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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 Cochrane (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 Cochrane. 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 northeast 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 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 east 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.

Cochrane is located in Buffalo 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 Buffalo County: Wabasha (MN), Winona (MN), Eau Claire, Pepin & Trempealeau.

Below are the counties that are near Cochrane. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Cochrane:

  • Buffalo County     (The home county of Cochrane)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Cochrane, with the one closest to Cochrane listed first.
    • Buffalo City
      (Less than 2 miles to the west)
    • Buffalo
      (Less than 2 miles to the west)
      • Buffalo is located in Buffalo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buffalo
    • Anchorage ‑ Historic
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Anchorage is located in Buffalo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Anchorage
    • Alma
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Waumandee
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Fountain City
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Montana
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Nelson
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Nelson is located in Buffalo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nelson
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 343 people
    • Bluff Siding
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Marshland
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Marshland is located in Buffalo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marshland
    • Gilmanton
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
    • Springdale ‑ Historic
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
      • Springdale is located in Buffalo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Springdale
    • Lookout
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
  • Pepin County
  • Trempealeau County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Cochrane, with the one closest to Cochrane listed first.
    • Arcadia
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
    • New City ‑ Historic
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
      • New City is located in Trempealeau County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New City
    • Wrights Corners
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Independence
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Independence is located in Trempealeau County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Independence
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,291 people
    • Russell
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Trempealeau
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Trempealeau is located in Trempealeau County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trempealeau
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,663 people
    • Galesville
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
    • Frenchville
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
    • Whitehall
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
      • Whitehall is located in Trempealeau County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whitehall
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,565 people
    • Ettrick
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
      • Ettrick is located in Trempealeau County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ettrick
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 511 people
    • Coral City
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
      • Coral City is located in Trempealeau County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coral City
    • Blair
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
      • Blair is located in Trempealeau County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blair
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,330 people
    • Eleva
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Fillmore County (MN)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Cochrane, with the one closest to Cochrane listed first.
    • Rushford
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
      • Rushford is located in Fillmore County (MN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rushford
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,695 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Rushford <1>
    • Rushford Village
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
      • Rushford Village is located in Fillmore County (MN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rushford Village
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 838 people
    • Peterson
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
    • South Rushford
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
  • Houston County (MN)
  • Olmsted County (MN)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Cochrane, with the one closest to Cochrane listed first.
    • Dover
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
      • Dover is located in Olmsted County (MN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dover
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 776 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Dover <1>
    • Viola
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Eyota
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Potsdam
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
  • Wabasha County (MN)
  • Winona County (MN)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Cochrane, with the one closest to Cochrane listed first.
    • Rollingstone
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
    • Minnesota City
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Beaver ‑ Historic
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Goodview
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Goodview is located in Winona County (MN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goodview
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 4,127 people
    • Altura
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Altura is located in Winona County (MN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Altura
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 477 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Altura <1>
    • Elba
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Elba is located in Winona County (MN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elba
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 156 people
    • Stockton
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
      • Stockton is located in Winona County (MN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stockton
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 773 people
    • Winona
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Lewiston
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
    • Utica
      (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
      • Utica is located in Winona County (MN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Utica
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 275 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Utica <1>
    • Wilson
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
    • Wyattville
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
    • Homer
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Homer is located in Winona County (MN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Homer

For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Cochrane, see our County-by-County Page for Cochrane.

Cemeteries Near Cochrane ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Cochrane.

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 Cochrane - one of the links might be able to help.

If not found below, our Cemetery List for Cochrane covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.

The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Cochrane, with the one closest to Cochrane listed first.

  • Buffalo City Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
  • St. Marys Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Evergreen Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Hillside Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Mt. Vernon Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • Anchorage Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • Young Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Eagle Valley Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
  • Waumandee Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Zion Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Mill Creek Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
  • St. Marys Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
  • Continue List   (166 more) ...
    • St. Boniface Cemetery
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Lincoln Cemetery
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
    • Fountain City Cemetery
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)

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, Cochrane had a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Cochrane had a population of 409 people.

These communities are listed based on their distance from Cochrane, with the one closest to Cochrane listed first.

  • Buffalo
    (Less than 2 miles to the west)
    • Buffalo is located in Buffalo County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buffalo
  • Minneiska
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
  • Weaver
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
  • Anchorage ‑ Historic
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Anchorage is located in Buffalo County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Anchorage
  • Whitman
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
    • Whitman is located in Winona County (MN)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whitman
  • Herold
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
    • Herold is located in Buffalo County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Herold
  • Cream
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Cream is located in Buffalo County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cream
  • Alma
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Oakridge
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Oakridge is located in Winona County (MN)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakridge
  • Rollingstone
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
  • Fountain City
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
  • Waumandee
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
  • Continue List   (17 more) ...
    • Kellogg
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Kellogg is located in Wabasha County (MN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kellogg
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 460 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Kellogg <1>
    • Beaver ‑ Historic
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Minnesota City
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)

We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Cochrane. See our List of 1890's Communities around Cochrane.

Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Cochrane ...

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 155 newspapers that have been published in the area around Cochrane.

We have organized these newspapers into two lists:

  • A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Cochrane. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Cochrane and those printed in the larger area surrounding Cochrane.
  • An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<4> of Cochrane.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we begin 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 Cochrane:

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 Cochrane, 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 things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Cochrane) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.