of Mary Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Old Ladysmith Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Riverside Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riverside Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Riverside Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located less than 2 miles<2> to the northeast of Ladysmith.
- The Riverside Cemetery has also been known as:
- Ladysmith Cemetery
- Our Lady of Sorrows Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #88824 <1>
- St. Anns Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Polish Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Continue List (76 more) ...
- Island Lake Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Mud Lake Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- St. Francis Cemetery
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
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 Bruce in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Bruce.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Bruce, with the one closest to Bruce listed first.
- Lehigh
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Lehigh is located in Barron County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lehigh
- Canton
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Canton is located in Barron County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Canton
- Chetek
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Chetek is located in Barron County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chetek
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,094 people
- Estella
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Estella is located in Chippewa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Estella
- Population from the 2020 Census: 452 people
- Rice Lake
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Rice Lake is located in Barron County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rice Lake
- Population from the 2020 Census: 8,498 people
- Cameron
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Cameron is located in Barron County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cameron
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,798 people
- Nobleton
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Nobleton is located in Washburn County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nobleton
- Haugen
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Haugen is located in Barron County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Haugen
- Population from the 2020 Census: 270 people
- Huron
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Huron is located in Chippewa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Huron
- Continue List (6 more) ...
- Sand Creek
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Sand Creek is located in Dunn County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sand Creek
- Eagleton
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Eagleton is located in Chippewa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eagleton
- Drywood
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Drywood is located in Chippewa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Drywood
- Barron
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Barron is located in Barron County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barron
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,235 people
- Reserve
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Reserve is located in Sawyer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reserve
- Dallas
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Dallas is located in Barron County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dallas
- Population from the 2020 Census: 344 people
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Bruce. See our List of 1890's Communities around Bruce.
Newspapers Published in Bruce ...
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 38 newspapers that have been published in the area around Bruce.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Bruce, there are papers which were published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Bruce.
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 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 Bruce:
- Websites specific to Wisconsin
- Pages specific to Rusk County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Barron County
- Chippewa County
- Sawyer County
- Taylor County
- Washburn County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Wisconsin
Footnotes ...
| <1> | 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. |
| <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- Bruce) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |
| <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 Bruce, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |