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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 Creswell (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 Creswell. 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 southwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most hospitals were in the next county to the west. Almost all of the nearby churches and cemeteries were in the county to the south.

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 south 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.

Creswell is located in Antrim 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 Antrim County: Charlevoix, Crawford, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska & Otsego.

Below are the counties that are near Creswell. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Creswell:

  • Antrim County     (The home county of Creswell)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Creswell, with the one closest to Creswell listed first.
    • Central Lake
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
    • Eastport
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
    • Kewadin
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
    • Bellaire
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
    • Clam Lake ‑ Historic
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Clam Lake is located in Antrim County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clam Lake
    • Elk Rapids
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
    • Alden
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
    • Finkton
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
      • Finkton is located in Antrim County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Finkton
    • Ellsworth
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Wetzel ‑ Historic
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
      • Wetzel is located in Antrim County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wetzel
      • Wetzel has also been known as:
      • Wetzell
    • Mancelona
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Alba
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
  • Charlevoix County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Creswell, with the one closest to Creswell listed first.
    • Norwood
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
      • Norwood is located in Charlevoix County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Norwood
    • East Jordan
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Goo ‑ Historic
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Goo is located in Charlevoix County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goo
    • Ironton
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
      • Ironton is located in Charlevoix County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ironton
    • Charlevoix
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
    • Boyne City
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Boyne City is located in Charlevoix County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boyne City
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,717 people
      • Former names for Boyne City:
      • Bay Springs
      • Boyne
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Boyne City <1>
    • Horton Bay
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Horton Bay is located in Charlevoix County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Horton Bay
    • Boyne Falls
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
    • Zenith Heights
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Zenith Heights is located in Charlevoix County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zenith Heights
    • Bay Shore
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Bay Shore is located in Charlevoix County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bay Shore
    • Walloon Lake
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
  • Crawford County
    • Deward ‑ Historic
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Deward is located in Crawford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deward
  • Emmet County
  • Grand Traverse County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Creswell, with the one closest to Creswell listed first.
    • Old Mission
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Mapleton
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Mapleton is located in Grand Traverse County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mapleton
    • Angel
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
      • Angel is located in Grand Traverse County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Angel
      • Angel has also been known as:
      • Angel Station
      • Angell Station
    • Tunk ‑ Historic
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
      • Tunk is located in Grand Traverse County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tunk
    • Mabel
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
      • Mabel is located in Grand Traverse County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mabel
    • Williamsburg
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
    • Acme
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
    • Traverse City
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Devils Elbow
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
      • Devils Elbow is located in Grand Traverse County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Devils Elbow
    • Mayfield
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
      • Mayfield is located in Grand Traverse County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mayfield
    • Grawn
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Kalkaska County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Creswell, with the one closest to Creswell listed first.
    • Torch River
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
      • Torch River is located in Kalkaska County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Torch River
    • Rapid City
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
    • Barker Creek
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
      • Barker Creek is located in Kalkaska County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barker Creek
    • Westwood
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Westwood is located in Kalkaska County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westwood
    • Kalkaska
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
    • South Boardman
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
    • Lodi
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
      • Lodi is located in Kalkaska County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lodi
    • Sigma
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Sigma is located in Kalkaska County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sigma
    • Spencer
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Spencer is located in Kalkaska County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spencer
    • Angling
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Angling is located in Kalkaska County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Angling
    • Deibert
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
      • Deibert is located in Kalkaska County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deibert
    • Fife Lake
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
  • Leelanau County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Creswell, with the one closest to Creswell listed first.
    • Omena
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
    • Manseau ‑ Historic
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
      • Manseau is located in Leelanau County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Manseau
    • Peshawbestown
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
      • Peshawbestown is located in Leelanau County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peshawbestown
    • Northport
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Suttons Bay
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
    • Onominee ‑ Historic
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Onominee is located in Leelanau County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Onominee
      • Onominee has also been known as:
      • Onominese
      • Onomonese
      • Onuminee
      • Onumunese
    • Lake Leelanau
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
    • Bingham
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
      • Bingham is located in Leelanau County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bingham
    • Leland
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
    • Hatchs
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Hatchs is located in Leelanau County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hatchs
    • Greilickville
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Greilickville is located in Leelanau County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greilickville
    • Schomberg
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
      • Schomberg is located in Leelanau County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Schomberg
    • Bodus
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
      • Bodus is located in Leelanau County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bodus
  • Otsego County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Creswell, with the one closest to Creswell listed first.
    • Elmira
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
    • Hallock
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
      • Hallock is located in Otsego County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hallock

For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Creswell, see our County-by-County Page for Creswell.

Cemeteries Near Creswell ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Creswell.

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 Creswell - one of the links might be able to help.

If not found below, our Cemetery List for Creswell covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.

The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Creswell, with the one closest to Creswell listed first.

  • Russell Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the north)
  • Southern Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
  • Lake View Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Lakeview Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakeview Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Lakeview Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the southeast of Eastport.
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #875 <2>
  • Kewadin Indian Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
  • Sacred Heart Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
  • Bay View Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
  • Lakeside Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Flewelling Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
  • Ogdensburg Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
  • Maple Grove Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
  • South Milton Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
  • Continue List   (126 more) ...
    • Eldred Cemetery
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Densmore Cemetery
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
    • Catholic Cemetery
      (9 miles [14.5 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>

The Rand McNally Atlas shows that in 1895, Creswell had a post office and no railroad service.

These communities are listed based on their distance from Creswell, with the one closest to Creswell listed first.

  • Torch Lake
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
    • Torch Lake is located in Antrim County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Torch Lake
  • Snowflake
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
    • Snowflake is located in Antrim County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Snowflake
  • Central Lake
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
  • Kewadin
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
  • Eastport
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
  • Old Mission
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Clam Lake ‑ Historic
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Clam Lake is located in Antrim County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clam Lake
  • Bellaire
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
  • Elk Rapids
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
  • Mapleton
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Mapleton is located in Grand Traverse County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mapleton
  • Finkton
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
    • Finkton is located in Antrim County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Finkton
  • Ellsworth
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Continue List   (15 more) ...
    • Atwood
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
      • Atwood is located in Antrim County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Atwood
    • Omena
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
    • Chestonia
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
      • Chestonia is located in Antrim County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chestonia

We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Creswell. See our List of 1890's Communities around Creswell.

Newspapers Published in Creswell ...

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 79 newspapers that have been published in the area around Creswell.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Creswell, 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 Creswell.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we first visit 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 Creswell:

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 Creswell, 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- Creswell) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.