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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 Darlington (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 Darlington. 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.

Darlington is located in Lafayette County and is the County Seat.

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 Lafayette County: Jo Daviess (IL), Stephenson (IL), Grant, Green & Iowa.

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

  • Lafayette County     (The home county of Darlington)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Darlington, with the one closest to Darlington listed first.
    • Calamine
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Calamine is located in Lafayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Calamine
    • Wiota
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
      • Wiota is located in Lafayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wiota
    • Gratiot
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Gratiot is located in Lafayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gratiot
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 225 people
    • Shullsburg
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Shullsburg is located in Lafayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shullsburg
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,192 people
    • Fort Gratiot ‑ Historic
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Fort Gratiot is located in Lafayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fort Gratiot
      • Former name for Fort Gratiot:
      • Gratiot Grove
    • Belmont
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
      • Belmont is located in Lafayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belmont
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 974 people
    • Argyle
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
      • Argyle is located in Lafayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Argyle
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 809 people
    • Woodford
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
      • Woodford is located in Lafayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodford
    • Etna
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Etna is located in Lafayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Etna
    • White Oak
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
      • White Oak is located in Lafayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White Oak
    • Elk Grove
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
      • Elk Grove is located in Lafayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elk Grove
    • South Wayne
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
      • South Wayne is located in Lafayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Wayne
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 472 people
    • New Diggings
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
      • New Diggings is located in Lafayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Diggings
  • Dane County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Darlington, with the one closest to Darlington listed first.
    • Blue Mounds
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Blue Mounds is located in Dane County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blue Mounds
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 990 people
    • Mount Horeb
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Mount Horeb is located in Dane County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Horeb
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 7,563 people
  • Grant County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Darlington, with the one closest to Darlington listed first.
    • Cuba City
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
      • Cuba City is located in Grant County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cuba City
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,047 people
    • Platteville
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
      • Platteville is located in Grant County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Platteville
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 11,650 people
    • Hazel Green
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Hazel Green is located in Grant County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hazel Green
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,219 people
    • Livingston
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Livingston is located in Grant County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Livingston
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 632 people
    • Jamestown
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
      • Jamestown is located in Grant County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jamestown
    • Dickeyville
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
      • Dickeyville is located in Grant County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dickeyville
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,020 people
    • Montfort
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Montfort is located in Grant County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Montfort
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 675 people
    • Annaton
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Annaton is located in Grant County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Annaton
    • Rutledge
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • Rutledge is located in Grant County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rutledge
    • Sinnipee ‑ Historic
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
      • Sinnipee is located in Grant County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sinnipee
    • Tennyson
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
      • Tennyson is located in Grant County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tennyson
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 339 people
    • Preston
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Preston is located in Grant County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Preston
    • Potosi
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
      • Potosi is located in Grant County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Potosi
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 668 people
  • Green County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Darlington, with the one closest to Darlington listed first.
    • Browntown
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Browntown is located in Green County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Browntown
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 272 people
    • Cadiz
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Cadiz is located in Green County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cadiz
    • Monroe
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
      • Monroe is located in Green County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monroe
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 10,426 people
    • Monticello
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
      • Monticello is located in Green County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monticello
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,185 people
    • New Glarus
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
      • New Glarus is located in Green County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Glarus
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,136 people
    • Twin Grove
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
      • Twin Grove is located in Green County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Twin Grove
  • Iowa County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Darlington, with the one closest to Darlington listed first.
    • Mineral Point
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
      • Mineral Point is located in Iowa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mineral Point
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,454 people
    • Hollandale
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Hollandale is located in Iowa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hollandale
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 273 people
    • Moscow
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Moscow is located in Iowa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moscow
    • Linden
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
      • Linden is located in Iowa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Linden
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 523 people
    • Rewey
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
      • Rewey is located in Iowa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rewey
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 283 people
    • Dodgeville
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
      • Dodgeville is located in Iowa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dodgeville
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 4,677 people
    • Edmund
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
      • Edmund is located in Iowa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edmund
    • Ridgeway
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
      • Ridgeway is located in Iowa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ridgeway
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 635 people
    • Cobb
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Cobb is located in Iowa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cobb
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 455 people
    • Pleasant Ridge
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
      • Pleasant Ridge is located in Iowa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Ridge
    • Barneveld
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Barneveld is located in Iowa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barneveld
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,252 people
    • Hyde
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
      • Hyde is located in Iowa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hyde
    • Centreville ‑ Historic
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Centreville is located in Iowa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Centreville
      • Former name for Centreville:
      • Dry Bone
  • Dubuque County (IA)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Darlington, with the one closest to Darlington listed first.
    • Wilkins
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Wilkins is located in Dubuque County (IA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilkins
    • Massey
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Massey is located in Dubuque County (IA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Massey
    • Cattese
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Cattese is located in Dubuque County (IA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cattese
    • Dubuque
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Dubuque is located in Dubuque County (IA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dubuque
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 57,781 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Dubuque <1>
  • Jackson County (IA)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Darlington, with the one closest to Darlington listed first.
    • Smiths
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Smiths is located in Jackson County (IA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smiths
    • Saint Donatus
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Jo Daviess County (IL)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Darlington, with the one closest to Darlington listed first.
    • Apple River
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
    • Warren
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Warren is located in Jo Daviess County (IL)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Warren
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,300 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Warren <1>
    • Scales Mound
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Nora
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Nora is located in Jo Daviess County (IL)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nora
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 116 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Nora <1>
    • Stockton
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
      • Stockton is located in Jo Daviess County (IL)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stockton
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,709 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Stockton <1>
    • Bremen
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Bremen is located in Jo Daviess County (IL)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bremen
    • Galena
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Galena is located in Jo Daviess County (IL)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Galena
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,151 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Galena <1>
    • Menominee
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Menominee is located in Jo Daviess County (IL)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Menominee
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 241 people
    • Elizabeth
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
    • Galena Junction
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Galena Junction is located in Jo Daviess County (IL)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Galena Junction
    • Aiken
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Aiken is located in Jo Daviess County (IL)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aiken
    • East Dubuque
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Hanover
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
      • Hanover is located in Jo Daviess County (IL)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hanover
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 769 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Hanover <1>
  • Stephenson County (IL)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Darlington, with the one closest to Darlington listed first.
    • Winslow
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Winslow is located in Stephenson County (IL)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winslow
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 309 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Winslow <1>
    • Lena
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Lena is located in Stephenson County (IL)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lena
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,680 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Lena <1>
    • McConnell
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Oneco
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Oneco is located in Stephenson County (IL)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oneco
    • Kent
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Buena Vista
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Buena Vista is located in Stephenson County (IL)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buena Vista
    • Orangeville
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Salem
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Salem is located in Stephenson County (IL)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Salem
    • Yellow Creek
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Yellow Creek is located in Stephenson County (IL)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yellow Creek
    • Eleroy
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Red Oak
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Red Oak is located in Stephenson County (IL)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Oak

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

Cemeteries Near Darlington ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Darlington.

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

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

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

  • Holy Rosary Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the north)
  • Union Grove Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
  • Schwartz Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
  • Pillings Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
  • Lamont Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
  • Fayette Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Kenneltown Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
  • St. Marys Catholic Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
  • Kingsley Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
  • Andrews Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Willow Springs Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
  • Willow Springs Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
  • Continue List   (204 more) ...
    • Miller Cemetery
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
    • Schellenger Cemetery
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
    • Pleasant View Cemetery
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)

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.<4>

The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Darlington had a population of 1,589 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Darlington had a population of 2,317 people.

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

  • Calamine
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Calamine is located in Lafayette County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Calamine
  • Lamont
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
    • Lamont is located in Lafayette County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lamont
  • Fayette
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Fayette is located in Lafayette County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fayette
  • Truman
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Truman is located in Lafayette County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Truman
  • Dunbarton
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
    • Dunbarton is located in Lafayette County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunbarton
  • Gratiot
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Gratiot is located in Lafayette County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gratiot
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 225 people
  • Shullsburg
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Shullsburg is located in Lafayette County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shullsburg
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,192 people
  • Yellowstone
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Yellowstone is located in Lafayette County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yellowstone
  • Belmont
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
    • Belmont is located in Lafayette County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belmont
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 974 people
  • Mineral Point
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
    • Mineral Point is located in Iowa County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mineral Point
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,454 people
  • Apple River
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
  • Argyle
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
    • Argyle is located in Lafayette County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Argyle
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 809 people
  • Continue List   (16 more) ...
    • Meekers Grove
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
      • Meekers Grove is located in Lafayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meekers Grove
    • Lead Mine
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Lead Mine is located in Lafayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lead Mine
    • Etna
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Etna is located in Lafayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Etna

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

Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Darlington ...

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 112 newspapers that have been published in the area around Darlington.

We have organized these newspapers into two lists:

  • A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Darlington. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Darlington and those printed in the larger area surrounding Darlington.
  • An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<3> of Darlington.

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 helpful 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 Darlington:

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>Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Darlington) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.
<4>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 Darlington, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.