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 Bellevue (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 Bellevue. 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.
Bellevue is located in Eaton 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 Eaton County: Barry, Calhoun, Clinton, Ingham, Ionia & Jackson.
Below are the counties that are near Bellevue. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Bellevue:
- Eaton County (The home county of Bellevue)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bellevue, with the one closest to Bellevue listed first.
- Olivet
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Ainger
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Ainger is located in Eaton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ainger
- Carlisle
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Carlisle is located in Eaton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carlisle
- Vermontville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Charlotte
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Chester
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Chester is located in Eaton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chester
- Gresham
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Gresham is located in Eaton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gresham
- Stalls Corner
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Stalls Corner is located in Eaton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stalls Corner
- Charlesworth
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Charlesworth is located in Eaton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Charlesworth
- Little Venice
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Little Venice is located in Eaton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Little Venice
- Needmore
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Needmore is located in Eaton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Needmore
- Eaton Rapids
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Potterville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Allegan County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bellevue, with the one closest to Bellevue listed first.
- Neeley
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Neeley is located in Allegan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Neeley
- Hooper
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Hooper is located in Allegan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hooper
- Barry County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bellevue, with the one closest to Bellevue listed first.
- Maple Grove
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Maple Grove is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maple Grove
- Nashville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Dowling
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Dowling is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dowling
- Banfield
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Banfield is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Banfield
- Morgan
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Morgan is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morgan
- Cedar Creek
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Cedar Creek is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar Creek
- Hickory Corners
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Hastings
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Woodland
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Woodland is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 449 people
- Cloverdale
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Cloverdale is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cloverdale
- Delton
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Prairieville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Prairieville is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prairieville
- Doster
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Doster is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Doster
- Branch County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bellevue, with the one closest to Bellevue listed first.
- Union City
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Girard
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Girard is located in Branch County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Girard
- Hodunk
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Hodunk is located in Branch County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hodunk
- Calhoun County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bellevue, with the one closest to Bellevue listed first.
- Pennfield
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Pennfield is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pennfield
- Brownlee Park
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Brownlee Park is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brownlee Park
- Verona Park
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Verona Park is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Verona Park
- Bedford
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Duck Lake
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Duck Lake is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Duck Lake
- Ceresco
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Ceresco is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ceresco
- Marshall
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Rice Creek
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Rice Creek is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rice Creek
- Battle Creek
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Beadle Lake
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Beadle Lake is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beadle Lake
- Oak Park
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Oak Park is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Park
- Springfield
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Level Park
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Level Park is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Level Park
- Clinton County
- Eagle
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Hillsdale County
- Litchfield
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Ingham County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bellevue, with the one closest to Bellevue listed first.
- Onondaga
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Holt
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Leslie
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- North Leslie
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- North Leslie is located in Ingham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Leslie
- Mason
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Edgemont Park
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Edgemont Park is located in Ingham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edgemont Park
- Lansing
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Ionia County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bellevue, with the one closest to Bellevue listed first.
- Lake Odessa
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- West Sebewa
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- West Sebewa is located in Ionia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Sebewa
- Campbell Corners
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Campbell Corners is located in Ionia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Campbell Corners
- Clarksville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Portland
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Jackson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bellevue, with the one closest to Bellevue listed first.
- Springport
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Devereaux
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Devereaux is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Devereaux
- Tompkins
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Tompkins is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tompkins
- Parma
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Concord
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Berryville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Berryville is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Berryville
- Rives Junction
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Rives Junction is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rives Junction
- Sandstone
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Sandstone is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sandstone
- Spring Arbor
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Woodville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Woodville is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodville
- Kalamazoo County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bellevue, with the one closest to Bellevue listed first.
- Augusta
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- South Gull Lake
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- South Gull Lake is located in Kalamazoo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Gull Lake
- Highland Park
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Highland Park is located in Kalamazoo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Highland Park
- Yorkville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Yorkville is located in Kalamazoo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yorkville
- Climax
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Climax is located in Kalamazoo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Climax
- Population from the 2020 Census: 780 people
- Richland
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Galesburg
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Scotts
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Comstock
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Comstock is located in Kalamazoo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Comstock
- East Cooper
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- East Cooper is located in Kalamazoo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Cooper
- Fulton
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Fulton is located in Kalamazoo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fulton
- Pavillion Center
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Pavillion Center is located in Kalamazoo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pavillion Center
- Eastwood
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Eastwood is located in Kalamazoo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eastwood
- Saint Joseph County
- Factoryville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Factoryville is located in Saint Joseph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Factoryville
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Bellevue, see our County-by-County Page for Bellevue.
Cemeteries Near Bellevue ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Bellevue.
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 Bellevue - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Bellevue covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Bellevue, with the one closest to Bellevue listed first.
- Bellevue Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Follett Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Bell Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Olivet Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Spaulding Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Austin Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Assyria Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- West Pennfield 'Hicks' Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Pennfield 'Hicks' Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the West Pennfield 'Hicks' Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the northwest of Pennfield.
- The West Pennfield 'Hicks' Cemetery has also been known as:
- Hicks Cemetery
- Hicks / West Pennfield Cemetery
- Pennfield Charter Twp. Hicks Cemetery
- West Pennfield Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #171020 <2>
- Bosworth Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Ellis Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Porter Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Lee Center Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Continue List (290 more) ...
- Kalamo Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Quaker Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Checkered Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 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>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Bellevue had a population of 914 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Bellevue had a population of 1,299 people.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Bellevue, with the one closest to Bellevue listed first.
- Olivet
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Ainger
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Ainger is located in Eaton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ainger
- Assyria
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Assyria is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Assyria
- Kalamo
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Kalamo is located in Eaton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kalamo
- Carlisle
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Carlisle is located in Eaton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carlisle
- Partello
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Partello is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Partello
- Maple Grove
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Maple Grove is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maple Grove
- Lacey
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Lacey is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lacey
- Bedford
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Nashville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Brookfield
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Brookfield is located in Eaton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brookfield
- Battle Creek
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Continue List (16 more) ...
- Ceresco
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Ceresco is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ceresco
- Marshall
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Vermontville
(12 miles [19.3 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 Bellevue. See our List of 1890's Communities around Bellevue.
Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Bellevue ...
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 138 newspapers that have been published in the area around Bellevue.
We have organized these newspapers into two lists:
- A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Bellevue. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Bellevue and those printed in the larger area surrounding Bellevue.
- An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 28 miles [45.1 km]<4> of Bellevue.
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 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 Bellevue:
- Websites specific to Michigan
- Pages specific to Eaton County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Allegan County
- Barry County
- Branch County
- Calhoun County
- Clinton County
- Hillsdale County
- Ingham County
- Ionia County
- Jackson County
- Kalamazoo County
- Saint Joseph 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> | 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 Bellevue, 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- Bellevue) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |