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 Dayton (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 Dayton. 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 southeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors were in the next county to the east. 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 east 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.
Dayton is located in Tuscola 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 Tuscola County: Bay, Genesee, Huron, Lapeer, Saginaw & Sanilac.
Below are the counties that are near Dayton. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Dayton:
- Tuscola County (The home county of Dayton)
- The following are listed by their distance from Dayton, with the one closest to Dayton listed first.
- Wilmot
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Wilmot is located in Tuscola County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilmot
- Deford
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Deford is located in Tuscola County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deford
- Caro
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Kingston
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Elmwood
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Elmwood is located in Tuscola County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elmwood
- Wahjamega
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Wahjamega is located in Tuscola County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wahjamega
- Mayville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Cass City
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Juniata
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Juniata is located in Tuscola County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Juniata
- Watrousville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Watrousville is located in Tuscola County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Watrousville
- Colling
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Colling is located in Tuscola County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colling
- Akron
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Fairgrove
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Bay County
- The following are listed by their distance from Dayton, with the one closest to Dayton listed first.
- Munger
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Essexville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Genesee County
- The following are listed by their distance from Dayton, with the one closest to Dayton listed first.
- Otisville
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Farrandville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Farrandville is located in Genesee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Farrandville
- Russellville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Russellville is located in Genesee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Russellville
- Clio
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Genesee
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Huron County
- The following are listed by their distance from Dayton, with the one closest to Dayton listed first.
- Bach
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Bach is located in Huron County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bach
- Owendale
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Kilmanagh
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Kilmanagh is located in Huron County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kilmanagh
- Sebewaing
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Valley Island
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Valley Island is located in Huron County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Valley Island
- Ubly
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Elkton
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Pigeon
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Berne
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Berne is located in Huron County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Berne
- Bay Port
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Ora Labora
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Ora Labora is located in Huron County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ora Labora
- Ora Labora has also been known as:
- Ora et Labora
- Bad Axe
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Lapeer County
- The following are listed by their distance from Dayton, with the one closest to Dayton listed first.
- Silverwood
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Clifford
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Clifford is located in Lapeer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clifford
- Population from the 2020 Census: 323 people
- North Branch
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Barnes Lake - Millers Lake
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Otter Lake
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Burnside
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Burnside is located in Lapeer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burnside
- Columbiaville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Five Lakes
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Five Lakes is located in Lapeer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Five Lakes
- Kings Mill
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Kings Mill is located in Lapeer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kings Mill
- Brown City
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Lum
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Lum is located in Lapeer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lum
- Lapeer
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Attica
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Saginaw County
- The following are listed by their distance from Dayton, with the one closest to Dayton listed first.
- Reese
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Blumfield Corners
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Blumfield Corners is located in Saginaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blumfield Corners
- Frankenmuth
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Birch Run
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Bridgeport
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Buena Vista
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Buena Vista is located in Saginaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buena Vista
- Crow Island ‑ Historic
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Crow Island is located in Saginaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crow Island
- Melbourne ‑ Historic
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Melbourne is located in Saginaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Melbourne
- Sanilac County
- The following are listed by their distance from Dayton, with the one closest to Dayton listed first.
- Hemans
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Hemans is located in Sanilac County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hemans
- Decker
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Decker is located in Sanilac County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Decker
- Marlette
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Snover
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Snover is located in Sanilac County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Snover
- Elmer
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Elmer is located in Sanilac County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elmer
- Juhl
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Juhl is located in Sanilac County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Juhl
- Argyle
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Argyle is located in Sanilac County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Argyle
- Sandusky
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Sandusky is located in Sanilac County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sandusky
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,494 people
- Former name for Sandusky:
- Sanilac Centre
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Sandusky <1>
- Watertown
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Watertown is located in Sanilac County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Watertown
- Tyre
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Tyre is located in Sanilac County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tyre
- Berkshire ‑ Historic
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Berkshire is located in Sanilac County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Berkshire
- Cash
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Cash is located in Sanilac County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cash
- Valley Center
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Valley Center is located in Sanilac County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Valley Center
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Dayton, see our County-by-County Page for Dayton.
Cemeteries Near Dayton ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Dayton.
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 Dayton - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Dayton covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Dayton, with the one closest to Dayton listed first.
- North Wells Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- East Dayton Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- St. Michael's Catholic Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- St. Michaels Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Tuscola County Poor Farm Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Almer Twp. Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Indianfields Twp. Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Indianfields Twp. Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Indianfields Twp. Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the northeast of Caro.
- The Indianfields Twp. Cemetery has also been known as:
- Caro Cemetery
- Indian Fields Twp. Cemetery
- Indianfields Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #795 <2>
- Sacred Heart Catholic Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- North Grove Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- West Dayton Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Dayton Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the West Dayton Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located 2 miles [3.2 km]<3> to the northeast of Mayville.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #1930 <2>
- Dayton Center Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Kingston Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kingston Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Kingston Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located less than 2 miles<3> to the east of Kingston.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #841 <2>
- Continue List (196 more) ...
- Ellington Twp. Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Wahjamega Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Novesta Twp. Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
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 Dayton in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Dayton.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Dayton, with the one closest to Dayton listed first.
- East Dayton
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- East Dayton is located in Tuscola County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Dayton
- Wilmot
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Wilmot is located in Tuscola County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilmot
- Deford
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Deford is located in Tuscola County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deford
- Caro
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Ellington
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Ellington is located in Tuscola County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ellington
- Kingston
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Elmwood
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Elmwood is located in Tuscola County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elmwood
- Wahjamega
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Wahjamega is located in Tuscola County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wahjamega
- Mayville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Colwood
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Colwood is located in Tuscola County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colwood
- Juniata
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Juniata is located in Tuscola County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Juniata
- Clifford
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Clifford is located in Lapeer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clifford
- Population from the 2020 Census: 323 people
- Continue List (13 more) ...
- Cass City
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Watrousville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Watrousville is located in Tuscola County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Watrousville
- Shabbona
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Shabbona is located in Sanilac County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shabbona
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Dayton. See our List of 1890's Communities around Dayton.
Newspapers Published in Dayton ...
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 92 newspapers that have been published in the area around Dayton.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Dayton, there are papers which were published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Dayton.
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 professional and volunteer 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 Dayton:
- Websites specific to Michigan
- Pages specific to Tuscola County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Bay County
- Genesee County
- Huron County
- Lapeer County
- Saginaw County
- Sanilac 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 obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Dayton) 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 Dayton, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |