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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 Bates (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 Bates. 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 and doctors 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.

Bates is located in Grand Traverse 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 Grand Traverse County: Antrim, Benzie, Kalkaska, Leelanau, Manistee, Missaukee & Wexford.

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

  • Grand Traverse County     (The home county of Bates)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bates, with the one closest to Bates listed first.
    • Williamsburg
      (Less than 2 miles to the east)
    • Acme
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
    • Mabel
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
      • Mabel is located in Grand Traverse County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mabel
    • Angel
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
      • Angel is located in Grand Traverse County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Angel
      • Angel has also been known as:
      • Angel Station
      • Angell Station
    • Tunk ‑ Historic
      (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
      • Tunk is located in Grand Traverse County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tunk
    • Devils Elbow
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
      • Devils Elbow is located in Grand Traverse County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Devils Elbow
    • Mapleton
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
      • Mapleton is located in Grand Traverse County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mapleton
    • Traverse City
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
    • Mayfield
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
      • Mayfield is located in Grand Traverse County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mayfield
    • Old Mission
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
    • Kingsley
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
      • Kingsley is located in Grand Traverse County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kingsley
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,618 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Kingsley <1>
    • Grawn
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Summit City
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
      • Summit City is located in Grand Traverse County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Summit City
  • Antrim County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bates, with the one closest to Bates listed first.
    • Elk Rapids
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
    • Kewadin
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
    • Alden
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Clam Lake ‑ Historic
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Clam Lake is located in Antrim County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clam Lake
    • Bellaire
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
    • Mancelona
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Central Lake
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Eastport
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
    • Wetzel ‑ Historic
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
      • Wetzel is located in Antrim County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wetzel
      • Wetzel has also been known as:
      • Wetzell
    • Finkton
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Finkton is located in Antrim County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Finkton
    • Alba
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Ellsworth
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
  • Benzie County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bates, with the one closest to Bates listed first.
    • Lake Ann
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
    • Bendon
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Bendon is located in Benzie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bendon
    • Wallin
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Wallin is located in Benzie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wallin
    • Platte River
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
      • Platte River is located in Benzie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Platte River
    • Griner Station
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Griner Station is located in Benzie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Griner Station
      • Griner Station has also been known as:
      • Print
    • Nessen City
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Nessen City is located in Benzie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nessen City
    • Thompsonville
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Honor
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
    • Aral ‑ Historic
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
      • Aral is located in Benzie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aral
      • Aral has also been known as:
      • Otter Creek
  • Charlevoix County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bates, with the one closest to Bates listed first.
    • Norwood
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • Norwood is located in Charlevoix County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Norwood
    • East Jordan
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Crawford County
    • Deward ‑ Historic
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
      • Deward is located in Crawford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deward
  • Kalkaska County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bates, with the one closest to Bates listed first.
    • Barker Creek
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
      • Barker Creek is located in Kalkaska County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barker Creek
    • Torch River
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Torch River is located in Kalkaska County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Torch River
    • Rapid City
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
    • South Boardman
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Kalkaska
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
    • Fife Lake
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
    • Deibert
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Deibert is located in Kalkaska County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deibert
    • Lodi
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Lodi is located in Kalkaska County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lodi
    • Westwood
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
      • Westwood is located in Kalkaska County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westwood
    • Spencer
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
      • Spencer is located in Kalkaska County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spencer
    • Sigma
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
      • Sigma is located in Kalkaska County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sigma
    • Angling
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
      • Angling is located in Kalkaska County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Angling
    • Sharon ‑ Historic
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Sharon is located in Kalkaska County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sharon
      • Sharon has also been known as:
      • Big Oley
      • Jam One
  • Leelanau County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bates, with the one closest to Bates listed first.
    • Greilickville
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
      • Greilickville is located in Leelanau County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greilickville
    • Hatchs
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
      • Hatchs is located in Leelanau County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hatchs
    • Bingham
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Bingham is located in Leelanau County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bingham
    • Solon
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
      • Solon is located in Leelanau County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Solon
    • Isadore ‑ Historic
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Isadore is located in Leelanau County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Isadore
    • Suttons Bay
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Cedar
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
    • Bodus
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
      • Bodus is located in Leelanau County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bodus
    • Manseau ‑ Historic
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
      • Manseau is located in Leelanau County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Manseau
    • Peshawbestown
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
      • Peshawbestown is located in Leelanau County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peshawbestown
    • Lake Leelanau
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
    • Schomberg
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Schomberg is located in Leelanau County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Schomberg
    • Maple City
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
  • Manistee County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bates, with the one closest to Bates listed first.
    • Harlan ‑ Historic
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Harlan is located in Manistee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harlan
    • Pomona
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Pomona is located in Manistee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pomona
    • Copemish
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Missaukee County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bates, with the one closest to Bates listed first.
    • Stittsville ‑ Historic
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Stittsville is located in Missaukee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stittsville
    • Cutcheon
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Cutcheon is located in Missaukee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cutcheon
    • Moorestown
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Moorestown is located in Missaukee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moorestown
  • Wexford County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bates, with the one closest to Bates listed first.
    • Baxter
      (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
      • Baxter is located in Wexford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Baxter
    • Buckley
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Manton
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
    • Glengary
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Glengary is located in Wexford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glengary
    • Sherman
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Sherman is located in Wexford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sherman
    • Bagnall
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Bagnall is located in Wexford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bagnall
    • Mesick
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Meauwataka
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
      • Meauwataka is located in Wexford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meauwataka
    • Bond's Mills ‑ Historic
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
      • Bond's Mills is located in Wexford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bond's Mills

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

Cemeteries Near Bates ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Bates.

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

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

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

  • Williamsburg Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the east)
  • Yuba Acme Twp. Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
  • Circle Hill Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
  • Acme Twp. Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
  • Acme Twp. Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
  • St. Mary Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
  • Oakwood Catholic Diocesan Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
  • St. Josephs Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Maple Grove Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
  • Oakwood Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
  • South Milton Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
  • Memorial Gardens Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
  • Continue List   (149 more) ...
    • Clearwater Cemetery
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
    • Koch Cemetery
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
    • Northrup Grave
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)

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 in 1895, Bates had a post office and no railroad service.

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

  • Williamsburg
    (Less than 2 miles to the east)
  • Acme
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
  • Yuba
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
    • Yuba is located in Grand Traverse County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yuba
  • Barker Creek
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
    • Barker Creek is located in Kalkaska County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barker Creek
  • Mapleton
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
    • Mapleton is located in Grand Traverse County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mapleton
  • Elk Rapids
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
  • Traverse City
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
  • Mayfield
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
    • Mayfield is located in Grand Traverse County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mayfield
  • Kewadin
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
  • South Boardman
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Crofton
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Crofton is located in Kalkaska County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crofton
  • Kingsley
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
    • Kingsley is located in Grand Traverse County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kingsley
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,618 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Kingsley <1>
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Kalkaska
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
    • Bingham
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Bingham is located in Leelanau County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bingham
    • Old Mission
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)

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

Newspapers Published in Bates ...

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 77 newspapers that have been published in the area around Bates.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Bates, 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 Bates.

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 helpful 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 Bates:

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