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 Colby (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 Colby. 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 hospitals and doctors 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.
Colby is primarily located in Clark County. A portion of Colby extends into Marathon 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 Clark County: Chippewa, Eau Claire, Jackson, Marathon, Taylor & Wood.
Below are the counties that are near Colby. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Colby:
- Clark County (The home county of Colby)
- The following are listed by their distance from Colby, with the one closest to Colby listed first.
- Abbotsford
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Abbotsford is located in Clark County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Abbotsford
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,225 people
- Dorchester
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Dorchester is located in Clark County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dorchester
- Population from the 2020 Census: 864 people
- Curtiss
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Curtiss is located in Clark County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Curtiss
- Population from the 2020 Census: 211 people
- Riplinger
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Riplinger is located in Clark County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riplinger
- Atwood
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Atwood is located in Clark County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Atwood
- Owen
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Owen is located in Clark County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Owen
- Population from the 2020 Census: 925 people
- Withee
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Withee is located in Clark County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Withee
- Population from the 2020 Census: 472 people
- Spokeville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Spokeville is located in Clark County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spokeville
- Loyal
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Loyal is located in Clark County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Loyal
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,229 people
- Veefkind
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Veefkind is located in Clark County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Veefkind
- Greenwood
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Greenwood is located in Clark County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenwood
- Population from the 2020 Census: 995 people
- Chili
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Chili is located in Clark County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chili
- Chippewa County
- Stanley
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Stanley is located in Chippewa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stanley
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,705 people
- Marathon County
- The following are listed by their distance from Colby, with the one closest to Colby listed first.
- Unity
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Unity is located in Marathon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Unity
- Population from the 2020 Census: 329 people
- Milan
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Milan is located in Marathon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Milan
- Corinth
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Corinth is located in Marathon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Corinth
- Spencer
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Spencer is located in Marathon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spencer
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,865 people
- Wien
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Wien is located in Marathon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wien
- Athens
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Athens is located in Marathon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Athens
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,079 people
- McMillan
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- McMillan is located in Marathon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McMillan
- Stratford
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Stratford is located in Marathon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stratford
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,571 people
- Fenwood
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Fenwood is located in Marathon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fenwood
- Population from the 2020 Census: 156 people
- Poniatowski
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Poniatowski is located in Marathon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Poniatowski
- Edgar
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Edgar is located in Marathon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edgar
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,434 people
- Rozellville
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Rozellville is located in Marathon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rozellville
- Taylor County
- The following are listed by their distance from Colby, with the one closest to Colby listed first.
- Stetsonville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Stetsonville is located in Taylor County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stetsonville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 518 people
- Medford
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Medford is located in Taylor County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Medford
- Population from the 2020 Census: 4,267 people
- Lublin
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Lublin is located in Taylor County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lublin
- Population from the 2020 Census: 113 people
- Interwald
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Interwald is located in Taylor County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Interwald
- Perkinstown
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Perkinstown is located in Taylor County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Perkinstown
- Bellinger
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Bellinger is located in Taylor County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bellinger
- Chelsea
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Chelsea is located in Taylor County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chelsea
- Rib Lake
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Rib Lake is located in Taylor County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rib Lake
- Population from the 2020 Census: 861 people
- Polley
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Polley is located in Taylor County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Polley
- Gilman
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Gilman is located in Taylor County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gilman
- Population from the 2020 Census: 390 people
- Hughey ‑ Historic
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Hughey is located in Taylor County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hughey
- Westboro
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Westboro is located in Taylor County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westboro
- Wood County
- The following are listed by their distance from Colby, with the one closest to Colby listed first.
- Marshfield
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Marshfield is located in Wood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marshfield
- Population from the 2020 Census: 18,414 people
- Bakerville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Bakerville is located in Wood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bakerville
- Hewitt
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Hewitt is located in Wood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hewitt
- Population from the 2020 Census: 777 people
- Lindsey
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Lindsey is located in Wood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lindsey
- Auburndale
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Auburndale is located in Wood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Auburndale
- Population from the 2020 Census: 658 people
- Blenker
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Blenker is located in Wood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blenker
- Arpin
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Arpin is located in Wood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arpin
- Population from the 2020 Census: 305 people
- Sherry
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Sherry is located in Wood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sherry
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Colby, see our County-by-County Page for Colby.
Cemeteries Near Colby ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Colby.
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 Colby - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Colby covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Colby, with the one closest to Colby listed first.
- Colby Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Holton Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Abbotsford Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Abbotsford Public Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Brighton Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- St. Paul Lutheran Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for St. Paul Lutheran Cemetery
- The St. Paul Lutheran Cemetery has also been known as:
- Green Grove Cemetery
- St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2215127 <1>
- St. Johns Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Trinity Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Pine Hill Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- North Memorial Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Curtiss Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- St. Lukes Lutheran Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Continue List (122 more) ...
- Pilgrim Rest Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Beaver Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Bethlehem 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>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Colby had a population of 513 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Colby had a population of 1,941 people.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Colby, with the one closest to Colby listed first.
- Abbotsford
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Abbotsford is located in Clark County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Abbotsford
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,225 people
- Unity
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Unity is located in Marathon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Unity
- Population from the 2020 Census: 329 people
- Cherokee
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Cherokee is located in Marathon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cherokee
- Dorchester
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Dorchester is located in Clark County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dorchester
- Population from the 2020 Census: 864 people
- Curtiss
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Curtiss is located in Clark County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Curtiss
- Population from the 2020 Census: 211 people
- Milan
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Milan is located in Marathon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Milan
- Spencer
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Spencer is located in Marathon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spencer
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,865 people
- Corinth
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Corinth is located in Marathon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Corinth
- Wuertsburg
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Wuertsburg is located in Marathon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wuertsburg
- Stetsonville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Stetsonville is located in Taylor County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stetsonville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 518 people
- Weber
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Weber is located in Marathon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weber
- Little Black
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Little Black is located in Taylor County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Little Black
- Continue List (16 more) ...
- Withee
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Withee is located in Clark County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Withee
- Population from the 2020 Census: 472 people
- Longwood
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Longwood is located in Clark County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Longwood
- Loyal
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Loyal is located in Clark County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Loyal
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,229 people
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Colby. See our List of 1890's Communities around Colby.
Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Colby ...
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 60 newspapers that have been published in the area around Colby.
We have organized these newspapers into two lists:
- A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Colby. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Colby and those printed in the larger area surrounding Colby.
- An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<2> of Colby.
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 professional and volunteer 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 Colby:
- Websites specific to Wisconsin
- Pages specific to Clark County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Chippewa County
- Marathon County
- Taylor County
- Wood 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 'straight-line' (or 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- Colby) 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 Colby, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |