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 Chelsea (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 Chelsea. 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 northeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most hospitals were in the next county to the east. 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 east 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.
Chelsea is located in Washtenaw 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 Washtenaw County: Jackson, Lenawee, Livingston, Monroe, Oakland & Wayne.
Below are the counties that are near Chelsea. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Chelsea:
- Washtenaw County (The home county of Chelsea)
- The following are listed by their distance from Chelsea, with the one closest to Chelsea listed first.
- Dexter
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Hudson Mills
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Hudson Mills is located in Washtenaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hudson Mills
- Dover
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Dover is located in Washtenaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dover
- Rowes Corner
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Rowes Corner is located in Washtenaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rowes Corner
- Sharon Hollow
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Sharon Hollow is located in Washtenaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sharon Hollow
- Delhi Mills
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Delhi Mills is located in Washtenaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Delhi Mills
- Manchester
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Bridgewater
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Barton Hills
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Barton Hills is located in Washtenaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barton Hills
- Population from the 2020 Census: 303 people
- Ann Arbor
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Saline
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Pittsfield
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Pittsfield is located in Washtenaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pittsfield
- Pittsfield has also been known as:
- Pittsfield Village
- Emery
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Emery is located in Washtenaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Emery
- Hillsdale County
- The following are listed by their distance from Chelsea, with the one closest to Chelsea listed first.
- Somerset
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Somerset Center
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Somerset Center is located in Hillsdale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Somerset Center
- Jerome
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Moscow
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Moscow is located in Hillsdale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moscow
- Ingham County
- The following are listed by their distance from Chelsea, with the one closest to Chelsea listed first.
- Stockbridge
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Fitchburg
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Fitchburg is located in Ingham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fitchburg
- Bunker Hill
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Bunker Hill is located in Ingham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bunker Hill
- Dansville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Leslie
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- North Leslie
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- North Leslie is located in Ingham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Leslie
- Webberville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Pollok ‑ Historic
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Pollok is located in Ingham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pollok
- Pollok has also been known as:
- Pollock
- Mason
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Williamston
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Onondaga
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Jackson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Chelsea, with the one closest to Chelsea listed first.
- Waterloo
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Waterloo is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waterloo
- Trist
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Trist is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trist
- Fishville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Fishville is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fishville
- Grass Lake
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Munith
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Norvell
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Norvell is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Norvell
- Leoni
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Leoni is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leoni
- Napoleon
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Michigan Center
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Pleasant Lake
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Brooklyn
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Vandercook Lake
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Vandercook Lake is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vandercook Lake
- Jackson
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Jackson is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jackson
- Population from the 2020 Census: 32,374 people
- Former name for Jackson:
- Jacksonopolis
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Jackson <1>
- Lenawee County
- The following are listed by their distance from Chelsea, with the one closest to Chelsea listed first.
- Clinton
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Clinton is located in Lenawee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clinton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,287 people
- Macon
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Macon is located in Lenawee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Macon
- Tipton
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Cambridge Junction
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Cambridge Junction is located in Lenawee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cambridge Junction
- Tecumseh
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Onsted
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Ridgeway
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Ridgeway is located in Lenawee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ridgeway
- Cement City
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Britton
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Devils Lake
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Devils Lake is located in Lenawee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Devils Lake
- Holloway
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Holloway is located in Lenawee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holloway
- Addison Junction
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Addison Junction is located in Lenawee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Addison Junction
- Manitou Beach - Devils Lake
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Livingston County
- The following are listed by their distance from Chelsea, with the one closest to Chelsea listed first.
- Chalkerville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Chalkerville is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chalkerville
- Chalkerville has also been known as:
- Chalkers Landing
- Hell
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Hell is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hell
- Hell has also been known as:
- Hi Land Lake
- Highland Lake
- Hiland Lake
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Hell <1>
- Kaiserville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Kaiserville is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kaiserville
- Unadilla
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Unadilla is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Unadilla
- Anderson
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Anderson is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Anderson
- Gregory
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Pinckney
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Chubb's Corners ‑ Historic
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Chubb's Corners is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chubb's Corners
- Plainfield
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Plainfield is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plainfield
- Lakeland
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Pettysville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Pettysville is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pettysville
- Hamburg
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Whitmore Lake
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Monroe County
- The following are listed by their distance from Chelsea, with the one closest to Chelsea listed first.
- Cone
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Cone is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cone
- Milan
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Azalia
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Azalia is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Azalia
- Oakville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Oakville is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakville
- Dundee
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Oakland County
- The following are listed by their distance from Chelsea, with the one closest to Chelsea listed first.
- South Lyon
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- New Hudson
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Northville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Milford
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- West Highland
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- West Highland is located in Oakland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Highland
- Wixom
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Novi
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Highland
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Wayne County
- The following are listed by their distance from Chelsea, with the one closest to Chelsea listed first.
- Canton
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Sheldon
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Sheldon is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sheldon
- Belleville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Plymouth
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Chelsea, see our County-by-County Page for Chelsea.
Cemeteries Near Chelsea ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Chelsea.
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 Chelsea - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Chelsea covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Chelsea, with the one closest to Chelsea listed first.
- Pierce Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Mt. Olivet Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Vermont Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Canfield Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Maple Grove Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Lima Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Lima Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Chelsea - Dexter Road Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Dexter Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Mt. Calvary Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- North Lake Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Salem Grove Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Continue List (381 more) ...
- Zion Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Zion Lutheran Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Rogers Corners Addition Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
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 Chelsea had a population of 1,356 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Chelsea had a population of 5,377 people.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Chelsea, with the one closest to Chelsea listed first.
- Francisco
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Francisco is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Francisco
- Dexter
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Waterloo
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Waterloo is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waterloo
- Unadilla
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Unadilla is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Unadilla
- Scio
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Scio is located in Washtenaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Scio
- Trist
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Trist is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trist
- Grass Lake
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Gregory
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Delhi Mills
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Delhi Mills is located in Washtenaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Delhi Mills
- Pinckney
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Anderson
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Anderson is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Anderson
- Manchester
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Continue List (17 more) ...
- Bridgewater
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Webster
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Webster is located in Washtenaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Webster
- Stockbridge
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Chelsea. See our List of 1890's Communities around Chelsea.
Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Chelsea ...
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 68 newspapers that have been published in the area around Chelsea.
We have organized these newspapers into two lists:
- A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Chelsea. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Chelsea and those printed in the larger area surrounding Chelsea.
- An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 28 miles [45.1 km]<4> of Chelsea.
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 Chelsea:
- Websites specific to Michigan
- Pages specific to Washtenaw County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Hillsdale County
- Ingham County
- Jackson County
- Lenawee County
- Livingston County
- Monroe County
- Oakland County
- Wayne 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 Chelsea, 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 from Point A (ie- Chelsea) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |