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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 Gibson (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 Gibson. 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.

Gibson is located in Allegan 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 Allegan County: Barry, Kalamazoo, Kent, Ottawa & Van Buren.

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

  • Allegan County     (The home county of Gibson)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Gibson, with the one closest to Gibson listed first.
    • Singapore ‑ Historic
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Singapore is located in Allegan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Singapore
    • Graafschap
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Graafschap is located in Allegan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Graafschap
    • Saugatuck
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
    • Boyd
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
      • Boyd is located in Allegan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boyd
    • Douglas
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
    • Fillmore
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
      • Fillmore is located in Allegan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fillmore
    • Hamilton
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
    • Ganges
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
      • Ganges is located in Allegan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ganges
    • Fennville
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Glenn
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
    • Diamond Springs
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
      • Diamond Springs is located in Allegan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Diamond Springs
    • Glenn Shores
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
      • Glenn Shores is located in Allegan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glenn Shores
      • Glenn Shores has also been known as:
      • Glenn Stores
    • Spring Grove
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
      • Spring Grove is located in Allegan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spring Grove
  • Kent County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Gibson, with the one closest to Gibson listed first.
    • North Dorr
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
      • North Dorr is located in Kent County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Dorr
    • Byron Center
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
    • Grandville
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Carlisle
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
      • Carlisle is located in Kent County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carlisle
    • Corinth
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
      • Corinth is located in Kent County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Corinth
    • Cutlerville
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
    • Beverly
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Beverly is located in Kent County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beverly
    • Burlingame Heights
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Burlingame Heights is located in Kent County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burlingame Heights
    • Burlingame
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Burlingame is located in Kent County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burlingame
    • Clyde Park
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Clyde Park is located in Kent County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clyde Park
    • Urbandale
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Urbandale is located in Kent County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Urbandale
    • Wyoming
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Galewood
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Galewood is located in Kent County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Galewood
  • Muskegon County
    • Fruitport
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
  • Ottawa County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Gibson, with the one closest to Gibson listed first.
    • Macatawa
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
    • Beechwood
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Beechwood is located in Ottawa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beechwood
    • Holland
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Waverly
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
      • Waverly is located in Ottawa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waverly
    • Zeeland
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Noordeloos
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Noordeloos is located in Ottawa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Noordeloos
    • Port Sheldon
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
      • Port Sheldon is located in Ottawa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Port Sheldon
    • Drenthe
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
      • Drenthe is located in Ottawa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Drenthe
    • West Olive
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
    • Forest Grove Station
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Forest Grove Station is located in Ottawa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest Grove Station
    • Forest Grove
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
      • Forest Grove is located in Ottawa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest Grove
    • Agnew
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
      • Agnew is located in Ottawa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Agnew
    • South Blendon
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
      • South Blendon is located in Ottawa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Blendon
  • Van Buren County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Gibson, with the one closest to Gibson listed first.
    • Kibbie
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
      • Kibbie is located in Van Buren County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kibbie
    • Lacota
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
      • Lacota is located in Van Buren County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lacota
    • Bloomingdale
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
    • Grand Junction
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
    • South Haven
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
    • Breedsville
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
    • Bangor
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
      • Bangor is located in Van Buren County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bangor
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,808 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Bangor <1>
    • Gobles
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Covert
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
    • Glendale
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Glendale is located in Van Buren County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glendale
    • Kendall
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Kendall is located in Van Buren County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kendall

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

Cemeteries Near Gibson ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Gibson.

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

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

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

  • Gibson Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the south)
  • Riverside Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
  • East Saugatuck Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
  • Memorial Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
  • Graafschap Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • Graafschap Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • Douglas Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • Douglas Annex Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • Lakewood Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
  • Manlius Twp. Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Pilgrim Home Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pilgrim Home Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Pilgrim Home Cemetery is a very large cemetery that is located in Holland.
    • The Pilgrim Home Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Holland Twp. Cemetery
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #1371 <2>
  • Taylor Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
  • Continue List   (151 more) ...
    • Hutchins Cemetery
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
    • Fennville Cemetery
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
    • Junction Cemetery
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)

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, Gibson had a post office and no railroad service.

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

  • Saugatuck
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
  • Graafschap
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Graafschap is located in Allegan County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Graafschap
  • Douglas
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • New Richmond
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
    • New Richmond is located in Allegan County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Richmond
  • East Saugatuck
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
    • East Saugatuck is located in Allegan County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Saugatuck
  • Holland
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Fillmore
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
    • Fillmore is located in Allegan County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fillmore
  • Overisel
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
    • Overisel is located in Allegan County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Overisel
  • Ganges
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
    • Ganges is located in Allegan County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ganges
  • Fennville
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
  • Hamilton
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
  • Zeeland
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Noordeloos
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Noordeloos is located in Ottawa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Noordeloos
    • New Holland
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
      • New Holland is located in Ottawa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Holland
    • Pearl
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Pearl is located in Allegan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pearl

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

Newspapers Published in Gibson ...

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 107 newspapers that have been published in the area around Gibson.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Gibson, there are papers which were published within 29 miles [46.7 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Gibson.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we like to start with 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 Gibson:

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 Gibson, 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' (or point-to-point) distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Gibson) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.