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 Ontario (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 Ontario. 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 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.
Ontario is located in Vernon 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 Vernon County: Allamakee (IA), Houston (MN), Crawford, Juneau, La Crosse, Monroe, Richland & Sauk.
Below are the counties that are near Ontario. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Ontario:
- Vernon County (The home county of Ontario)
- The following are listed by their distance from Ontario, with the one closest to Ontario listed first.
- Mount Tabor
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Mount Tabor is located in Vernon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Tabor
- Trippville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Trippville is located in Vernon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trippville
- White City
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- White City is located in Vernon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White City
- La Farge
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- La Farge is located in Vernon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for La Farge
- Population from the 2020 Census: 763 people
- Newry
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Newry is located in Vernon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newry
- Hillsboro
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Hillsboro is located in Vernon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hillsboro
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,387 people
- Westby
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Westby is located in Vernon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westby
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,254 people
- Liberty
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Liberty is located in Vernon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Liberty
- Viroqua
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Viroqua is located in Vernon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Viroqua
- Population from the 2020 Census: 4,394 people
- Readstown
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Readstown is located in Vernon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Readstown
- Population from the 2020 Census: 414 people
- Coon Valley
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Coon Valley is located in Vernon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coon Valley
- Population from the 2020 Census: 782 people
- Liberty Pole
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Liberty Pole is located in Vernon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Liberty Pole
- Crawford County
- The following are listed by their distance from Ontario, with the one closest to Ontario listed first.
- Soldiers Grove
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Soldiers Grove is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Soldiers Grove
- Population from the 2020 Census: 535 people
- Towerville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Towerville is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Towerville
- Rising Sun
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Rising Sun is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rising Sun
- Gays Mills
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Gays Mills is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gays Mills
- Population from the 2020 Census: 504 people
- Juneau County
- The following are listed by their distance from Ontario, with the one closest to Ontario listed first.
- Elroy
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Elroy is located in Juneau County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elroy
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,306 people
- Union Center
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Union Center is located in Juneau County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union Center
- Population from the 2020 Census: 193 people
- Wonewoc
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Wonewoc is located in Juneau County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wonewoc
- Population from the 2020 Census: 789 people
- Hustler
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Hustler is located in Juneau County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hustler
- Population from the 2020 Census: 190 people
- Camp Douglas
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Camp Douglas is located in Juneau County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Camp Douglas
- Population from the 2020 Census: 625 people
- New Lisbon
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- New Lisbon is located in Juneau County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Lisbon
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,547 people
- Mauston
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Mauston is located in Juneau County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mauston
- Population from the 2020 Census: 4,358 people
- Lemonweir
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Lemonweir is located in Juneau County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lemonweir
- La Crosse County
- The following are listed by their distance from Ontario, with the one closest to Ontario listed first.
- Middle Ridge
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Middle Ridge is located in La Crosse County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Middle Ridge
- Rockland
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Rockland is located in La Crosse County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rockland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 710 people
- Saint Joseph
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Saint Joseph is located in La Crosse County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Joseph
- Bangor
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Bangor is located in La Crosse County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bangor
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,442 people
- West Salem
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- West Salem is located in La Crosse County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Salem
- Population from the 2020 Census: 5,013 people
- Barre Mills
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Barre Mills is located in La Crosse County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barre Mills
- Shelby
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Shelby is located in La Crosse County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shelby
- Monroe County
- The following are listed by their distance from Ontario, with the one closest to Ontario listed first.
- Oil City
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Oil City is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oil City
- Norwalk
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Norwalk is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Norwalk
- Population from the 2020 Census: 633 people
- Wilton
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Wilton is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 498 people
- Cashton
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Cashton is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cashton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,111 people
- Melvina
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Melvina is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Melvina
- Population from the 2020 Census: 109 people
- Kendall
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Kendall is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kendall
- Population from the 2020 Census: 472 people
- Clifton
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Clifton is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clifton
- Sparta
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Sparta is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sparta
- Population from the 2020 Census: 9,800 people
- Tomah
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Tomah is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tomah
- Population from the 2020 Census: 9,363 people
- Tunnel City
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Tunnel City is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tunnel City
- Oakdale
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Oakdale is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakdale
- Population from the 2020 Census: 290 people
- Angelo
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Angelo is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Angelo
- Richland County
- The following are listed by their distance from Ontario, with the one closest to Ontario listed first.
- Viola
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Viola is located in Richland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Viola
- Population from the 2020 Census: 665 people
- Yuba
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Yuba is located in Richland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yuba
- Population from the 2020 Census: 69 people
- Bloom City
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Bloom City is located in Richland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bloom City
- Woodstock
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Woodstock is located in Richland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodstock
- Sabin
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Sabin is located in Richland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sabin
- Hub City
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Hub City is located in Richland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hub City
- Gillingham
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Gillingham is located in Richland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gillingham
- Cazenovia
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Cazenovia is located in Richland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cazenovia
- Population from the 2020 Census: 310 people
- Boaz
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Boaz is located in Richland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boaz
- Population from the 2020 Census: 148 people
- Richland Center
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Richland Center is located in Richland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Richland Center
- Population from the 2020 Census: 4,949 people
- Neptune
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Neptune is located in Richland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Neptune
- Ithaca
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Ithaca is located in Richland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ithaca
- Sauk County
- The following are listed by their distance from Ontario, with the one closest to Ontario listed first.
- La Valle
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- La Valle is located in Sauk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for La Valle
- Population from the 2020 Census: 360 people
- Ironton
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Ironton is located in Sauk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ironton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 251 people
- Lime Ridge
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Lime Ridge is located in Sauk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lime Ridge
- Population from the 2020 Census: 163 people
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Ontario, see our County-by-County Page for Ontario.
Cemeteries Near Ontario ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Ontario.
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 Ontario - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Ontario covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Ontario, with the one closest to Ontario listed first.
- Hilltop Rest Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Billings Creek Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Gordon Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Home Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Bad Axe Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Calvin Day Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Revels Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Fairview Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- St. Matthew Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Wanderers Rest Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Jug Creek Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Mt. Tabor Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Continue List (210 more) ...
- St. Paul Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- St. Jacobs Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Forest - Burr Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest - Burr Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Forest - Burr Cemetery is located 6 miles [9.7 km]<2> to the west of Hillsboro.
- The Forest - Burr Cemetery has also been known as:
- Barton's Corners / Forest Cemetery
- Burr - Salem Cemetery
- Forest Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #87964 <1>
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 Ontario had a population of 266 people in 1895 with a post office and no railroad service. In 2020, Ontario had a population of 561 people.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Ontario, with the one closest to Ontario listed first.
- Oil City
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Oil City is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oil City
- Rockton
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Rockton is located in Vernon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rockton
- Valley
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Valley is located in Vernon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Valley
- Norwalk
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Norwalk is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Norwalk
- Population from the 2020 Census: 633 people
- Mount Tabor
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Mount Tabor is located in Vernon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Tabor
- Saint Marys
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Saint Marys is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Marys
- Trippville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Trippville is located in Vernon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trippville
- Cashton
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Cashton is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cashton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,111 people
- Bloomingdale
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Bloomingdale is located in Vernon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bloomingdale
- La Farge
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- La Farge is located in Vernon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for La Farge
- Population from the 2020 Census: 763 people
- Melvina
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Melvina is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Melvina
- Population from the 2020 Census: 109 people
- Newry
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Newry is located in Vernon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newry
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- Avalanche
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Avalanche is located in Vernon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avalanche
- West Lima
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- West Lima is located in Richland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Lima
- Kendall
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Kendall is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kendall
- Population from the 2020 Census: 472 people
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Ontario. See our List of 1890's Communities around Ontario.
Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Ontario ...
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 122 newspapers that have been published in the area around Ontario.
We have organized these newspapers into two lists:
- A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Ontario. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Ontario and those printed in the larger area surrounding Ontario.
- An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<2> of Ontario.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we like to start 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 Ontario:
- Websites specific to Wisconsin
- Pages specific to Vernon County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Crawford County
- Juneau County
- La Crosse County
- Monroe County
- Richland County
- Sauk 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 drawn from Point A (ie- Ontario) 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 Ontario, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |