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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 Ayr (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 Ayr. 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 doctors and 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.

Ayr is located in Emmet 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 Emmet County: Charlevoix & Cheboygan.

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

  • Emmet County     (The home county of Ayr)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ayr, with the one closest to Ayr listed first.
    • Brutus
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
    • Oden
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
    • Alanson
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Pellston
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
    • Conway
      (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
    • Ponshewaing
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
      • Ponshewaing is located in Emmet County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ponshewaing
    • Ramona Park
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Ramona Park is located in Emmet County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ramona Park
    • Roaring Brook
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Roaring Brook is located in Emmet County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roaring Brook
    • Wequetonsing
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Wequetonsing is located in Emmet County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wequetonsing
    • Marsh Corner
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Marsh Corner is located in Emmet County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marsh Corner
    • Harbor Springs
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Kegomic ‑ Historic
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Kegomic is located in Emmet County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kegomic
    • Stutsmanville
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
      • Stutsmanville is located in Emmet County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stutsmanville
  • Antrim County
    • Ellsworth
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Charlevoix County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ayr, with the one closest to Ayr listed first.
    • Bay Shore
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Bay Shore is located in Charlevoix County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bay Shore
    • Zenith Heights
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Zenith Heights is located in Charlevoix County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zenith Heights
    • Walloon Lake
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
    • Horton Bay
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
      • Horton Bay is located in Charlevoix County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Horton Bay
    • Boyne City
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
      • Boyne City is located in Charlevoix County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boyne City
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,717 people
      • Former names for Boyne City:
      • Bay Springs
      • Boyne
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Boyne City <1>
    • Boyne Falls
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
    • Ironton
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Ironton is located in Charlevoix County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ironton
    • Charlevoix
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
    • Goo ‑ Historic
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
      • Goo is located in Charlevoix County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goo
    • East Jordan
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Cheboygan County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ayr, with the one closest to Ayr listed first.
    • Burt Lake
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Wildwood
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Wildwood is located in Cheboygan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wildwood
    • Giauque Beach
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
      • Giauque Beach is located in Cheboygan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Giauque Beach
    • Topinabee
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
    • Indian River
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Riggsville
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
      • Riggsville is located in Cheboygan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riggsville
    • Long Point
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
      • Long Point is located in Cheboygan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Long Point
    • Veery Point
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
      • Veery Point is located in Cheboygan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Veery Point
    • Silver Beach
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
      • Silver Beach is located in Cheboygan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Silver Beach
    • Mullett Lake
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
      • Mullett Lake is located in Cheboygan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mullett Lake
    • Afton
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
    • Wolverine
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
    • Point Nipigon
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Point Nipigon is located in Cheboygan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Point Nipigon
      • Point Nipigon has also been known as:
      • Point Nip-i-gon
  • Mackinac County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ayr, with the one closest to Ayr listed first.
    • Pointe Aux Pins
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
    • Gros Cap
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
      • Gros Cap is located in Mackinac County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gros Cap
    • Saint Ignace
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
    • Mackinac Island
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Mackinac Island is located in Mackinac County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mackinac Island
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 478 people
    • British Landing
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
      • British Landing is located in Mackinac County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for British Landing
  • Otsego County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ayr, with the one closest to Ayr listed first.
    • Vanderbilt
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
    • Berryville ‑ Historic
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
      • Berryville is located in Otsego County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Berryville
    • Green Timbers
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Green Timbers is located in Otsego County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Green Timbers
    • Elmira
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
    • Hallock
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
      • Hallock is located in Otsego County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hallock
  • Presque Isle County
    • Black Lake Bluffs
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
      • Black Lake Bluffs is located in Presque Isle County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Black Lake Bluffs

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

Cemeteries Near Ayr ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Ayr.

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 Ayr - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • Ayr Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the north)
  • Mennonite Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
  • Pleasant View Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
  • Little Traverse Twp. Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
  • Alanson Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
  • Emmet County Poor Farm Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
  • Maple River Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
  • Sacramentine Monastery Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • McKinley Twp. Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
  • Starr Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
  • Bear Creek Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
  • Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
  • Continue List   (101 more) ...
    • Greenwood Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
    • Lakeview Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
    • St. Mary's Indian Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)

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 Ayr had a population of 60 people in 1895 with a post office and no railroad service.

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

  • Brutus
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
  • Pleasant View
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
    • Pleasant View is located in Emmet County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant View
  • Oden
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • Alanson
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Conway
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • Pellston
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
  • Harbor Springs
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Kegomic ‑ Historic
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Kegomic is located in Emmet County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kegomic
  • Burt Lake
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Bay View
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
  • Petoskey
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
  • Epsilon
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
    • Epsilon is located in Emmet County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Epsilon
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Levering
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
    • Wildwood
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Wildwood is located in Cheboygan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wildwood
    • Indian River
      (12 miles [19.3 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 Ayr. See our List of 1890's Communities around Ayr.

Newspapers Published in Ayr ...

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 73 newspapers that have been published in the area around Ayr.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Ayr, there are papers which were published within 29 miles [46.7 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Ayr.

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 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 Ayr:

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 Ayr, 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 obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Ayr) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.