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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 Hartford (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 Hartford. 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 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.

Hartford is located in Van Buren County.

To see how the shape of Michigan's counties have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.

The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Van Buren County: Allegan, Berrien, Cass, Kalamazoo & Saint Joseph.

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

  • Van Buren County     (The home county of Hartford)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Hartford, with the one closest to Hartford listed first.
    • Lawrence
      (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
    • Bangor
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bangor
      • Bangor is located in Van Buren County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,808 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Bangor <1>
    • Covert
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Fish Corners
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fish Corners
      • Fish Corners is located in Van Buren County
    • Breedsville
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Decatur
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Decatur have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Decatur
      • Decatur is located in Van Buren County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,716 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Decatur <1>
    • Glendale
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glendale
      • Glendale is located in Van Buren County
    • Paw Paw
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
    • Bloomingdale
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
    • Grand Junction
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
    • Kibbie
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kibbie
      • Kibbie is located in Van Buren County
    • Lacota
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lacota
      • Lacota is located in Van Buren County
  • Allegan County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Hartford, with the one closest to Hartford listed first.
    • Mount Pleasant
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Pleasant
      • Mount Pleasant is located in Allegan County
    • South Haven Highlands
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
    • Hawkhead
      (18 miles [29 km] to the north)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hawkhead
      • Hawkhead is located in Allegan County
    • Leisure
      (18 miles [29 km] to the north)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leisure
      • Leisure is located in Allegan County
      • Leisure has also been known as:
      • East Casco
    • Miami Park
      (18 miles [29 km] to the north)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Miami Park
      • Miami Park is located in Allegan County
      • Miami Park has also been known as:
      • Miami Park Beach
      • Miomi Park Beach
    • Cedar Bluff
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar Bluff
      • Cedar Bluff is located in Allegan County
    • Pullman
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Pullman have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pullman
      • Pullman is located in Allegan County
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Pullman <1>
    • Glenn Haven Shores
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glenn Haven Shores
      • Glenn Haven Shores is located in Allegan County
      • Glenn Haven Shores has also been known as:
      • Hollywood
    • Glenn Shores
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glenn Shores
      • Glenn Shores is located in Allegan County
      • Glenn Shores has also been known as:
      • Glenn Stores
    • Spring Grove
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Spring Grove have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spring Grove
      • Spring Grove is located in Allegan County
    • Glenn
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
    • Ganges
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ganges
      • Ganges is located in Allegan County
  • Berrien County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Hartford, with the one closest to Hartford listed first.
    • Paw Paw Lake
      (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Paw Paw Lake
      • Paw Paw Lake is located in Berrien County
    • Watervliet
      (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
    • Coloma
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Coloma have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coloma
      • Coloma is located in Berrien County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,402 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Coloma <1>
    • Lake Michigan Beach
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Lake Michigan Beach have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Michigan Beach
      • Lake Michigan Beach is located in Berrien County
    • Riverside
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Riverside have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riverside
      • Riverside is located in Berrien County
    • Benton Heights
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Benton Heights have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Benton Heights
      • Benton Heights is located in Berrien County
    • Shanghai Corners
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shanghai Corners
      • Shanghai Corners is located in Berrien County
    • Mizpah Park
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mizpah Park
      • Mizpah Park is located in Berrien County
    • Hartman
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Hartman have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hartman
      • Hartman is located in Berrien County
    • Sodus
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Sodus have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sodus
      • Sodus is located in Berrien County
    • Benton Harbor
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Eau Claire
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Eau Claire have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eau Claire
      • Eau Claire is located in Berrien County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 591 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Eau Claire <1>
  • Cass County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Hartford, with the one closest to Hartford listed first.
    • Dowagiac
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
    • La Grange
      (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for La Grange
      • La Grange is located in Cass County
    • Pokagon
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pokagon
      • Pokagon is located in Cass County
    • Sumnerville
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sumnerville
      • Sumnerville is located in Cass County
    • Cassopolis
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Cassopolis have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cassopolis
      • Cassopolis is located in Cass County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,698 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Cassopolis <1>
    • Marcellus
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Penn
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Penn
      • Penn is located in Cass County
    • Wakelee
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Wakelee have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wakelee
      • Wakelee is located in Cass County
    • Vandalia
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Vandalia have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vandalia
      • Vandalia is located in Cass County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 281 people
    • Edwardsburg
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Edwardsburg have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edwardsburg
      • Edwardsburg is located in Cass County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,241 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Edwardsburg <1>
    • Jones
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Corey
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Corey
      • Corey is located in Cass County
  • Kalamazoo County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Hartford, with the one closest to Hartford listed first.
    • Oshtemo
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Oshtemo have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oshtemo
      • Oshtemo is located in Kalamazoo County
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Oshtemo <1>
    • Alamo
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alamo
      • Alamo is located in Kalamazoo County
    • Schoolcraft
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
    • Westwood
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Westwood have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westwood
      • Westwood is located in Kalamazoo County
    • Portage
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
    • Kalamazoo
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
  • Saint Joseph County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Hartford, with the one closest to Hartford listed first.
    • Chamberlain
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chamberlain
      • Chamberlain is located in Saint Joseph County
    • Fabius
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fabius
      • Fabius is located in Saint Joseph County

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

Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Hartford ...

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 58 newspapers that have been published in the area around Hartford.

We have organized these newspapers into two lists:

  • A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Hartford. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Hartford and those printed in the larger area surrounding Hartford.
  • An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 27 miles [43.5 km]<3> of Hartford.

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 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 Hartford:

Cemeteries Near Hartford ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Hartford.

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.

If you need information about a burial or interment, photos, transcripts, how to contact the cemetery or local authorities, please visit our selection of Genealogy Websites (see below).

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

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

  • Pioneer Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the west)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Pioneer Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Pioneer Cemetery
  • Maple Hill Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the south)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Maple Hill Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Maple Hill Cemetery
  • Fairview Memorial Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Fairview Memorial Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Fairview Memorial Cemetery
  • Rush Lake Catholic Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Rush Lake Catholic Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Rush Lake Catholic Cemetery
  • Van Auken Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Van Auken Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Van Auken Cemetery
  • Watervliet Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Watervliet Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Watervliet Cemetery
  • Hill Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Hill Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Hill Cemetery
  • Southard Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Southard Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Southard Cemetery
  • St. Joseph Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the St. Joseph Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the St. Joseph Cemetery
  • Thomas Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Lawrence Village Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Lawrence Village Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Lawrence Village Cemetery
  • Emmanuel Home Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Emmanuel Home Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Emmanuel Home Cemetery
  • Continue List   (241 more) ...
    • Keeler Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Keeler Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Keeler Cemetery
    • Coburn Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Coburn Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Coburn Cemetery
    • Taylor Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Taylor Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Taylor Cemetery

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.<5>

The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Hartford had a population of 1,044 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Hartford had a population of 2,572 people.

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

  • McDonald
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for McDonald have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McDonald
    • McDonald is located in Van Buren County
  • Toquin
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Toquin have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Toquin
    • Toquin is located in Van Buren County
  • Watervliet
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
  • Lawrence
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • Coloma
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Coloma have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coloma
    • Coloma is located in Berrien County
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,402 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Coloma <1>
  • Bangor
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bangor
    • Bangor is located in Van Buren County
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,808 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Bangor <1>
  • Covert
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Sister Lakes
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Sister Lakes have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sister Lakes
    • Sister Lakes is located in Van Buren County
  • Millburg
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Millburg have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millburg
    • Millburg is located in Berrien County
  • Breedsville
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
  • Twelve Corners
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Twelve Corners have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Twelve Corners
    • Twelve Corners is located in Berrien County
  • Spinks Corners
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Spinks Corners have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spinks Corners
    • Spinks Corners is located in Berrien County
  • Continue List   (16 more) ...
    • Decatur
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Decatur have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Decatur
      • Decatur is located in Van Buren County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,716 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Decatur <1>
    • Riverside
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Riverside have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riverside
      • Riverside is located in Berrien County
    • Naomi
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Naomi have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Naomi
      • Naomi is located in Berrien County

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

The official website for Hartford: www.hartfordmi.com/

The official website for Van Buren County: www.vbco.org/

The official website for State of Michigan: https://www.michigan.gov/

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 location has been supplied by the Geographic Names Information System - which is maintained by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). While these values should be definitive, we found that accuracy can vary and you should double-check the location if accuracy is required.
<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- Hartford) to Point B.Our distance measurements begin at a specific point in Hartford. The point we use is located at these GPS coordinates - Latitude: 42.2070, Longitude: -86.1667    
<4>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.
<5>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 Hartford, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.




 

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This page was last modified/updated: 07 Apr 2024