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 Childsdale (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 Childsdale. 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 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.
Childsdale 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 Childsdale. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Childsdale:
- Kent County (The home county of Childsdale)
- The following are listed by their distance from Childsdale, with the one closest to Childsdale listed first.
- Rockford
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Belmont
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Edgerton
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Edgerton is located in Kent County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edgerton
- Northview
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Northview is located in Kent County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Northview
- Cannonsburg
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Comstock Park
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Sheffield
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Sheffield is located in Kent County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sheffield
- Sparta
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Cedar Springs
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Parnell
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Parnell is located in Kent County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parnell
- Grattan
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Grattan is located in Kent County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grattan
- Grand Rapids
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Allegan County
- The following are listed by their distance from Childsdale, with the one closest to Childsdale listed first.
- Moline
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Moline is located in Allegan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moline
- New Salem
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- New Salem is located in Allegan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Salem
- Dorr
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Burnips
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Burnips is located in Allegan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burnips
- Former name for Burnips:
- Burnip's Corners
- Hilliards
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Hilliards is located in Allegan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hilliards
- Wayland
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Barry County
- The following are listed by their distance from Childsdale, with the one closest to Childsdale listed first.
- Middleville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Freeport
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Irving
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Irving is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Irving
- Ionia County
- The following are listed by their distance from Childsdale, with the one closest to Childsdale listed first.
- Smyrna
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Belding
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Orleans
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Orleans is located in Ionia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orleans
- Elmdale
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Elmdale is located in Ionia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elmdale
- Saranac
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Shiloh
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Shiloh is located in Ionia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shiloh
- Clarksville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Woods Corners
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Woods Corners is located in Ionia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woods Corners
- Ionia
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- South Ionia
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- South Ionia is located in Ionia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Ionia
- Campbell Corners
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Campbell Corners is located in Ionia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Campbell Corners
- Palo
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Palo is located in Ionia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Palo
- Mecosta County
- The following are listed by their distance from Childsdale, with the one closest to Childsdale listed first.
- Morley
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Borland
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Borland is located in Mecosta County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Borland
- Rustford
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Rustford is located in Mecosta County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rustford
- Montcalm County
- The following are listed by their distance from Childsdale, with the one closest to Childsdale listed first.
- Pierson
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Greenville
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Gowen
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Trufant
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Eureka Place
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Eureka Place is located in Montcalm County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eureka Place
- Coral
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Howard City
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Langston
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Langston is located in Montcalm County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Langston
- Amsden
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Amsden is located in Montcalm County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Amsden
- Amble
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Amble is located in Montcalm County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Amble
- Sidney
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Fenwick
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Fenwick is located in Montcalm County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fenwick
- Muskegon County
- The following are listed by their distance from Childsdale, with the one closest to Childsdale listed first.
- Bailey
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Canada Corners
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Canada Corners is located in Muskegon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Canada Corners
- Slocum
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Slocum is located in Muskegon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Slocum
- Ravenna
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Morgan Corners
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Morgan Corners is located in Muskegon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morgan Corners
- Sullivan
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Sullivan is located in Muskegon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sullivan
- Wolf Lake
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Wolf Lake is located in Muskegon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wolf Lake
- Fruitport
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Newaygo County
- The following are listed by their distance from Childsdale, with the one closest to Childsdale listed first.
- Sun
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Sun is located in Newaygo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sun
- Ashland
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Ashland is located in Newaygo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ashland
- Grant
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Croton
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Croton is located in Newaygo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Croton
- Riverview
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Riverview is located in Newaygo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riverview
- Bridgeton
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Bridgeton is located in Newaygo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bridgeton
- Newaygo
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Bishop
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Bishop is located in Newaygo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bishop
- Brookside
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Brookside is located in Newaygo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brookside
- Sitka
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Sitka is located in Newaygo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sitka
- Fremont
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Fremont is located in Newaygo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fremont
- Population from the 2020 Census: 4,102 people
- Former name for Fremont:
- Fremont Center
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Fremont <1>
- Ottawa County
- The following are listed by their distance from Childsdale, with the one closest to Childsdale listed first.
- Wright
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Wright is located in Ottawa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wright
- Marne
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Conklin
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Jenison
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Lamont
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Lamont is located in Ottawa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lamont
- Coopersville
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Eastmanville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Eastmanville is located in Ottawa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eastmanville
- Allendale
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Bauer
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Bauer is located in Ottawa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bauer
- Hudsonville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- South Blendon
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- South Blendon is located in Ottawa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Blendon
- Jamestown
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Jamestown is located in Ottawa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jamestown
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Childsdale, see our County-by-County Page for Childsdale.
Cemeteries Near Childsdale ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Childsdale.
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 Childsdale - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Childsdale covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Childsdale, with the one closest to Childsdale listed first.
- Rockford Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Old Rockford Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Belmont Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Plainfield Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plainfield Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Plainfield Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located in Belmont.
- The Plainfield Cemetery has also been known as:
- Livingston Cemetery
- Plainfield Twp. Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #1406 <2>
- Oakwood Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakwood Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Oakwood Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located 2 miles [3.2 km]<3> to the east of Belmont.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2175534 <2>
- Blythefield Memorial Gardens
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Briggs Family Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Friant Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Algoma Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Alpine Twp. Pine Grove Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Cannonsburg Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Courtland Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Continue List (272 more) ...
- Englishville Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Lamareaux Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Mason 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>
While we didn't find Childsdale in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Childsdale.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Childsdale, with the one closest to Childsdale listed first.
- Rockford
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Belmont
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Edgerton
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Edgerton is located in Kent County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edgerton
- Chauncey
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Chauncey is located in Kent County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chauncey
- Alpine
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Alpine is located in Kent County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alpine
- Englishville
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Englishville is located in Kent County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Englishville
- Cannonsburg
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Sheffield
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Sheffield is located in Kent County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sheffield
- Sparta
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Evans
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Evans is located in Kent County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Evans
- Cedar Springs
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Parnell
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Parnell is located in Kent County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parnell
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- Grand Rapids
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Grattan
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Grattan is located in Kent County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grattan
- Harvard
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Harvard is located in Kent County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harvard
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Childsdale. See our List of 1890's Communities around Childsdale.
Newspapers Published in Childsdale ...
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 244 newspapers that have been published in the area around Childsdale.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Childsdale, there are papers which were published within 27 miles [43.5 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Childsdale.
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 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 Childsdale:
- Websites specific to Michigan
- Pages specific to Kent County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Allegan County
- Barry County
- Ionia County
- Mecosta County
- Montcalm County
- Muskegon County
- Newaygo 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> | 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- Childsdale) 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 Childsdale, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |