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 Chain-O-Lakes (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 Chain-O-Lakes. 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.
Chain-O-Lakes is located in Saint Joseph 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 Saint Joseph County: Elkhart, LaPorte, Marshall, Starke, Berrien (MI) & Cass (MI).
Below are the counties that are near Chain-O-Lakes. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Chain-O-Lakes:
- Saint Joseph County (The home county of Chain-O-Lakes)
- The following are listed by their distance from Chain-O-Lakes, with the one closest to Chain-O-Lakes listed first.
- Zeigler
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Zeigler is located in Saint Joseph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zeigler
- Crumstown
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Crumstown is located in Saint Joseph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crumstown
- Roseland
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Roseland is located in Saint Joseph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roseland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 635 people
- New Carlisle
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Georgetown
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Georgetown is located in Saint Joseph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Georgetown
- Indian Village
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Indian Village is located in Saint Joseph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Indian Village
- Population from the 2020 Census: 134 people
- South Bend
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Gulivoire Park
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Gulivoire Park is located in Saint Joseph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gulivoire Park
- Nutwood
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Nutwood is located in Saint Joseph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nutwood
- Mishawaka
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- North Liberty
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Lakeville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Granger
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Elkhart County
- The following are listed by their distance from Chain-O-Lakes, with the one closest to Chain-O-Lakes listed first.
- Jamestown
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Jamestown is located in Elkhart County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jamestown
- Elkhart
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Simonton Lake
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Simonton Lake is located in Elkhart County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Simonton Lake
- Wakarusa
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Dunlap
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Dunlap is located in Elkhart County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunlap
- Garden Village
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Garden Village is located in Elkhart County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garden Village
- Southwest
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Southwest is located in Elkhart County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Southwest
- Nappanee
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Foraker
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Foraker is located in Elkhart County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Foraker
- Bristol
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Goshen
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Gravelton
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Gravelton is located in Elkhart County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gravelton
- LaPorte County
- The following are listed by their distance from Chain-O-Lakes, with the one closest to Chain-O-Lakes listed first.
- Rolling Prairie
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Hesston
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Hesston is located in LaPorte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hesston
- Smith
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Smith is located in LaPorte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smith
- Stillwell
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Stillwell is located in LaPorte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stillwell
- Kankakee
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Kankakee is located in LaPorte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kankakee
- La Porte
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Kingsbury
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Kingsbury is located in LaPorte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kingsbury
- Population from the 2020 Census: 239 people
- Door Village
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Door Village is located in LaPorte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Door Village
- Kingsford Heights
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Kingsford Heights is located in LaPorte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kingsford Heights
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,379 people
- Michiana Shores
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Long Beach
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Trail Creek
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Trail Creek is located in LaPorte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trail Creek
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,985 people
- Waterford
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Waterford is located in LaPorte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waterford
- Marshall County
- The following are listed by their distance from Chain-O-Lakes, with the one closest to Chain-O-Lakes listed first.
- La Paz
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- La Paz is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for La Paz
- Population from the 2020 Census: 549 people
- Harris
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Harris is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harris
- Linkville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Linkville is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Linkville
- Tyner
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Tyner is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tyner
- Bremen
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Donaldson
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Donaldson is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Donaldson
- Plymouth
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Porter County
- The following are listed by their distance from Chain-O-Lakes, with the one closest to Chain-O-Lakes listed first.
- Town-of-Pines
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Town-of-Pines is located in Porter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Town-of-Pines
- Population from the 2020 Census: 688 people
- Beverly Shores
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Starke County
- The following are listed by their distance from Chain-O-Lakes, with the one closest to Chain-O-Lakes listed first.
- Koontz Lake
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Koontz Lake is located in Starke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Koontz Lake
- Grovertown
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Grovertown is located in Starke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grovertown
- Hamlet
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Berrien County (MI)
- The following are listed by their distance from Chain-O-Lakes, with the one closest to Chain-O-Lakes listed first.
- Bakertown
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Bakertown is located in Berrien County (MI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bakertown
- Dayton
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Dayton is located in Berrien County (MI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dayton
- Buchanan
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Galien
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Galien is located in Berrien County (MI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Galien
- Population from the 2020 Census: 527 people
- Niles
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Niles is located in Berrien County (MI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Niles
- Population from the 2020 Census: 11,093 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Niles <1>
- Avery
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Avery is located in Berrien County (MI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avery
- Hills Corners
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Hills Corners is located in Berrien County (MI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hills Corners
- Glendora
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Glendora is located in Berrien County (MI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glendora
- Three Oaks
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- New Troy
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Snow
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Snow is located in Berrien County (MI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Snow
- Berrien Springs
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Sawyer
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Cass County (MI)
- The following are listed by their distance from Chain-O-Lakes, with the one closest to Chain-O-Lakes listed first.
- Edwardsburg
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Sumnerville
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Sumnerville is located in Cass County (MI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sumnerville
- Pokagon
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Pokagon is located in Cass County (MI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pokagon
- Cassopolis
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Dowagiac
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Brownsville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Brownsville is located in Cass County (MI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brownsville
- La Grange
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- La Grange is located in Cass County (MI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for La Grange
- Union
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Penn
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Penn is located in Cass County (MI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Penn
- Vandalia
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Vandalia is located in Cass County (MI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vandalia
- Population from the 2020 Census: 281 people
- Van Buren County (MI)
- Keeler
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Keeler is located in Van Buren County (MI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keeler
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Chain-O-Lakes, see our County-by-County Page for Chain-O-Lakes.
Cemeteries Near Chain-O-Lakes ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Chain-O-Lakes.
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 Chain-O-Lakes - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Chain-O-Lakes covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Chain-O-Lakes, with the one closest to Chain-O-Lakes listed first.
- Hungarian Sacred Heart Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Sacred Heart Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sacred Heart Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Sacred Heart Cemetery is located outside and to the west of South Bend.
- St. Joseph Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for St. Joseph Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the St. Joseph Cemetery is a very large cemetery that is located outside and to the west of South Bend.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #86701 <2>
- St. Josephs Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- McGowan Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Riverview Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Highland Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Dayton Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Portage Prairie Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Howe Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Olive Chapel Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Sumption Prairie Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Continue List (235 more) ...
- Cedar Grove Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Bertrand Protestant Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- St. Josephs Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
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 Chain-O-Lakes in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Chain-O-Lakes.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Chain-O-Lakes, with the one closest to Chain-O-Lakes listed first.
- Crumstown
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Crumstown is located in Saint Joseph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crumstown
- Terre Coupee
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Terre Coupee is located in Saint Joseph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Terre Coupee
- Dayton
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Dayton is located in Berrien County (MI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dayton
- New Carlisle
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- South Bend
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Buchanan
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Galien
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Galien is located in Berrien County (MI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Galien
- Population from the 2020 Census: 527 people
- Nutwood
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Nutwood is located in Saint Joseph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nutwood
- Niles
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Niles is located in Berrien County (MI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Niles
- Population from the 2020 Census: 11,093 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Niles <1>
- Mishawaka
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Avery
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Avery is located in Berrien County (MI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avery
- Rolling Prairie
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Continue List (17 more) ...
- North Liberty
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Fish Lake
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Fish Lake is located in LaPorte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fish Lake
- Lakeville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Chain-O-Lakes. See our List of 1890's Communities around Chain-O-Lakes.
Newspapers Published in Chain-O-Lakes ...
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 Chain-O-Lakes.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Chain-O-Lakes, there are papers which were published within 23 miles [37 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Chain-O-Lakes.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we first turn to 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 Chain-O-Lakes:
- Websites specific to Indiana
- Pages specific to Saint Joseph County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Elkhart County
- LaPorte County
- Marshall County
- Porter County
- Starke County
- Berrien County
- Cass County
- Van Buren 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 Chain-O-Lakes, 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' (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- Chain-O-Lakes) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |