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 Foster (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 Foster. 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 hospitals and doctors 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.
Foster is located in Washtenaw 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 Washtenaw County: Jackson, Lenawee, Livingston, Monroe, Oakland & Wayne.
Below are the counties that are near Foster. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Foster:
- Washtenaw County (The home county of Foster)
- The following are listed by their distance from Foster, with the one closest to Foster listed first.
- Barton Hills
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Barton Hills is located in Washtenaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barton Hills
- Population from the 2020 Census: 303 people
- Delhi Mills
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Delhi Mills is located in Washtenaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Delhi Mills
- Ann Arbor
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Emery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Emery is located in Washtenaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Emery
- Dexter
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Dixboro
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Dixboro is located in Washtenaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dixboro
- Pittsfield
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Pittsfield is located in Washtenaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pittsfield
- Pittsfield has also been known as:
- Pittsfield Village
- Dover
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Dover is located in Washtenaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dover
- Hudson Mills
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Hudson Mills is located in Washtenaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hudson Mills
- Ypsilanti
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Saline
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Bridgewater
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Ingham County
- The following are listed by their distance from Foster, with the one closest to Foster listed first.
- Stockbridge
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Fitchburg
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Fitchburg is located in Ingham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fitchburg
- Bunker Hill
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Bunker Hill is located in Ingham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bunker Hill
- Jackson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Foster, with the one closest to Foster listed first.
- Waterloo
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Waterloo is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waterloo
- Fishville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Fishville is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fishville
- Trist
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Trist is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trist
- Grass Lake
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Norvell
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Norvell is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Norvell
- Munith
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Leoni
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Leoni is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leoni
- Napoleon
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Brooklyn
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Michigan Center
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Pleasant Lake
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Lenawee County
- The following are listed by their distance from Foster, with the one closest to Foster listed first.
- Macon
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Macon is located in Lenawee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Macon
- Clinton
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Clinton is located in Lenawee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clinton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,287 people
- Britton
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Ridgeway
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Ridgeway is located in Lenawee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ridgeway
- Tecumseh
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Tipton
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Holloway
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Holloway is located in Lenawee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holloway
- Cambridge Junction
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Cambridge Junction is located in Lenawee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cambridge Junction
- Deerfield
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Onsted
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Wellsville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Wellsville is located in Lenawee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wellsville
- Livingston County
- The following are listed by their distance from Foster, with the one closest to Foster listed first.
- Whitmore Lake
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Hamburg
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Lakeland
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Pettysville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Pettysville is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pettysville
- Green Oak
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Green Oak is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Green Oak
- Pinckney
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Hell
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Hell is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hell
- Hell has also been known as:
- Hi Land Lake
- Highland Lake
- Hiland Lake
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Hell <1>
- Brighton
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Chalkerville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Chalkerville is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chalkerville
- Chalkerville has also been known as:
- Chalkers Landing
- Chubb's Corners ‑ Historic
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Chubb's Corners is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chubb's Corners
- Anderson
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Anderson is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Anderson
- Kaiserville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Kaiserville is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kaiserville
- Monroe County
- The following are listed by their distance from Foster, with the one closest to Foster listed first.
- Milan
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Cone
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Cone is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cone
- Oakville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Oakville is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakville
- Azalia
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Azalia is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Azalia
- Dundee
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Maybee
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Scofield
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Scofield is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Scofield
- Carleton
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Diann
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Diann is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Diann
- Grafton ‑ Historic
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Grafton is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grafton
- Grape
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Grape is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grape
- Petersburg
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Oakland County
- The following are listed by their distance from Foster, with the one closest to Foster listed first.
- South Lyon
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- New Hudson
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Northville
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Novi
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Wixom
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Milford
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Walled Lake
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Farmington Acres
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Farmington Acres is located in Oakland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Farmington Acres
- Glengary
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Glengary is located in Oakland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glengary
- Quakertown
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Quakertown is located in Oakland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Quakertown
- Wolverine Lake
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Wolverine Lake is located in Oakland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wolverine Lake
- Population from the 2020 Census: 4,745 people
- Farmington Hills
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Wayne County
- The following are listed by their distance from Foster, with the one closest to Foster listed first.
- Canton
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Sheldon
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Sheldon is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sheldon
- Plymouth
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Belleville
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Westland
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Wayne
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Eloise
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Eloise is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eloise
- Garden City
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Livonia
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Romulus
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- New Boston
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Elm
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Elm is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elm
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Foster, see our County-by-County Page for Foster.
Cemeteries Near Foster ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Foster.
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 Foster - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Foster covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Foster, with the one closest to Foster listed first.
- Popkins Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Washtenong Memorial Park
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Bethlehem Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- St. Andrew's Memorial Cloister Garden
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- St. Thomas' Catholic Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Fairview Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Forest Hill Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Cottonwood Farm Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Scadin Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Webster Church Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- St. Patricks Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Scio Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Continue List (392 more) ...
- Arborcrest Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Williams Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Thomas & Lowe 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 Foster in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Foster.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Foster, with the one closest to Foster listed first.
- Delhi Mills
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Delhi Mills is located in Washtenaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Delhi Mills
- Ann Arbor
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Scio
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Scio is located in Washtenaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Scio
- Webster
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Webster is located in Washtenaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Webster
- Emery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Emery is located in Washtenaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Emery
- Dexter
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Geddes
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Geddes is located in Washtenaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Geddes
- Dixboro
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Dixboro is located in Washtenaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dixboro
- Pittsfield
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Pittsfield is located in Washtenaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pittsfield
- Pittsfield has also been known as:
- Pittsfield Village
- Worden
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Worden is located in Washtenaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Worden
- Whitmore Lake
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Ypsilanti
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Continue List (13 more) ...
- Hamburg
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Saline
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Rushton
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Rushton is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rushton
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Foster. See our List of 1890's Communities around Foster.
Newspapers Published in Foster ...
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 260 newspapers that have been published in the area around Foster.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Foster, 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 Foster.
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 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 Foster:
- Websites specific to Michigan
- Pages specific to Washtenaw County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Ingham County
- Jackson County
- Lenawee County
- Livingston County
- Monroe County
- Oakland County
- Wayne 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> | 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 Foster, 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 from Point A (ie- Foster) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |