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 Briggs (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 Briggs. 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 northwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors were in the next county to the west. 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 west 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.
Briggs is located in Whitley 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 Whitley County: Allen, Huntington, Kosciusko, Noble & Wabash.
Below are the counties that are near Briggs. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Briggs:
- Whitley County (The home county of Briggs)
- The following are listed by their distance from Briggs, with the one closest to Briggs listed first.
- Columbia City
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Dunfee
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Dunfee is located in Whitley County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunfee
- Luther
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Luther is located in Whitley County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Luther
- Collins
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Collins is located in Whitley County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Collins
- South Whitley
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Lorane
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Lorane is located in Whitley County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lorane
- Cresco
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Cresco is located in Whitley County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cresco
- Larwill
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Larwill is located in Whitley County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Larwill
- Population from the 2020 Census: 288 people
- Collamer
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Collamer is located in Whitley County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Collamer
- Tri-Lakes
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Tri-Lakes is located in Whitley County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tri-Lakes
- Churubusco
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Etna
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Etna is located in Whitley County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Etna
- Adams County
- The following are listed by their distance from Briggs, with the one closest to Briggs listed first.
- Magley
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Magley is located in Adams County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Magley
- Preble
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Allen County
- The following are listed by their distance from Briggs, with the one closest to Briggs listed first.
- Arcola
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Aboite
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Aboite is located in Allen County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aboite
- Dunn Mill
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Dunn Mill is located in Allen County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunn Mill
- Indian Village
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Indian Village is located in Allen County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Indian Village
- Wallen
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Wallen is located in Allen County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wallen
- Ari
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Ari is located in Allen County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ari
- Fort Wayne
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Huntertown
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Yoder
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Anthony Wayne Village
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Hacienda Village
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Hacienda Village is located in Allen County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hacienda Village
- New Haven
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- DeKalb County
- The following are listed by their distance from Briggs, with the one closest to Briggs listed first.
- New Era
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- New Era is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Era
- Altona
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Altona is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Altona
- Population from the 2020 Census: 199 people
- Garrett
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Auburn
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Corunna
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Corunna is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Corunna
- Population from the 2020 Census: 258 people
- Fulton County
- The following are listed by their distance from Briggs, with the one closest to Briggs listed first.
- Disko
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Disko is located in Fulton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Disko
- Akron
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Huntington County
- The following are listed by their distance from Briggs, with the one closest to Briggs listed first.
- Goblesville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Goblesville is located in Huntington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goblesville
- Roanoke
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Bippus
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Bippus is located in Huntington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bippus
- Bowerstown
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Bowerstown is located in Huntington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bowerstown
- Huntington
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Andrews
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Harlansburg
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Harlansburg is located in Huntington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harlansburg
- Markle
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Majenica
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Majenica is located in Huntington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Majenica
- River
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- River is located in Huntington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for River
- Monument City ‑ Historic
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Monument City is located in Huntington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monument City
- Mount Etna
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Mount Etna is located in Huntington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Etna
- Population from the 2020 Census: 104 people
- Kosciusko County
- The following are listed by their distance from Briggs, with the one closest to Briggs listed first.
- Pierceton
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Sidney
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Sidney is located in Kosciusko County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sidney
- Population from the 2020 Census: 80 people
- Winona Lake
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- North Webster
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Arrowhead Park
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Arrowhead Park is located in Kosciusko County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arrowhead Park
- Claypool
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Silver Lake
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Leesburg
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Wawasee Village
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Wawasee Village is located in Kosciusko County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wawasee Village
- Burket
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Burket is located in Kosciusko County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burket
- Population from the 2020 Census: 195 people
- Syracuse
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Atwood
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Atwood is located in Kosciusko County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Atwood
- LaGrange County
- Wolcottville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Miami County
- The following are listed by their distance from Briggs, with the one closest to Briggs listed first.
- Gilead
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Gilead is located in Miami County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gilead
- Pettysville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Pettysville is located in Miami County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pettysville
- Noble County
- The following are listed by their distance from Briggs, with the one closest to Briggs listed first.
- Merriam
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Merriam is located in Noble County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Merriam
- Green Center
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Green Center is located in Noble County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Green Center
- Wolf Lake
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Wolf Lake is located in Noble County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wolf Lake
- Ege
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Ege is located in Noble County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ege
- Wilmot
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Wilmot is located in Noble County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilmot
- Port Mitchell
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Port Mitchell is located in Noble County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Port Mitchell
- Laotto
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Albion
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Kimmell
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Indian Village
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Indian Village is located in Noble County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Indian Village
- Avilla
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Cromwell
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Wabash County
- The following are listed by their distance from Briggs, with the one closest to Briggs listed first.
- Liberty Mills
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Liberty Mills is located in Wabash County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Liberty Mills
- Servia
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Servia is located in Wabash County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Servia
- North Manchester
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Laketon
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Lagro
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Urbana
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Lincolnville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Lincolnville is located in Wabash County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lincolnville
- Roann
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Stockdale
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Stockdale is located in Wabash County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stockdale
- Wabash
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Treaty
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Treaty is located in Wabash County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Treaty
- Wells County
- The following are listed by their distance from Briggs, with the one closest to Briggs listed first.
- Zanesville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Ossian
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Uniondale
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Tocsin
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Tocsin is located in Wells County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tocsin
- North Oaks
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- North Oaks is located in Wells County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Oaks
- Liberty Center
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Liberty Center is located in Wells County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Liberty Center
- Bluffton
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Craigville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Craigville is located in Wells County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Craigville
- Travisville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Travisville is located in Wells County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Travisville
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Briggs, see our County-by-County Page for Briggs.
Cemeteries Near Briggs ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Briggs.
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 Briggs - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Briggs covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Briggs, with the one closest to Briggs listed first.
- Oak Grove Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- South Park Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Nolt Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- St. Peters Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Eel River Presbyterian Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Union Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Broxon Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Bethel Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Cleveland Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Stough Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Bayliss Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Wigent Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Continue List (213 more) ...
- Garrison Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Egolf Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Egolf Cemetery
- The Egolf Cemetery has also been known as:
- Bethel Cemetery
- Thorncreek Bethel Cemetery
- Thorncreek Bethel Church of God Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2173928 <2>
- Blue River Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
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 Briggs in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Briggs.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Briggs, with the one closest to Briggs listed first.
- Peabody
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Peabody is located in Whitley County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peabody
- Raber
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Raber is located in Whitley County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Raber
- Laud
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Laud is located in Whitley County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Laud
- Coesse
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Coesse is located in Whitley County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coesse
- Columbia City
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Tunker
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Tunker is located in Whitley County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tunker
- Goblesville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Goblesville is located in Huntington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goblesville
- Saturn
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Saturn is located in Whitley County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saturn
- Dunfee
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Dunfee is located in Whitley County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunfee
- Collins
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Collins is located in Whitley County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Collins
- South Whitley
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Roanoke
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Continue List (18 more) ...
- Aboite
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Aboite is located in Allen County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aboite
- Arcola
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Lorane
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Lorane is located in Whitley County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lorane
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Briggs. See our List of 1890's Communities around Briggs.
Newspapers Published in Briggs ...
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 96 newspapers that have been published in the area around Briggs.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Briggs, there are papers which were published within 22 miles [35.4 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Briggs.
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 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 Briggs:
- Websites specific to Indiana
- Pages specific to Whitley County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Adams County
- Allen County
- DeKalb County
- Fulton County
- Huntington County
- Kosciusko County
- LaGrange County
- Miami County
- Noble County
- Wabash County
- Wells 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 Briggs, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <4> | 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 drawn from Point A (ie- Briggs) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |