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 Cooks Mill (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 Cooks Mill. 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 Cooks Mill ...
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.
- A typical abbreviation for Cooks Mill: Cooks Ml. (or less commonly used: Cooks Mll.)
- While the name of this community is Cooks Mill, be aware that it's the common practice of mapmakers to remove the apostrophe from possessive names<1>. So Cooks Mill may originally have been Cook's Mill.
Sometimes the trailing 's' might be dropped altogether, in which case Cooks Mill might be written as Cook Mill.
You might be interested in other communities that are also named Cooks Mill. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Cooks Mill.
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.
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.
Cooks Mill is located in Kalamazoo 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 Kalamazoo County: Allegan, Barry, Branch, Calhoun, Cass, Saint Joseph & Van Buren.
Below are the counties that are near Cooks Mill. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Cooks Mill:
- Kalamazoo County (The home county of Cooks Mill)
- The following are listed by their distance from Cooks Mill, with the one closest to Cooks Mill listed first.
- Scotts
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Pavillion Center
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Pavillion Center is located in Kalamazoo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pavillion Center
- Climax
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Climax is located in Kalamazoo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Climax
- Population from the 2020 Census: 780 people
- Galesburg
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Comstock
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Comstock is located in Kalamazoo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Comstock
- Milwood
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Milwood is located in Kalamazoo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Milwood
- Augusta
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Eastwood
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Eastwood is located in Kalamazoo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eastwood
- Fulton
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Fulton is located in Kalamazoo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fulton
- Vicksburg
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Portage
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Kalamazoo
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Allegan County
- The following are listed by their distance from Cooks Mill, with the one closest to Cooks Mill listed first.
- Plainwell
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Neeley
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Neeley is located in Allegan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Neeley
- Hooper
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Hooper is located in Allegan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hooper
- Otsego
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Martin
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Watson
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Watson is located in Allegan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Watson
- Shelbyville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Bradley
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Bradley is located in Allegan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bradley
- Allegan
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Barry County
- The following are listed by their distance from Cooks Mill, with the one closest to Cooks Mill listed first.
- Hickory Corners
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Doster
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Doster is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Doster
- Banfield
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Banfield is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Banfield
- Delton
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Prairieville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Prairieville is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prairieville
- Cedar Creek
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Cedar Creek is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar Creek
- Cloverdale
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Cloverdale is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cloverdale
- Dowling
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Dowling is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dowling
- Maple Grove
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Maple Grove is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maple Grove
- Hastings
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Morgan
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Morgan is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morgan
- Branch County
- The following are listed by their distance from Cooks Mill, with the one closest to Cooks Mill listed first.
- Sherwood
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Sherwood is located in Branch County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sherwood
- Population from the 2020 Census: 306 people
- Union City
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Matteson
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Matteson is located in Branch County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Matteson
- Hodunk
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Hodunk is located in Branch County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hodunk
- Girard
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Girard is located in Branch County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Girard
- Bronson
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Batavia
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Batavia is located in Branch County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Batavia
- Coldwater
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Hatmaker
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Hatmaker is located in Branch County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hatmaker
- Trailtree Village
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Trailtree Village is located in Branch County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trailtree Village
- Calhoun County
- The following are listed by their distance from Cooks Mill, with the one closest to Cooks Mill listed first.
- West Leroy
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- West Leroy is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Leroy
- Fort Custer
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Fort Custer is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fort Custer
- Former name for Fort Custer:
- Camp Custer
- Sonoma
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Sonoma is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sonoma
- East Leroy
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- East Leroy is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Leroy
- Joppa
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Joppa is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Joppa
- Springfield
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Level Park
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Level Park is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Level Park
- Oak Park
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Oak Park is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Park
- Athens
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Beadle Lake
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Beadle Lake is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beadle Lake
- Battle Creek
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Bedford
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Cass County
- The following are listed by their distance from Cooks Mill, with the one closest to Cooks Mill listed first.
- Marcellus
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Corey
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Corey is located in Cass County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Corey
- Wakelee
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Wakelee is located in Cass County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wakelee
- Jones
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Eaton County
- The following are listed by their distance from Cooks Mill, with the one closest to Cooks Mill listed first.
- Bellevue
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Olivet
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Ainger
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Ainger is located in Eaton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ainger
- Saint Joseph County
- The following are listed by their distance from Cooks Mill, with the one closest to Cooks Mill listed first.
- Factoryville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Factoryville is located in Saint Joseph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Factoryville
- Leonidas
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Mendon
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Parkville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Parkville is located in Saint Joseph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parkville
- Colon
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Colon is located in Saint Joseph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colon
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,155 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Colon <2>
- Fairfax
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Fairfax is located in Saint Joseph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairfax
- Wasepi
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Wasepi is located in Saint Joseph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wasepi
- Chamberlain
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Chamberlain is located in Saint Joseph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chamberlain
- Nottawa
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Centreville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Centreville is located in Saint Joseph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Centreville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,400 people
- Three Rivers
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Findley
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Findley is located in Saint Joseph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Findley
- Van Buren County
- The following are listed by their distance from Cooks Mill, with the one closest to Cooks Mill listed first.
- Mattawan
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Almena
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Almena is located in Van Buren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Almena
- Lawton
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- North Lake
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- North Lake is located in Van Buren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Lake
- Kendall
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Kendall is located in Van Buren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kendall
- Paw Paw
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Gobles
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Glendale
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Glendale is located in Van Buren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glendale
- Decatur
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Cooks Mill, see our County-by-County Page for Cooks Mill.
Cemeteries Near Cooks Mill ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Cooks Mill.
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 Cooks Mill - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Cooks Mill covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Cooks Mill, with the one closest to Cooks Mill listed first.
- Cook Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Gilson Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Wolcott Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Bailey Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Wheaton Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- McKain Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Boughten Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Ford Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Spencer Mills Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Kalamazoo County Poor Farm Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Harrison Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Adams Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Continue List (287 more) ...
- Charleston Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Galesburg Old Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Shafter Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
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 Cooks Mill in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Cooks Mill.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Cooks Mill, with the one closest to Cooks Mill listed first.
- Scotts
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Pavilion
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Pavilion is located in Kalamazoo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pavilion
- Climax
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Climax is located in Kalamazoo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Climax
- Population from the 2020 Census: 780 people
- Galesburg
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Comstock
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Comstock is located in Kalamazoo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Comstock
- West Leroy
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- West Leroy is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Leroy
- Vicksburg
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Fulton
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Fulton is located in Kalamazoo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fulton
- Portage
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Pine Creek
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Pine Creek is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Creek
- Kalamazoo
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Sonoma
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Sonoma is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sonoma
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- Yorkville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Yorkville is located in Kalamazoo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yorkville
- Richland
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- East Leroy
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- East Leroy is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Leroy
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Cooks Mill. See our List of 1890's Communities around Cooks Mill.
Newspapers Published in Cooks Mill ...
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 59 newspapers that have been published in the area around Cooks Mill.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Cooks Mill, there are papers which were published within 26 miles [41.8 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Cooks Mill.
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 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 Cooks Mill:
- Websites specific to Michigan
- Pages specific to Kalamazoo County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Allegan County
- Barry County
- Branch County
- Calhoun County
- Cass County
- Eaton County
- Saint Joseph County
- Van Buren County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Michigan
Footnotes ...
| <1> | It's generally believed that possessive apostrophes are removed to prevent confusion on maps where the apostrophe may be confused with a cartographic symbol. While this is generally true, it's not uncommon to find possessive apostrophes in administrative names (such as towns or counties). |
| <2> | While we're fans and frequent users of TripAdvisor, you should know that we're also members of the TripAdvisor affiliate program. |
| <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 Cooks Mill, 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- Cooks Mill) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |