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 Fish Lake (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 Fish Lake. 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.
Name Variations for Fish Lake ...
When searching records, keep in mind that names and their spelling can change over time. Our sources include documents like maps, railroad schedules, Travel, Express and Shipping Guides. Many of these documents date from the 1800's and it's common to find spelling differences.
Although we can't give a definitive list, hopefully the following will give you a feel for the variations that might occur.
For example, a typical abbreviation for Fish Lake: Fish Lk.
You might be interested in other communities that are also named Fish Lake. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Fish Lake.
If you have information about these names (such as the reason for the change, date of change, the origin of the name), please Contact Us.
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.
Fish Lake is located in LaPorte 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 LaPorte County: Jasper, Porter, Saint Joseph, Starke & Berrien (MI).
Below are the counties that are near Fish Lake. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Fish Lake:
- LaPorte County (The home county of Fish Lake)
- The following are listed by their distance from Fish Lake, with the one closest to Fish Lake listed first.
- Stillwell
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Stillwell is located in LaPorte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stillwell
- Kankakee
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Kankakee is located in LaPorte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kankakee
- Kingsbury
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Kingsbury is located in LaPorte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kingsbury
- Population from the 2020 Census: 239 people
- Rolling Prairie
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Kingsford Heights
(9 miles [14.5 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
- La Porte
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Door Village
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Door Village is located in LaPorte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Door Village
- Smith
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Smith is located in LaPorte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smith
- Union Mills
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Hesston
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Hesston is located in LaPorte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hesston
- Hanna
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Waterford
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Waterford is located in LaPorte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waterford
- Holmesville
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Holmesville is located in LaPorte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holmesville
- Elkhart County
- The following are listed by their distance from Fish Lake, with the one closest to Fish Lake listed first.
- Jamestown
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Jamestown is located in Elkhart County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jamestown
- Wakarusa
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Nappanee
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Elkhart
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Fulton County
- Delong
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Delong is located in Fulton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Delong
- Marshall County
- The following are listed by their distance from Fish Lake, with the one closest to Fish Lake listed first.
- Tyner
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Tyner is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tyner
- La Paz
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- La Paz is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for La Paz
- Population from the 2020 Census: 549 people
- Donaldson
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Donaldson is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Donaldson
- Harris
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Harris is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harris
- Linkville
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Linkville is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Linkville
- Plymouth
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Bremen
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Burr Oak
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Burr Oak is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burr Oak
- Culver
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Culver is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Culver
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,484 people
- Argos
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Bourbon
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Porter County
- The following are listed by their distance from Fish Lake, with the one closest to Fish Lake listed first.
- Town-of-Pines
(22 miles [35.4 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
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Suman
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Suman is located in Porter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Suman
- Tratebas Mill
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Tratebas Mill is located in Porter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tratebas Mill
- Chesterton
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Valparaiso
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Porter
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Babcock
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Babcock is located in Porter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Babcock
- Dune Acres
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Dune Acres is located in Porter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dune Acres
- Population from the 2020 Census: 182 people
- Burns Harbor
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Kouts
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- South Haven
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- South Haven is located in Porter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Haven
- Pulaski County
- The following are listed by their distance from Fish Lake, with the one closest to Fish Lake listed first.
- Monterey
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Monterey is located in Pulaski County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monterey
- Population from the 2020 Census: 200 people
- Beardstown
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Beardstown is located in Pulaski County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beardstown
- Denham
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Denham is located in Pulaski County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Denham
- Saint Joseph County
- The following are listed by their distance from Fish Lake, with the one closest to Fish Lake listed first.
- North Liberty
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Walkerton
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Crumstown
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Crumstown is located in Saint Joseph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crumstown
- New Carlisle
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Zeigler
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Zeigler is located in Saint Joseph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zeigler
- Lakeville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Nutwood
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Nutwood is located in Saint Joseph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nutwood
- Gulivoire Park
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Gulivoire Park is located in Saint Joseph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gulivoire Park
- South Bend
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Roseland
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Roseland is located in Saint Joseph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roseland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 635 people
- Wyatt
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Indian Village
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Indian Village is located in Saint Joseph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Indian Village
- Population from the 2020 Census: 134 people
- Georgetown
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Georgetown is located in Saint Joseph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Georgetown
- Starke County
- The following are listed by their distance from Fish Lake, with the one closest to Fish Lake listed first.
- Koontz Lake
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Koontz Lake is located in Starke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Koontz Lake
- Hamlet
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Grovertown
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Grovertown is located in Starke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grovertown
- Knox
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Ober
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Ober is located in Starke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ober
- Toto
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Toto is located in Starke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Toto
- Bass Lake
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Bass Lake is located in Starke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bass Lake
- Aldine
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Aldine is located in Starke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aldine
- North Judson
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Ora
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Ora is located in Starke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ora
- San Pierre
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Berrien County (MI)
- The following are listed by their distance from Fish Lake, with the one closest to Fish Lake listed first.
- Avery
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Avery is located in Berrien County (MI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avery
- Galien
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Galien is located in Berrien County (MI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Galien
- Population from the 2020 Census: 527 people
- Three Oaks
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Dayton
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Dayton is located in Berrien County (MI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dayton
- Bakertown
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Bakertown is located in Berrien County (MI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bakertown
- Grand Beach
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Grand Beach is located in Berrien County (MI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grand Beach
- Population from the 2020 Census: 281 people
- New Buffalo
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Union Pier
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Michiana
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Lakeside
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Lakeside is located in Berrien County (MI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakeside
- Buchanan
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Harbert
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Hazelhurst
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Hazelhurst is located in Berrien County (MI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hazelhurst
- Cass County (MI)
- The following are listed by their distance from Fish Lake, with the one closest to Fish Lake listed first.
- Edwardsburg
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Sumnerville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Sumnerville is located in Cass County (MI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sumnerville
- Pokagon
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Pokagon is located in Cass County (MI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pokagon
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Fish Lake, see our County-by-County Page for Fish Lake.
Cemeteries Near Fish Lake ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Fish Lake.
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 Fish Lake - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Fish Lake covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Fish Lake, with the one closest to Fish Lake listed first.
- Sauktown Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Westlawn Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Old Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Olive Chapel Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Woodlawn Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Griffin Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Kingsbury Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Tracy Lutheran Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Patton Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- St. Josephs Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- St. Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Teeter Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Continue List (180 more) ...
- Quaker Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- St. Johns Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Barber Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
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 Fish Lake had a population of 25 people in 1895 with railroad service and no post office.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Fish Lake, with the one closest to Fish Lake listed first.
- Stillwell
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Stillwell is located in LaPorte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stillwell
- Kankakee
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Kankakee is located in LaPorte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kankakee
- North Liberty
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Kingsbury
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Kingsbury is located in LaPorte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kingsbury
- Population from the 2020 Census: 239 people
- Union Center
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Union Center is located in LaPorte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union Center
- Walkerton
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Tracy
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Tracy is located in LaPorte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tracy
- Rolling Prairie
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Crumstown
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Crumstown is located in Saint Joseph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crumstown
- New Carlisle
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- La Porte
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Terre Coupee
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Terre Coupee is located in Saint Joseph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Terre Coupee
- Continue List (16 more) ...
- Teegarden
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Teegarden is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Teegarden
- Door Village
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Door Village is located in LaPorte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Door Village
- Union Mills
(12 miles [19.3 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 Fish Lake. See our List of 1890's Communities around Fish Lake.
Newspapers Published in Fish Lake ...
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 29 newspapers that have been published in the area around Fish Lake.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Fish Lake, there are papers which were published within 24 miles [38.6 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Fish Lake.
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 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 Fish Lake:
- Websites specific to Indiana
- Pages specific to LaPorte County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Elkhart County
- Fulton County
- Marshall County
- Porter County
- Pulaski County
- Saint Joseph County
- Starke County
- Berrien County
- Cass 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 Fish Lake, 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 things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Fish Lake) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |