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 Bowne 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 Bowne 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 Bowne 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.
Although we can't give a definitive list, hopefully the following will give you a feel for the variations that might occur.
For example, a typical abbreviation for Bowne Center: Bowne Ctr. (or less commonly used: Bowne Cen., Bowne Cent. or Bowne Cntr.)
You might see Bowne Centre instead of Bowne Center.
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.
For more information about how community names might have been affected by the Board of Geographic Names (BGN), see our page about Placename Rules.
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.
Bowne Center is located in Kent 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 Kent County: Allegan, Barry, Ionia, Montcalm, Muskegon, Newaygo & Ottawa.
Below are the counties that are near Bowne Center. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Bowne Center:
- Kent County (The home county of Bowne Center)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bowne Center, with the one closest to Bowne Center listed first.
- Alto
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Segwun
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Segwun is located in Kent County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Segwun
- Caledonia
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Lowell
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Ada
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Forest Hills
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Forest Hills is located in Kent County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest Hills
- Dutton
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Dutton is located in Kent County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dutton
- Kentwood
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- East Grand Rapids
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Carlisle
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Carlisle is located in Kent County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carlisle
- Corinth
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Corinth is located in Kent County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Corinth
- Cutlerville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Allegan County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bowne Center, with the one closest to Bowne Center listed first.
- Moline
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Moline is located in Allegan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moline
- Wayland
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Bradley
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Bradley is located in Allegan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bradley
- Dorr
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Hilliards
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Hilliards is located in Allegan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hilliards
- Shelbyville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- New Salem
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- New Salem is located in Allegan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Salem
- Hooper
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Hooper is located in Allegan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hooper
- Hopkins
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Martin
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Neeley
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Neeley is located in Allegan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Neeley
- Burnips
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Burnips is located in Allegan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burnips
- Former name for Burnips:
- Burnip's Corners
- Barry County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bowne Center, with the one closest to Bowne Center listed first.
- Freeport
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Irving
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Irving is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Irving
- Middleville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Hastings
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Woodland
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Woodland is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 449 people
- Morgan
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Morgan is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morgan
- Cloverdale
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Cloverdale is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cloverdale
- Cedar Creek
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Cedar Creek is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar Creek
- Dowling
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Dowling is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dowling
- Nashville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Delton
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Maple Grove
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Maple Grove is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maple Grove
- Calhoun County
- Bedford
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Clinton County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bowne Center, with the one closest to Bowne Center listed first.
- Eagle
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Westphalia
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Eaton County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bowne Center, with the one closest to Bowne Center listed first.
- Woodbury
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Woodbury is located in Eaton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodbury
- Sunfield
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Vermontville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Little Venice
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Little Venice is located in Eaton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Little Venice
- Mulliken
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Gresham
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Gresham is located in Eaton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gresham
- Stalls Corner
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Stalls Corner is located in Eaton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stalls Corner
- Needmore
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Needmore is located in Eaton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Needmore
- Carlisle
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Carlisle is located in Eaton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carlisle
- Chester
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Chester is located in Eaton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chester
- Ionia County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bowne Center, with the one closest to Bowne Center listed first.
- Elmdale
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Elmdale is located in Ionia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elmdale
- Campbell Corners
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Campbell Corners is located in Ionia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Campbell Corners
- Clarksville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Lake Odessa
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Saranac
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- West Sebewa
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- West Sebewa is located in Ionia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Sebewa
- Smyrna
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- South Ionia
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- South Ionia is located in Ionia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Ionia
- Ionia
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Belding
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Orleans
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Orleans is located in Ionia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orleans
- Portland
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Kalamazoo County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bowne Center, with the one closest to Bowne Center listed first.
- Highland Park
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Highland Park is located in Kalamazoo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Highland Park
- South Gull Lake
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- South Gull Lake is located in Kalamazoo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Gull Lake
- Richland
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Yorkville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Yorkville is located in Kalamazoo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yorkville
- Montcalm County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bowne Center, with the one closest to Bowne Center listed first.
- Greenville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Eureka Place
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Eureka Place is located in Montcalm County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eureka Place
- Amsden
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Amsden is located in Montcalm County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Amsden
- Fenwick
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Fenwick is located in Montcalm County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fenwick
- Gowen
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Ottawa County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bowne Center, with the one closest to Bowne Center listed first.
- Jenison
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Jamestown
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Jamestown is located in Ottawa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jamestown
- Forest Grove
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Forest Grove is located in Ottawa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest Grove
- Forest Grove Station
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Forest Grove Station is located in Ottawa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest Grove Station
- Hudsonville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Marne
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Bauer
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Bauer is located in Ottawa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bauer
- South Blendon
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- South Blendon is located in Ottawa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Blendon
- Drenthe
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Drenthe is located in Ottawa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Drenthe
- Lamont
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Lamont is located in Ottawa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lamont
- Wright
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Wright is located in Ottawa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wright
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Bowne Center, see our County-by-County Page for Bowne Center.
Cemeteries Near Bowne Center ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Bowne 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 Bowne Center - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Bowne Center covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Bowne Center, with the one closest to Bowne Center listed first.
- Bowne Center Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Mennonite Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- St. Patrick's Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Fuller Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Daniels Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Barber Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Freeport Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Merriman Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Whitneyville Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Parmalee Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Clarksville Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- South Boston Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Continue List (303 more) ...
- McBride Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Alaska Memorial Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Caledonia 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>
While we didn't find Bowne Center in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Bowne Center.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Bowne Center, with the one closest to Bowne Center listed first.
- Alto
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Freeport
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Elmdale
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Elmdale is located in Ionia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elmdale
- Alaska
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Alaska is located in Kent County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alaska
- Labarge
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Labarge is located in Kent County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Labarge
- Clarksville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Whitneyville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Whitneyville is located in Kent County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whitneyville
- Middleville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Irving
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Irving is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Irving
- Lowell
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Cascade
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Cascade is located in Kent County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cascade
- Lake Odessa
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- Saranac
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Ada
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Fallassburg
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Fallassburg is located in Kent County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fallassburg
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Bowne Center. See our List of 1890's Communities around Bowne Center.
Newspapers Published in Bowne 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 222 newspapers that have been published in the area around Bowne Center.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Bowne Center, there are papers which were published within 27 miles [43.5 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Bowne 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 websites either 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 Bowne Center:
- Websites specific to Michigan
- Pages specific to Kent County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Allegan County
- Barry County
- Calhoun County
- Clinton County
- Eaton County
- Ionia County
- Kalamazoo County
- Montcalm County
- Ottawa 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 Bowne 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 drawn from Point A (ie- Bowne Center) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |