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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 Ashland Center (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 Ashland Center. 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 Ashland Center ...

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.

For example, a typical abbreviation for Ashland Center: Ashland Ctr. (or less commonly used: Ashland Cen., Ashland Cent. or Ashland Cntr.)

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 southwest 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 south.

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 south 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.

Ashland Center is located in Newaygo County.

To see how the shape of Michigan's counties may have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.

The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Newaygo County: Kent, Lake, Mason, Mecosta, Montcalm, Muskegon, Oceana & Osceola.

Below are the counties that are near Ashland Center. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Ashland Center:

  • Newaygo County     (The home county of Ashland Center)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ashland Center, with the one closest to Ashland Center listed first.
    • Grant
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
    • Ashland
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Ashland is located in Newaygo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ashland
    • Bridgeton
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
      • Bridgeton is located in Newaygo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bridgeton
    • Sun
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
      • Sun is located in Newaygo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sun
    • Bishop
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
      • Bishop is located in Newaygo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bishop
    • Newaygo
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Brookside
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Brookside is located in Newaygo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brookside
    • Sitka
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
      • Sitka is located in Newaygo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sitka
    • Fremont
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Fremont is located in Newaygo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fremont
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 4,102 people
      • Former name for Fremont:
      • Fremont Center
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Fremont <1>
    • Reeman
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Reeman is located in Newaygo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reeman
    • Croton
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Croton is located in Newaygo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Croton
    • Riverview
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Riverview is located in Newaygo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riverview
  • Kent County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ashland Center, with the one closest to Ashland Center listed first.
    • Casnovia
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Kent City
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Lisbon
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
      • Lisbon is located in Kent County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lisbon
    • Sparta
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Cedar Springs
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Sand Lake
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
    • Edgerton
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
      • Edgerton is located in Kent County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edgerton
    • Rockford
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Sheffield
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Sheffield is located in Kent County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sheffield
    • Belmont
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Kinney
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
      • Kinney is located in Kent County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kinney
    • Comstock Park
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Mecosta County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ashland Center, with the one closest to Ashland Center listed first.
    • Morley
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Borland
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Borland is located in Mecosta County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Borland
    • Stanwood
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Rustford
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Rustford is located in Mecosta County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rustford
    • Big Rapids
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Montcalm County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ashland Center, with the one closest to Ashland Center listed first.
    • Pierson
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
    • Howard City
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
    • Coral
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
    • Amble
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
      • Amble is located in Montcalm County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Amble
    • Trufant
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
    • Gowen
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
    • Lakeview
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
    • Langston
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
      • Langston is located in Montcalm County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Langston
  • Muskegon County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ashland Center, with the one closest to Ashland Center listed first.
    • Bailey
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Canada Corners
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
      • Canada Corners is located in Muskegon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Canada Corners
    • Slocum
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
      • Slocum is located in Muskegon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Slocum
    • Morgan Corners
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Morgan Corners is located in Muskegon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morgan Corners
    • Brunswick
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Brunswick is located in Muskegon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brunswick
    • Ravenna
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Holton
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Sullivan
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Sullivan is located in Muskegon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sullivan
    • Wolf Lake
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Wolf Lake is located in Muskegon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wolf Lake
    • Twin Lake
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
    • Dalton
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
      • Dalton is located in Muskegon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dalton
    • Lakewood Club
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
      • Lakewood Club is located in Muskegon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakewood Club
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,292 people
  • Oceana County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ashland Center, with the one closest to Ashland Center listed first.
    • Hesperia
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
    • Ferry
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Ferry is located in Oceana County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ferry
    • Rothbury
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Cobmoosa
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Cobmoosa is located in Oceana County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cobmoosa
      • Cobmoosa has also been known as:
      • Cob Moo Sa
    • New Era
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Walkerville
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Elbridge
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Elbridge is located in Oceana County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elbridge
  • Ottawa County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ashland Center, with the one closest to Ashland Center listed first.
    • Conklin
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
    • Wright
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
      • Wright is located in Ottawa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wright
    • Coopersville
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
    • Marne
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
    • Nunica
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Eastmanville
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
      • Eastmanville is located in Ottawa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eastmanville
    • Lamont
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
      • Lamont is located in Ottawa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lamont
    • Spring Lake
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Allendale
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
    • Ferrysburg
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Grand Haven
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Robinson
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Robinson is located in Ottawa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Robinson

For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Ashland Center, see our County-by-County Page for Ashland Center.

Cemeteries Near Ashland Center ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Ashland Center.

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 Ashland Center - one of the links might be able to help.

If not found below, our Cemetery List for Ashland Center covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.

The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Ashland Center, with the one closest to Ashland Center listed first.

  • Ashland Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the east)
  • Shippy Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
  • Danish Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
  • Parkview Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
  • Seamans Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
  • Bridgeton Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
  • Hillside Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • Chubbuck Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Newaygo City Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
  • St. Marks Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
  • Bell Place Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
  • Hilton Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
  • Continue List   (230 more) ...
    • Indian Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
    • Chidester Cemetery
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Wilde Cemetery
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)

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 Ashland Center in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Ashland Center.

These communities are listed based on their distance from Ashland Center, with the one closest to Ashland Center listed first.

  • Ashland
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Ashland is located in Newaygo County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ashland
  • Grant
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
  • Bailey
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Bridgeton
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
    • Bridgeton is located in Newaygo County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bridgeton
  • Sun
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
    • Sun is located in Newaygo County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sun
  • Newaygo
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Casnovia
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Brookside
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Brookside is located in Newaygo County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brookside
  • Kent City
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
  • Fremont
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Fremont is located in Newaygo County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fremont
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 4,102 people
    • Former name for Fremont:
    • Fremont Center
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Fremont <1>
  • Moorland
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Moorland is located in Muskegon County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moorland
  • Harrisburg
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
    • Harrisburg is located in Ottawa County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harrisburg
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Ravenna
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Croton
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Croton is located in Newaygo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Croton
    • Holton
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)

We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Ashland Center. See our List of 1890's Communities around Ashland Center.

Newspapers Published in Ashland Center ...

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 168 newspapers that have been published in the area around Ashland Center.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Ashland Center, there are papers which were published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Ashland Center.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we begin 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 Ashland Center:

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 Ashland Center, 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- Ashland Center) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.