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 Freeport (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 Freeport. 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 northwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most hospitals and 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.
Freeport is located in Barry 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 Barry County: Allegan, Calhoun, Eaton, Ionia, Kalamazoo & Kent.
Below are the counties that are near Freeport. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Freeport:
- Barry County (The home county of Freeport)
- The following are listed by their distance from Freeport, with the one closest to Freeport listed first.
- Irving
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Irving is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Irving
- Hastings
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Middleville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Woodland
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Woodland is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 449 people
- Morgan
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Morgan is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morgan
- Cloverdale
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Cloverdale is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cloverdale
- Nashville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Cedar Creek
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Cedar Creek is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar Creek
- Dowling
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Dowling is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dowling
- Maple Grove
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Maple Grove is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maple Grove
- Delton
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Prairieville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Prairieville is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prairieville
- Banfield
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Banfield is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Banfield
- Allegan County
- The following are listed by their distance from Freeport, with the one closest to Freeport listed first.
- Moline
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Moline is located in Allegan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moline
- Wayland
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Bradley
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Bradley is located in Allegan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bradley
- Shelbyville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Dorr
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Hooper
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Hooper is located in Allegan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hooper
- Neeley
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Neeley is located in Allegan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Neeley
- Hilliards
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Hilliards is located in Allegan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hilliards
- Martin
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Hopkins
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- New Salem
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- New Salem is located in Allegan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Salem
- Watson
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Watson is located in Allegan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Watson
- Burnips
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Burnips is located in Allegan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burnips
- Former name for Burnips:
- Burnip's Corners
- Calhoun County
- The following are listed by their distance from Freeport, with the one closest to Freeport listed first.
- Bedford
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Level Park
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Level Park is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Level Park
- Oak Park
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Oak Park is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Park
- Pennfield
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Pennfield is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pennfield
- Springfield
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Clinton County
- The following are listed by their distance from Freeport, with the one closest to Freeport listed first.
- Eagle
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Westphalia
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Eaton County
- The following are listed by their distance from Freeport, with the one closest to Freeport listed first.
- Woodbury
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Woodbury is located in Eaton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodbury
- Sunfield
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Vermontville
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Little Venice
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Little Venice is located in Eaton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Little Venice
- Mulliken
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Gresham
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Gresham is located in Eaton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gresham
- Stalls Corner
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Stalls Corner is located in Eaton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stalls Corner
- Carlisle
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Carlisle is located in Eaton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carlisle
- Needmore
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Needmore is located in Eaton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Needmore
- Chester
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Chester is located in Eaton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chester
- Bellevue
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Ainger
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Ainger is located in Eaton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ainger
- Charlotte
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Ionia County
- The following are listed by their distance from Freeport, with the one closest to Freeport listed first.
- Elmdale
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Elmdale is located in Ionia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elmdale
- Campbell Corners
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Campbell Corners is located in Ionia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Campbell Corners
- Clarksville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Lake Odessa
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Saranac
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- West Sebewa
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- West Sebewa is located in Ionia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Sebewa
- South Ionia
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- South Ionia is located in Ionia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Ionia
- Smyrna
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Ionia
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Portland
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Orleans
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Orleans is located in Ionia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orleans
- Belding
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Lyons
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Kalamazoo County
- The following are listed by their distance from Freeport, with the one closest to Freeport listed first.
- Highland Park
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Highland Park is located in Kalamazoo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Highland Park
- South Gull Lake
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- South Gull Lake is located in Kalamazoo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Gull Lake
- Richland
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Yorkville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Yorkville is located in Kalamazoo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yorkville
- Augusta
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Kent County
- The following are listed by their distance from Freeport, with the one closest to Freeport listed first.
- Alto
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Caledonia
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Lowell
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Segwun
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Segwun is located in Kent County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Segwun
- Dutton
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Dutton is located in Kent County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dutton
- Ada
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Forest Hills
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Forest Hills is located in Kent County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest Hills
- Kentwood
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Corinth
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Corinth is located in Kent County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Corinth
- Cutlerville
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Parnell
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Parnell is located in Kent County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parnell
- East Grand Rapids
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Carlisle
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Carlisle is located in Kent County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carlisle
- Montcalm County
- The following are listed by their distance from Freeport, with the one closest to Freeport listed first.
- Greenville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Amsden
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Amsden is located in Montcalm County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Amsden
- Eureka Place
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Eureka Place is located in Montcalm County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eureka Place
- Fenwick
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Fenwick is located in Montcalm County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fenwick
- Ottawa County
- The following are listed by their distance from Freeport, with the one closest to Freeport listed first.
- Jamestown
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Jamestown is located in Ottawa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jamestown
- Jenison
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Forest Grove
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Forest Grove is located in Ottawa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest Grove
- Forest Grove Station
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Forest Grove Station is located in Ottawa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest Grove Station
- Hudsonville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Freeport, see our County-by-County Page for Freeport.
Cemeteries Near Freeport ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Freeport.
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 Freeport - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Freeport covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Freeport, with the one closest to Freeport listed first.
- Freeport Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Fuller Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- West Carlton Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Mennonite Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Dunkard Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Bowne Center Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Irving Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Ingraham Grave
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Leach Grave
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Cheney Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Clarksville Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Barnum Neighborhood Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Continue List (296 more) ...
- Fuller Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- St. Patrick's Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Mt. Hope Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 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.<2>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Freeport had a population of 387 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Freeport had a population of 503 people.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Freeport, with the one closest to Freeport listed first.
- Elmdale
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Elmdale is located in Ionia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elmdale
- Clarksville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Irving
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Irving is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Irving
- Alto
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Middleville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Hastings
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Coats Grove
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Coats Grove is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coats Grove
- Woodland
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Woodland is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 449 people
- Lake Odessa
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Alaska
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Alaska is located in Kent County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alaska
- Labarge
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Labarge is located in Kent County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Labarge
- Whitneyville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Whitneyville is located in Kent County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whitneyville
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Lowell
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Bowens Mill
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Bowens Mill is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bowens Mill
- Morgan
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Morgan is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morgan
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Freeport. See our List of 1890's Communities around Freeport.
Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Freeport ...
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 181 newspapers that have been published in the area around Freeport.
We have organized these newspapers into two lists:
- A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Freeport. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Freeport and those printed in the larger area surrounding Freeport.
- An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 27 miles [43.5 km]<3> of Freeport.
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 either 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 Freeport:
- Websites specific to Michigan
- Pages specific to Barry County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Allegan County
- Calhoun County
- Clinton County
- Eaton County
- Ionia County
- Kalamazoo County
- Kent County
- Montcalm County
- Ottawa 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> | 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 Freeport, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <3> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' (or point-to-point) distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Freeport) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |