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 Clayton (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 Clayton. 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 doctors and 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.
Clayton is located in Lenawee 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 Lenawee County: Hillsdale, Jackson, Monroe, Washtenaw, Fulton (OH) & Lucas (OH).
Below are the counties that are near Clayton. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Clayton:
- Lenawee County (The home county of Clayton)
- The following are listed by their distance from Clayton, with the one closest to Clayton listed first.
- Canandaigua
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Canandaigua is located in Lenawee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Canandaigua
- Rollin
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Rollin is located in Lenawee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rollin
- Hudson
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Seneca
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Seneca is located in Lenawee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seneca
- Sand Creek
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Sand Creek is located in Lenawee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sand Creek
- Manitou Beach - Devils Lake
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- North Morenci
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- North Morenci is located in Lenawee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Morenci
- Manitou Beach
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Friendly Village of Adrian
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Weston
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Weston is located in Lenawee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weston
- Addison Junction
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Addison Junction is located in Lenawee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Addison Junction
- Addison
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Hillsdale County
- The following are listed by their distance from Clayton, with the one closest to Clayton listed first.
- Locust Corners
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Locust Corners is located in Hillsdale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Locust Corners
- Prattville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Prattville is located in Hillsdale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prattville
- Lickly Corners
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Lickly Corners is located in Hillsdale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lickly Corners
- Pittsford
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Waldron
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Waldron is located in Hillsdale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waldron
- Population from the 2020 Census: 521 people
- Somerset
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Somerset Center
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Somerset Center is located in Hillsdale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Somerset Center
- Osseo
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Shadyside
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Shadyside is located in Hillsdale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shadyside
- Jerome
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- North Adams
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- North Adams is located in Hillsdale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Adams
- Population from the 2020 Census: 461 people
- Ransom
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Ransom is located in Hillsdale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ransom
- Jackson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Clayton, with the one closest to Clayton listed first.
- Brooklyn
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Clarklake
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Liberty
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Liberty is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Liberty
- Napoleon
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Norvell
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Norvell is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Norvell
- South Jackson
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- South Jackson is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Jackson
- Hanover
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Fishville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Fishville is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fishville
- Vandercook Lake
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Vandercook Lake is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vandercook Lake
- Horton
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Michigan Center
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Grass Lake
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Monroe County
- The following are listed by their distance from Clayton, with the one closest to Clayton listed first.
- Petersburg
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Berringer Corners ‑ Historic
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Berringer Corners is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Berringer Corners
- Petersburg Junction
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Petersburg Junction is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Petersburg Junction
- Cone
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Cone is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cone
- Dundee
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Washtenaw County
- The following are listed by their distance from Clayton, with the one closest to Clayton listed first.
- Sharon Hollow
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Sharon Hollow is located in Washtenaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sharon Hollow
- Manchester
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Rowes Corner
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Rowes Corner is located in Washtenaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rowes Corner
- Bridgewater
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Fulton County (OH)
- The following are listed by their distance from Clayton, with the one closest to Clayton listed first.
- Ritters ‑ Historic
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Ritters is located in Fulton County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ritters
- Denson ‑ Historic
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Denson is located in Fulton County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Denson
- Powers ‑ Historic
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Powers is located in Fulton County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Powers
- Powers has also been known as:
- Powers Station
- Fayette
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Inlet ‑ Historic
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Inlet is located in Fulton County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Inlet
- Oakshade
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Oakshade is located in Fulton County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakshade
- Lyons
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Thelma ‑ Historic
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Thelma is located in Fulton County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thelma
- Advance
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Advance is located in Fulton County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Advance
- Whiteville ‑ Historic
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Whiteville is located in Fulton County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whiteville
- Siney ‑ Historic
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Siney is located in Fulton County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Siney
- Leslie ‑ Historic
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Leslie is located in Fulton County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leslie
- Henry County (OH)
- Ridgeville Corners
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Ridgeville Corners is located in Henry County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ridgeville Corners
- Lucas County (OH)
- The following are listed by their distance from Clayton, with the one closest to Clayton listed first.
- Berkey
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Berkey is located in Lucas County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Berkey
- Population from the 2020 Census: 241 people
- Sharples
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Sharples is located in Lucas County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sharples
- Centennial ‑ Historic
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Centennial is located in Lucas County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Centennial
- Sylvania
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Fort Industry ‑ Historic
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Fort Industry is located in Lucas County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fort Industry
- Williams County (OH)
- The following are listed by their distance from Clayton, with the one closest to Clayton listed first.
- Alvordton
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Kunkle
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Kunkle is located in Williams County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kunkle
- Pioneer
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- West Unity
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Holiday City
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Holiday City is located in Williams County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holiday City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 47 people
- Jim Town
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Jim Town is located in Williams County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jim Town
- Stryker
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Ainger
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Ainger is located in Williams County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ainger
- Montpelier
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Northwest
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Northwest is located in Williams County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Northwest
- Pulaski
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Pulaski is located in Williams County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pulaski
- Cooney
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Cooney is located in Williams County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cooney
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Clayton, see our County-by-County Page for Clayton.
Cemeteries Near Clayton ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Clayton.
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 Clayton - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Clayton covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Clayton, with the one closest to Clayton listed first.
- South Dover Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- North Dover Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Dover Center Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Medina Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Canandaigua Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Brown Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Rollin Center Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Gage Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Union Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union Cemetery
- The Union Cemetery has also been known as:
- East Rome Cemetery
- East Rome Union Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #429 <2>
- West Rome Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Rome Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the West Rome Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located 10 miles [16.1 km]<3> to the west of Adrian.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #1945 <2>
- Rollin Village Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Morehouse Grave
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Continue List (398 more) ...
- Fitts Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Maple Grove Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Old Sacred Heart Church Cemetery
(5 miles [8 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.<4>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Clayton had a population of 678 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Clayton had a population of 328 people.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Clayton, with the one closest to Clayton listed first.
- Cadmus
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Cadmus is located in Lenawee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cadmus
- Medina
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Medina is located in Lenawee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Medina
- Canandaigua
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Canandaigua is located in Lenawee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Canandaigua
- Rollin
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Rollin is located in Lenawee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rollin
- Hudson
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Geneva
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Geneva is located in Lenawee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Geneva
- Seneca
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Seneca is located in Lenawee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seneca
- North Morenci
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- North Morenci is located in Lenawee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Morenci
- Sand Creek
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Sand Creek is located in Lenawee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sand Creek
- Manitou Beach
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Weston
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Weston is located in Lenawee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weston
- Devils Lake
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Devils Lake is located in Lenawee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Devils Lake
- Continue List (16 more) ...
- Morenci
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Fairfield
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Fairfield is located in Lenawee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairfield
- Addison Junction
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Addison Junction is located in Lenawee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Addison Junction
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Clayton. See our List of 1890's Communities around Clayton.
Newspapers Published in Clayton ...
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 143 newspapers that have been published in the area around Clayton.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Clayton, 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 Clayton.
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 Clayton:
- Websites specific to Michigan
- Pages specific to Lenawee County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Hillsdale County
- Jackson County
- Monroe County
- Washtenaw County
- Fulton County
- Henry County
- Lucas County
- Williams 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 things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Clayton) 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 Clayton, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |