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 Aetna (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 Aetna. 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 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.
Aetna is located in Lake County.
To see how the shape of Indiana's counties may have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.
The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Lake County: Cook (IL), Kankakee (IL), Will (IL), Jasper, Newton & Porter.
Below are the counties that are near Aetna. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Aetna:
- Lake County (The home county of Aetna)
- The following are listed by their distance from Aetna, with the one closest to Aetna listed first.
- Duneland Village of Gary
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Duneland Village
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Duneland Village is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Duneland Village
- Liverpool
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Liverpool is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Liverpool
- New Chicago
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- New Chicago is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Chicago
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,937 people
- Lake Station
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Gary
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Hobart
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Ross
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Ross is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ross
- Green Acres
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Green Acres is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Green Acres
- Merrillville
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Lottaville
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Lottaville is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lottaville
- Deep River
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Deep River is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deep River
- Griffith
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Jasper County
- The following are listed by their distance from Aetna, with the one closest to Aetna listed first.
- DeMotte
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- DeMotte is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for DeMotte
- Population from the 2020 Census: 4,172 people
- DeMotte has also been known as:
- De Motte
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for DeMotte <1>
- Forest City
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Forest City is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest City
- Stoutsburg
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Stoutsburg is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stoutsburg
- Wheatfield
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- LaPorte County
- The following are listed by their distance from Aetna, with the one closest to Aetna listed first.
- Otis
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Otis is located in LaPorte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Otis
- Alida
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Alida is located in LaPorte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alida
- Westville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Haskell
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Haskell is located in LaPorte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Haskell
- Holmesville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Holmesville is located in LaPorte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holmesville
- Michigan City
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Trail Creek
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Trail Creek is located in LaPorte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trail Creek
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,985 people
- Waterford
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Waterford is located in LaPorte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waterford
- Pottawattamie Park
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Pottawattamie Park is located in LaPorte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pottawattamie Park
- Population from the 2020 Census: 221 people
- Wanatah
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Long Beach
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Door Village
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Door Village is located in LaPorte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Door Village
- Michiana Shores
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Newton County
- The following are listed by their distance from Aetna, with the one closest to Aetna listed first.
- Thayer
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Thayer is located in Newton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thayer
- Sumava Resorts
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Porter County
- The following are listed by their distance from Aetna, with the one closest to Aetna listed first.
- Portage
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Willow Creek
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Willow Creek is located in Porter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willow Creek
- Woodland Village
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Woodland Village is located in Porter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodland Village
- Ogden Dunes
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Ogden Dunes is located in Porter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ogden Dunes
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,083 people
- Wheeler
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Wheeler is located in Porter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wheeler
- Burns Harbor
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- South Haven
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- South Haven is located in Porter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Haven
- Babcock
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Babcock is located in Porter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Babcock
- Dune Acres
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Dune Acres is located in Porter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dune Acres
- Population from the 2020 Census: 182 people
- Chesterton
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Porter
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Tratebas Mill
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Tratebas Mill is located in Porter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tratebas Mill
- Porter Crossroads
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Porter Crossroads is located in Porter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Porter Crossroads
- Cook County (IL)
- The following are listed by their distance from Aetna, with the one closest to Aetna listed first.
- Calumet City
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Burnham
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Burnham is located in Cook County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burnham
- Population from the 2020 Census: 4,040 people
- Globe
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Globe is located in Cook County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Globe
- Hegewisch
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Hegewisch is located in Cook County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hegewisch
- Lansing
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- East Side
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- East Side is located in Cook County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Side
- Lynwood
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- South Chicago
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- South Chicago is located in Cook County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Chicago
- Sauk Village
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Dolton
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Ford Heights
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Glenwood
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- South Holland
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Kankakee County (IL)
- The following are listed by their distance from Aetna, with the one closest to Aetna listed first.
- Sherburnville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Sherburnville is located in Kankakee County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sherburnville
- Grant Park
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Grant Park is located in Kankakee County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grant Park
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,231 people
- Illinoi
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Illinoi is located in Kankakee County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Illinoi
- Will County (IL)
- The following are listed by their distance from Aetna, with the one closest to Aetna listed first.
- Willowbrook
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Steger
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Crete
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Goodenow
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Goodenow is located in Will County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goodenow
- Beecher
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- University Park
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Monee
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Frankfort Square
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Frankfort Square is located in Will County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frankfort Square
- Frankfort
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Berrien County (MI)
- The following are listed by their distance from Aetna, with the one closest to Aetna listed first.
- Michiana
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Grand Beach
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Grand Beach is located in Berrien County (MI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grand Beach
- Population from the 2020 Census: 281 people
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Aetna, see our County-by-County Page for Aetna.
Cemeteries Near Aetna ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Aetna.
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 Aetna - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Aetna covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Aetna, with the one closest to Aetna listed first.
- St. Francis Xavier Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Tolleston Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Waldheim Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Evergreen Memorial Park
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Crown Hill Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Oak Hill Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Hobart City Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Blake Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Calvary Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Calvary Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Calvary Cemetery is a very large cemetery that is located in Portage.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #84536 <2>
- Temple of Israel Cemetery of Gary
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- St.s Peter & Paul Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Mt. Mercy Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mt. Mercy Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Mt. Mercy Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located in Gary.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #86023 <2>
- Continue List (194 more) ...
- St. Mary's Russian Orthodox Church Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for St. Mary's Russian Orthodox Church Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the St. Mary's Russian Orthodox Church Cemetery is located in Gary.
- The St. Mary's Russian Orthodox Church Cemetery has also been known as:
- St. Marys Cemetery
- Ridgelawn Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ridgelawn Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Ridgelawn Cemetery is a very large cemetery that is located in Gary.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #86566 <2>
- Ross Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 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.<3>
While we didn't find Aetna in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Aetna.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Aetna, with the one closest to Aetna listed first.
- Miller
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Miller is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Miller
- Liverpool
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Liverpool is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Liverpool
- Lake Station
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Hobart
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Crisman
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Crisman is located in Porter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crisman
- Willow Creek
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Willow Creek is located in Porter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willow Creek
- Pine
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Pine is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine
- Ross
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Ross is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ross
- Ivanhoe
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Ivanhoe is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ivanhoe
- Lottaville
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Lottaville is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lottaville
- Merrillville
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Ainsworth
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Ainsworth is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ainsworth
- Continue List (17 more) ...
- Wheeler
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Wheeler is located in Porter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wheeler
- McCool
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- McCool is located in Porter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McCool
- Griffith
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Aetna. See our List of 1890's Communities around Aetna.
Newspapers Published in Aetna ...
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 38 newspapers that have been published in the area around Aetna.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Aetna, there are papers which were published within 17 miles [27.4 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Aetna.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we begin 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 Aetna:
- Websites specific to Indiana
- Pages specific to Lake County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Jasper County
- LaPorte County
- Newton County
- Porter County
- Cook County
- Kankakee County
- Will County
- Berrien County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Indiana
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> | 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 Aetna, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <4> | 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 drawn from Point A (ie- Aetna) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |