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 Columbia (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 Columbia. 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.
Columbia is located in Clark 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 Columbia. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Columbia:
- Clark County (The home county of Columbia)
- The following are listed by their distance from Columbia, with the one closest to Columbia listed first.
- Neillsville
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Neillsville is located in Clark County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Neillsville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,375 people
- Humbird
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Humbird is located in Clark County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Humbird
- Globe
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Globe is located in Clark County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Globe
- Granton
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Granton is located in Clark County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Granton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 343 people
- Willard
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Willard is located in Clark County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willard
- Greenwood
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Greenwood is located in Clark County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenwood
- Population from the 2020 Census: 995 people
- Loyal
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Loyal is located in Clark County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Loyal
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,229 people
- Chili
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Chili is located in Clark County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chili
- Spokeville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Spokeville is located in Clark County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spokeville
- Veefkind
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Veefkind is located in Clark County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Veefkind
- Riplinger
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Riplinger is located in Clark County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riplinger
- Reseburg
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Reseburg is located in Clark County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reseburg
- Crawford County
- Lynxville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Lynxville is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lynxville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 125 people
- Eau Claire County
- The following are listed by their distance from Columbia, with the one closest to Columbia listed first.
- Fairchild
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Fairchild is located in Eau Claire County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairchild
- Population from the 2020 Census: 607 people
- Hay Creek
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Hay Creek is located in Eau Claire County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hay Creek
- Augusta
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Augusta is located in Eau Claire County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Augusta
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,517 people
- Jackson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Columbia, with the one closest to Columbia listed first.
- Hatfield
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Hatfield is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hatfield
- Merrillan
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Merrillan is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Merrillan
- Population from the 2020 Census: 522 people
- Alma Center
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Alma Center is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alma Center
- Population from the 2020 Census: 491 people
- Pray
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Pray is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pray
- Black River Falls
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Black River Falls is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Black River Falls
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,454 people
- Hixton
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Hixton is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hixton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 417 people
- Sechlerville
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Sechlerville is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sechlerville
- Lapham Junction
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Lapham Junction is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lapham Junction
- Levis
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Levis is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Levis
- Requa
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Requa is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Requa
- York
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- York is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for York
- City Point
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- City Point is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for City Point
- Marathon County
- The following are listed by their distance from Columbia, with the one closest to Columbia listed first.
- Spencer
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Spencer is located in Marathon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spencer
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,865 people
- Unity
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Unity is located in Marathon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Unity
- Population from the 2020 Census: 329 people
- Monroe County
- Warrens
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Warrens is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Warrens
- Population from the 2020 Census: 346 people
- Trempealeau County
- The following are listed by their distance from Columbia, with the one closest to Columbia listed first.
- Osseo
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Osseo is located in Trempealeau County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Osseo
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,671 people
- Pigeon Falls
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Pigeon Falls is located in Trempealeau County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pigeon Falls
- Population from the 2020 Census: 399 people
- Blair
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Blair is located in Trempealeau County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blair
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,330 people
- Coral City
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Coral City is located in Trempealeau County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coral City
- Wood County
- The following are listed by their distance from Columbia, with the one closest to Columbia listed first.
- Lindsey
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Lindsey is located in Wood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lindsey
- Bakerville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Bakerville is located in Wood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bakerville
- Marshfield
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Marshfield is located in Wood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marshfield
- Population from the 2020 Census: 18,414 people
- Pittsville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Pittsville is located in Wood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pittsville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 820 people
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Columbia, see our County-by-County Page for Columbia.
Cemeteries Near Columbia ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Columbia.
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 Columbia - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Columbia covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Columbia, with the one closest to Columbia listed first.
- Columbia Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Dells Dam Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Indian Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Levis Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- North Pine Valley Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Oakwood Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Hatfield Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Neillsville City Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- St. Marys Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Houghtonburg Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Komensky Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Weston Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Continue List (111 more) ...
- Mentor Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- East Lawn Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- St. Mary Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
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.<2>
While we didn't find Columbia in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Columbia.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Columbia, with the one closest to Columbia listed first.
- Merrillan
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Merrillan is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Merrillan
- Population from the 2020 Census: 522 people
- Hatfield
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Hatfield is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hatfield
- Neillsville
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Neillsville is located in Clark County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Neillsville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,375 people
- Humbird
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Humbird is located in Clark County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Humbird
- Globe
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Globe is located in Clark County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Globe
- Waterbury
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Waterbury is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waterbury
- Shortville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Shortville is located in Clark County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shortville
- Christie
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Christie is located in Clark County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Christie
- Alma Center
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Alma Center is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alma Center
- Population from the 2020 Census: 491 people
- Granton
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Granton is located in Clark County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Granton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 343 people
- Fairchild
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Fairchild is located in Eau Claire County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairchild
- Population from the 2020 Census: 607 people
- North Branch
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- North Branch is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Branch
- Continue List (16 more) ...
- Pray
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Pray is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pray
- Lynn
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Lynn is located in Clark County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lynn
- Black River Falls
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Black River Falls is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Black River Falls
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,454 people
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Columbia. See our List of 1890's Communities around Columbia.
Newspapers Published in Columbia ...
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 55 newspapers that have been published in the area around Columbia.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Columbia, there are papers which were published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Columbia.
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 Columbia:
- Websites specific to Wisconsin
- Pages specific to Clark County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Crawford County
- Eau Claire County
- Jackson County
- Marathon County
- Monroe County
- Trempealeau 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> | 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 Columbia, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <3> | 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- Columbia) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |