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 Merrill (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 Merrill. 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.
Merrill is located in Lincoln 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 Lincoln County: Langlade, Marathon, Oneida, Price & Taylor.
Below are the counties that are near Merrill. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Merrill:
- Lincoln County (The home county of Merrill)
- The following are listed by their distance from Merrill, with the one closest to Merrill listed first.
- Dutch Corners ‑ Historic
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Dutch Corners is located in Lincoln County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dutch Corners
- Irma
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Irma is located in Lincoln County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Irma
- Gleason
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Gleason is located in Lincoln County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gleason
- Dudley
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Dudley is located in Lincoln County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dudley
- Tomahawk
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Tomahawk is located in Lincoln County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tomahawk
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,133 people
- Jersey City
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Jersey City is located in Lincoln County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jersey City
- Harrison
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Harrison is located in Lincoln County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harrison
- Jeffris
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Jeffris is located in Lincoln County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jeffris
- Langlade County
- The following are listed by their distance from Merrill, with the one closest to Merrill listed first.
- Antigo
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Antigo is located in Langlade County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Antigo
- Population from the 2020 Census: 7,719 people
- Deerbrook
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Deerbrook is located in Langlade County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deerbrook
- Kempster
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Kempster is located in Langlade County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kempster
- Neva Corners
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Neva Corners is located in Langlade County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Neva Corners
- Elcho
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Elcho is located in Langlade County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elcho
- Marathon County
- The following are listed by their distance from Merrill, with the one closest to Merrill listed first.
- Emmerich
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Emmerich is located in Marathon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Emmerich
- Naugart
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Naugart is located in Marathon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Naugart
- Taegesville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Taegesville is located in Marathon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Taegesville
- Brokaw
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Brokaw is located in Marathon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brokaw
- Estimated population in 2018: 245 people
- Hamburg
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Hamburg is located in Marathon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hamburg
- Glandon
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Glandon is located in Marathon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glandon
- Wausau
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Wausau is located in Marathon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wausau
- Population from the 2020 Census: 38,511 people
- Nutterville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Nutterville is located in Marathon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nutterville
- Sunset
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Sunset is located in Marathon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sunset
- Rib Falls
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Rib Falls is located in Marathon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rib Falls
- Marathon City
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Marathon City is located in Marathon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marathon City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,516 people
- Rib Mountain
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Rib Mountain is located in Marathon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rib Mountain
- Schofield
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Schofield is located in Marathon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Schofield
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,153 people
- Shawano County
- The following are listed by their distance from Merrill, with the one closest to Merrill listed first.
- Aniwa
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Aniwa is located in Shawano County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aniwa
- Population from the 2020 Census: 252 people
- Birnamwood
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Birnamwood is located in Shawano County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Birnamwood
- Population from the 2020 Census: 772 people
- Taylor County
- The following are listed by their distance from Merrill, with the one closest to Merrill listed first.
- Interwald
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Interwald is located in Taylor County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Interwald
- Rib Lake
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Rib Lake is located in Taylor County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rib Lake
- Population from the 2020 Census: 861 people
- Chelsea
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Chelsea is located in Taylor County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chelsea
- Stetsonville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Stetsonville is located in Taylor County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stetsonville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 518 people
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Merrill, see our County-by-County Page for Merrill.
Cemeteries Near Merrill ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Merrill.
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 Merrill - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Merrill covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Merrill, with the one closest to Merrill listed first.
- Merrill Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Snow Hill Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- St. John Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Jehn Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- St. James Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Zion Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- St. Paul Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Calvary Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Maple Grove Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Methodist Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Trinity Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Big Hill Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Continue List (83 more) ...
- Town Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Springbrook Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Hamburg 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.<1>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Merrill had a population of 6,809 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Merrill had a population of 8,990 people.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Merrill, with the one closest to Merrill listed first.
- Emmerich
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Emmerich is located in Marathon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Emmerich
- Naugart
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Naugart is located in Marathon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Naugart
- Taegesville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Taegesville is located in Marathon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Taegesville
- Hamburg
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Hamburg is located in Marathon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hamburg
- Bloomville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Bloomville is located in Lincoln County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bloomville
- Irma
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Irma is located in Lincoln County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Irma
- Stettin ‑ Historic
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Stettin is located in Marathon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stettin
- Wausau
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Wausau is located in Marathon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wausau
- Population from the 2020 Census: 38,511 people
- Nutterville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Nutterville is located in Marathon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nutterville
- Dudley
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Dudley is located in Lincoln County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dudley
- Rib Falls
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Rib Falls is located in Marathon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rib Falls
- Wausau Junction
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Wausau Junction is located in Marathon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wausau Junction
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Gilbert
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Gilbert is located in Lincoln County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gilbert
- Schofield
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Schofield is located in Marathon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Schofield
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,153 people
- Poniatowski
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Poniatowski is located in Marathon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Poniatowski
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Merrill. See our List of 1890's Communities around Merrill.
Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Merrill ...
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 63 newspapers that have been published in the area around Merrill.
We have organized these newspapers into two lists:
- A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Merrill. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Merrill and those printed in the larger area surrounding Merrill.
- An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 29 miles [46.7 km]<2> of Merrill.
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 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 Merrill:
- Websites specific to Wisconsin
- Pages specific to Lincoln County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Langlade County
- Marathon County
- Shawano County
- Taylor County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Wisconsin
Footnotes ...
| <1> | 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 Merrill, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <2> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Merrill) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |