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 Plainfield (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 Plainfield. 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 doctors and 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.
Plainfield 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 Plainfield. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Plainfield:
- LaPorte County (The home county of Plainfield)
- The following are listed by their distance from Plainfield, with the one closest to Plainfield listed first.
- Rolling Prairie
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Hesston
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Hesston is located in LaPorte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hesston
- Smith
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Smith is located in LaPorte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smith
- Stillwell
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Stillwell is located in LaPorte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stillwell
- Kankakee
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Kankakee is located in LaPorte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kankakee
- La Porte
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Kingsbury
(16 miles [25.7 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
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Door Village is located in LaPorte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Door Village
- Michiana Shores
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Kingsford Heights
(19 miles [30.6 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
- Long Beach
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Trail Creek
(19 miles [30.6 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
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Waterford is located in LaPorte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waterford
- Elkhart County
- The following are listed by their distance from Plainfield, with the one closest to Plainfield listed first.
- Jamestown
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Jamestown is located in Elkhart County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jamestown
- Elkhart
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Simonton Lake
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Simonton Lake is located in Elkhart County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Simonton Lake
- Wakarusa
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Garden Village
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Garden Village is located in Elkhart County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garden Village
- Dunlap
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Dunlap is located in Elkhart County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunlap
- Southwest
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Southwest is located in Elkhart County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Southwest
- Nappanee
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Marshall County
- The following are listed by their distance from Plainfield, with the one closest to Plainfield listed first.
- La Paz
(19 miles [30.6 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
- Tyner
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Tyner is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tyner
- Harris
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Harris is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harris
- Linkville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Linkville is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Linkville
- Donaldson
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Donaldson is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Donaldson
- Bremen
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Plymouth
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Porter County
- The following are listed by their distance from Plainfield, with the one closest to Plainfield listed first.
- Beverly Shores
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Town-of-Pines
(25 miles [40.2 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
- Suman
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Suman is located in Porter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Suman
- Tratebas Mill
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Tratebas Mill is located in Porter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tratebas Mill
- Saint Joseph County
- The following are listed by their distance from Plainfield, with the one closest to Plainfield listed first.
- New Carlisle
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Zeigler
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Zeigler is located in Saint Joseph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zeigler
- Crumstown
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Crumstown is located in Saint Joseph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crumstown
- Roseland
(11 miles [17.7 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
- South Bend
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Georgetown
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Georgetown is located in Saint Joseph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Georgetown
- Indian Village
(12 miles [19.3 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
- North Liberty
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Nutwood
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Nutwood is located in Saint Joseph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nutwood
- Gulivoire Park
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Gulivoire Park is located in Saint Joseph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gulivoire Park
- Mishawaka
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Walkerton
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Lakeville
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Starke County
- The following are listed by their distance from Plainfield, with the one closest to Plainfield 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
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Knox
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Ober
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Ober is located in Starke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ober
- Berrien County (MI)
- The following are listed by their distance from Plainfield, with the one closest to Plainfield listed first.
- Dayton
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Dayton is located in Berrien County (MI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dayton
- Galien
(6 miles [9.7 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
- Avery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Avery is located in Berrien County (MI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avery
- Bakertown
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Bakertown is located in Berrien County (MI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bakertown
- Three Oaks
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Buchanan
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Glendora
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Glendora is located in Berrien County (MI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glendora
- Hills Corners
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Hills Corners is located in Berrien County (MI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hills Corners
- New Troy
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Harbert
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Lakeside
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Lakeside is located in Berrien County (MI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakeside
- Sawyer
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Union Pier
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Cass County (MI)
- The following are listed by their distance from Plainfield, with the one closest to Plainfield listed first.
- Sumnerville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Sumnerville is located in Cass County (MI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sumnerville
- Pokagon
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Pokagon is located in Cass County (MI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pokagon
- Edwardsburg
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Dowagiac
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Cassopolis
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- La Grange
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- La Grange is located in Cass County (MI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for La Grange
- Brownsville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Brownsville is located in Cass County (MI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brownsville
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Plainfield, see our County-by-County Page for Plainfield.
Cemeteries Near Plainfield ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Plainfield.
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 Plainfield - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Plainfield covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Plainfield, with the one closest to Plainfield listed first.
- Olive Chapel Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Sauktown Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Swem Grave
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Dayton Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- St. Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Germinder & Ward Graves
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Sacred Heart Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- 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.
- McGowan Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Galien Twp. Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Teeter Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- St. Joseph Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- 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
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Continue List (208 more) ...
- Hungarian Sacred Heart Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Shedd Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Portage Prairie Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 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 Plainfield in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Plainfield.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Plainfield, with the one closest to Plainfield listed first.
- Terre Coupee
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Terre Coupee is located in Saint Joseph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Terre Coupee
- New Carlisle
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Crumstown
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Crumstown is located in Saint Joseph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crumstown
- Dayton
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Dayton is located in Berrien County (MI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dayton
- Galien
(6 miles [9.7 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
- Rolling Prairie
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Avery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Avery is located in Berrien County (MI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avery
- Three Oaks
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Hesston
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Hesston is located in LaPorte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hesston
- Fish Lake
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Fish Lake is located in LaPorte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fish Lake
- Buchanan
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- South Bend
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Continue List (13 more) ...
- Stillwell
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Stillwell is located in LaPorte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stillwell
- New Troy
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- North Liberty
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Plainfield. See our List of 1890's Communities around Plainfield.
Newspapers Published in Plainfield ...
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 65 newspapers that have been published in the area around Plainfield.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Plainfield, there are papers which were published within 21 miles [33.8 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Plainfield.
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 Plainfield:
- Websites specific to Indiana
- Pages specific to LaPorte County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Elkhart County
- Marshall County
- Porter 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 Plainfield, 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 obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Plainfield) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |