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 Beaverdam (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 Beaverdam. 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 Beaverdam ...
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.
Another variation: Beaver Dam.
You might be interested in other communities that are also named Beaverdam. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Beaverdam.
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 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.
Beaverdam is located in Ottawa 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 Ottawa County: Allegan, Kent & Muskegon.
Below are the counties that are near Beaverdam. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Beaverdam:
- Ottawa County (The home county of Beaverdam)
- The following are listed by their distance from Beaverdam, with the one closest to Beaverdam listed first.
- South Blendon
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- South Blendon is located in Ottawa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Blendon
- Zeeland
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Hudsonville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Drenthe
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Drenthe is located in Ottawa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Drenthe
- Forest Grove Station
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Forest Grove Station is located in Ottawa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest Grove Station
- Bauer
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Bauer is located in Ottawa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bauer
- Noordeloos
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Noordeloos is located in Ottawa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Noordeloos
- Jamestown
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Jamestown is located in Ottawa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jamestown
- Forest Grove
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Forest Grove is located in Ottawa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest Grove
- Rusk
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Rusk is located in Ottawa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rusk
- Waverly
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Waverly is located in Ottawa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waverly
- Allendale
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Allegan County
- The following are listed by their distance from Beaverdam, with the one closest to Beaverdam listed first.
- Fillmore
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Fillmore is located in Allegan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fillmore
- Burnips
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Burnips is located in Allegan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burnips
- Former name for Burnips:
- Burnip's Corners
- New Salem
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- New Salem is located in Allegan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Salem
- Boyd
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Boyd is located in Allegan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boyd
- Graafschap
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Graafschap is located in Allegan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Graafschap
- Diamond Springs
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Diamond Springs is located in Allegan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Diamond Springs
- Hamilton
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Dorr
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Hilliards
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Hilliards is located in Allegan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hilliards
- Moline
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Moline is located in Allegan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moline
- South Monterey
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- South Monterey is located in Allegan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Monterey
- Singapore ‑ Historic
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Singapore is located in Allegan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Singapore
- Barry County
- The following are listed by their distance from Beaverdam, with the one closest to Beaverdam listed first.
- Middleville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Irving
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Irving is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Irving
- Kent County
- The following are listed by their distance from Beaverdam, with the one closest to Beaverdam listed first.
- Grandville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- North Dorr
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- North Dorr is located in Kent County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Dorr
- Byron Center
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Beverly
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Beverly is located in Kent County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beverly
- Burlingame Heights
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Burlingame Heights is located in Kent County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burlingame Heights
- Burlingame
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Burlingame is located in Kent County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burlingame
- Wyoming
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Carlisle
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Carlisle is located in Kent County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carlisle
- Clyde Park
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Clyde Park is located in Kent County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clyde Park
- Urbandale
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Urbandale is located in Kent County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Urbandale
- Galewood
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Galewood is located in Kent County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Galewood
- Walker
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Muskegon County
- The following are listed by their distance from Beaverdam, with the one closest to Beaverdam listed first.
- Fruitport
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Ravenna
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Sullivan
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Sullivan is located in Muskegon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sullivan
- Morgan Corners
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Morgan Corners is located in Muskegon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morgan Corners
- Slocum
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Slocum is located in Muskegon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Slocum
- Norton Shores
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Canada Corners
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Canada Corners is located in Muskegon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Canada Corners
- Muskegon Heights
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Roosevelt Park
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Wolf Lake
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Wolf Lake is located in Muskegon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wolf Lake
- Bailey
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Muskegon
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Beaverdam, see our County-by-County Page for Beaverdam.
Cemeteries Near Beaverdam ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Beaverdam.
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 Beaverdam - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Beaverdam covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Beaverdam, with the one closest to Beaverdam listed first.
- Beaverdam Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Vriesland Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Old Vriesland Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Zeeland Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Borculo Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Noordeloos Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- West Drenthe Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Old Drenthe Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Zutphen Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Blendon Twp. Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blendon Twp. Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Blendon Twp. Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located 3 miles [4.8 km]<3> to the northwest of Hudsonville.
- The Blendon Twp. Cemetery has also been known as:
- Blendon Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #128 <2>
- New Groningen Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- East Drenthe Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Continue List (242 more) ...
- Forest Grove Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Roselawn Memorial Gardens
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Van Dam Family Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 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.<4>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Beaverdam had a population of 50 people in 1895 with a post office and no railroad service.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Beaverdam, with the one closest to Beaverdam listed first.
- Vriesland
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Vriesland is located in Ottawa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vriesland
- Zeeland
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- South Blendon
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- South Blendon is located in Ottawa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Blendon
- Borculo
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Borculo is located in Ottawa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Borculo
- Drenthe
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Drenthe is located in Ottawa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Drenthe
- Zutphen
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Zutphen is located in Ottawa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zutphen
- Hudsonville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Bauer
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Bauer is located in Ottawa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bauer
- Noordeloos
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Noordeloos is located in Ottawa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Noordeloos
- Forest Grove
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Forest Grove is located in Ottawa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest Grove
- Jamestown
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Jamestown is located in Ottawa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jamestown
- New Holland
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- New Holland is located in Ottawa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Holland
- Continue List (19 more) ...
- Oakland
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Oakland is located in Allegan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakland
- Gitchel
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Gitchel is located in Ottawa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gitchel
- Olive Center
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Olive Center is located in Ottawa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Olive Center
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Beaverdam. See our List of 1890's Communities around Beaverdam.
Newspapers Published in Beaverdam ...
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 202 newspapers that have been published in the area around Beaverdam.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Beaverdam, there are papers which were published within 24 miles [38.6 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Beaverdam.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we start 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 Beaverdam:
- Websites specific to Michigan
- Pages specific to Ottawa County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Allegan County
- Barry County
- Kent County
- Muskegon County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Michigan
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> | 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 from Point A (ie- Beaverdam) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |
| <4> | 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 Beaverdam, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |