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 Westville (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 Westville. 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 hospitals 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.
Westville 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 Westville. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Westville:
- LaPorte County (The home county of Westville)
- The following are listed by their distance from Westville, with the one closest to Westville listed first.
- Alida
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Alida is located in LaPorte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alida
- Haskell
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Haskell is located in LaPorte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Haskell
- Holmesville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Holmesville is located in LaPorte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holmesville
- Otis
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Otis is located in LaPorte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Otis
- Door Village
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Door Village is located in LaPorte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Door Village
- Wanatah
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Union Mills
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Waterford
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Waterford is located in LaPorte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waterford
- Kingsbury
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Kingsbury is located in LaPorte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kingsbury
- Population from the 2020 Census: 239 people
- La Porte
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Hanna
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Kingsford Heights
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Kingsford Heights is located in LaPorte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kingsford Heights
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,379 people
- Jasper County
- The following are listed by their distance from Westville, with the one closest to Westville listed first.
- Tefft
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Tefft is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tefft
- Wheatfield
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Stoutsburg
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Stoutsburg is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stoutsburg
- DeMotte
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- 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
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Forest City is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest City
- Lake County
- The following are listed by their distance from Westville, with the one closest to Westville listed first.
- Deep River
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Deep River is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deep River
- Lakes of the Four Seasons
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Duneland Village of Gary
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Hobart
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Lake Station
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- New Chicago
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- New Chicago is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Chicago
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,937 people
- Duneland Village
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Duneland Village is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Duneland Village
- Winfield
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Winfield is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winfield
- Population from the 2020 Census: 6,265 people
- Green Acres
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Green Acres is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Green Acres
- Liverpool
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Liverpool is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Liverpool
- Merrillville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Leroy
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Leroy is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leroy
- Marshall County
- The following are listed by their distance from Westville, with the one closest to Westville listed first.
- Donaldson
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Donaldson is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Donaldson
- Tyner
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Tyner is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tyner
- Porter County
- The following are listed by their distance from Westville, with the one closest to Westville listed first.
- Suman
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Suman is located in Porter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Suman
- Tratebas Mill
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Tratebas Mill is located in Porter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tratebas Mill
- Valparaiso
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Chesterton
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Town-of-Pines
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Town-of-Pines is located in Porter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Town-of-Pines
- Population from the 2020 Census: 688 people
- Porter
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Babcock
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Babcock is located in Porter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Babcock
- Beverly Shores
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- South Haven
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- South Haven is located in Porter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Haven
- Burns Harbor
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Dune Acres
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Dune Acres is located in Porter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dune Acres
- Population from the 2020 Census: 182 people
- Portage
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Pulaski County
- Denham
(28 miles [45.1 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 Westville, with the one closest to Westville listed first.
- Walkerton
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- New Carlisle
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- North Liberty
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Crumstown
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Crumstown is located in Saint Joseph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crumstown
- Zeigler
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Zeigler is located in Saint Joseph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zeigler
- Starke County
- The following are listed by their distance from Westville, with the one closest to Westville listed first.
- Hamlet
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Knox
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Toto
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Toto is located in Starke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Toto
- Koontz Lake
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Koontz Lake is located in Starke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Koontz Lake
- North Judson
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- San Pierre
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Grovertown
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Grovertown is located in Starke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grovertown
- Aldine
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Aldine is located in Starke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aldine
- Bass Lake
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Bass Lake is located in Starke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bass Lake
- Ober
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Ober is located in Starke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ober
- Berrien County (MI)
- The following are listed by their distance from Westville, with the one closest to Westville listed first.
- Michiana
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Grand Beach
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- 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
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Union Pier
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Three Oaks
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Avery
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Avery is located in Berrien County (MI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avery
- Lakeside
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Lakeside is located in Berrien County (MI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakeside
- Galien
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Galien is located in Berrien County (MI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Galien
- Population from the 2020 Census: 527 people
- Harbert
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Hazelhurst
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Hazelhurst is located in Berrien County (MI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hazelhurst
- Shorewood - Tower Hills - Harbert
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- New Troy
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Westville, see our County-by-County Page for Westville.
Cemeteries Near Westville ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Westville.
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 Westville - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Westville covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Westville, with the one closest to Westville listed first.
- Clinton Chapel Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Eaheart Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Quakerdom Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Eight Square Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Carter Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Beattys Corner Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Kinne Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Dillingham Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Luther Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Sacred Heart Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Sharp Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Graceland Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Continue List (144 more) ...
- Maplewood Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- St. Pauls Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Chesterton Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
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.<2>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Westville had a population of 522 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Westville had a population of 5,854 people.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Westville, with the one closest to Westville listed first.
- Alida
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Alida is located in LaPorte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alida
- Coburg
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Coburg is located in Porter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coburg
- Haskell
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Haskell is located in LaPorte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Haskell
- Otis
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Otis is located in LaPorte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Otis
- Holmesville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Holmesville is located in LaPorte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holmesville
- Suman
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Suman is located in Porter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Suman
- Durham
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Durham is located in LaPorte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Durham
- Burdick
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Burdick is located in Porter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burdick
- Wanatah
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Union Mills
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Wellsboro
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Wellsboro is located in LaPorte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wellsboro
- Door Village
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Door Village is located in LaPorte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Door Village
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Woodville
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Woodville is located in Porter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodville
- Valparaiso
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- South Wanatah
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- South Wanatah is located in LaPorte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Wanatah
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Westville. See our List of 1890's Communities around Westville.
Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Westville ...
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 87 newspapers that have been published in the area around Westville.
We have organized these newspapers into two lists:
- A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Westville. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Westville and those printed in the larger area surrounding Westville.
- An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 21 miles [33.8 km]<3> of Westville.
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 Westville:
- Websites specific to Indiana
- Pages specific to LaPorte County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Jasper County
- Lake County
- Marshall County
- Porter County
- Pulaski County
- Saint Joseph County
- Starke 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> | 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 Westville, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <3> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a '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- Westville) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |