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 Higgins Lake (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 Higgins Lake. 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.
Name Variations for Higgins Lake ...
When searching records, keep in mind that names and their spelling can change over time. Our sources include documents like maps, railroad schedules, Travel, Express and Shipping Guides. Many of these documents date from the 1800's and it's common to find spelling differences.
Although we can't give a definitive list, hopefully the following will give you a feel for the variations that might occur.
- A typical abbreviation for Higgins Lake: Higgins Lk.
- While the name of this community is Higgins Lake, be aware that it's the common practice of mapmakers to remove the apostrophe from possessive names<1>. So Higgins Lake may originally have been Higgin's Lake.
Sometimes the trailing 's' might be dropped altogether, in which case Higgins Lake might be written as Higgin Lake.
If you have information about these names (such as the reason for the change, date of change, the origin of the name), please Contact Us.
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.
Higgins Lake is located in Roscommon 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 Roscommon County: Clare, Crawford, Gladwin, Kalkaska, Missaukee, Ogemaw & Oscoda.
Below are the counties that are near Higgins Lake. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Higgins Lake:
- Roscommon County (The home county of Higgins Lake)
- The following are listed by their distance from Higgins Lake, with the one closest to Higgins Lake listed first.
- Hillcrest
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Hillcrest is located in Roscommon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hillcrest
- Tent City
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Tent City is located in Roscommon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tent City
- Roscommon
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Houghton Lake Heights
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Houghton Lake Heights is located in Roscommon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Houghton Lake Heights
- Nellsville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Nellsville is located in Roscommon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nellsville
- Houghton Lake
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Prudenville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Geels
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Geels is located in Roscommon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Geels
- Saint Helen
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Clare County
- Meredith
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Meredith is located in Clare County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meredith
- Crawford County
- The following are listed by their distance from Higgins Lake, with the one closest to Higgins Lake listed first.
- Skyline Village
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Skyline Village is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Skyline Village
- Pere Cheney ‑ Historic
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Pere Cheney is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pere Cheney
- Pere Cheney has also been known as:
- Center Plains
- Cheney
- Deerheart Valley
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Deerheart Valley is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deerheart Valley
- Rasmus
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Rasmus is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rasmus
- McIntyre Landing
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- McIntyre Landing is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McIntyre Landing
- Grayling
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Frederic
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Bucks
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Bucks is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bucks
- Deward ‑ Historic
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Deward is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deward
- Gladwin County
- Butman
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Butman is located in Gladwin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Butman
- Grand Traverse County
- Walton
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Walton is located in Grand Traverse County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walton
- Walton has also been known as:
- Walton Junction
- Kalkaska County
- The following are listed by their distance from Higgins Lake, with the one closest to Higgins Lake listed first.
- Fletcher
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Fletcher is located in Kalkaska County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fletcher
- Sharon ‑ Historic
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Sharon is located in Kalkaska County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sharon
- Sharon has also been known as:
- Big Oley
- Jam One
- Angling
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Angling is located in Kalkaska County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Angling
- Sigma
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Sigma is located in Kalkaska County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sigma
- Spencer
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Spencer is located in Kalkaska County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spencer
- Lodi
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Lodi is located in Kalkaska County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lodi
- Deibert
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Deibert is located in Kalkaska County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deibert
- Kalkaska
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- South Boardman
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Fife Lake
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Westwood
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Westwood is located in Kalkaska County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westwood
- Missaukee County
- The following are listed by their distance from Higgins Lake, with the one closest to Higgins Lake listed first.
- Stratford ‑ Historic
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Stratford is located in Missaukee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stratford
- Moorestown
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Moorestown is located in Missaukee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moorestown
- Star City
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Star City is located in Missaukee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Star City
- Merritt
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Stittsville ‑ Historic
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Stittsville is located in Missaukee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stittsville
- Cutcheon
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Cutcheon is located in Missaukee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cutcheon
- Falmouth
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Lake City
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Vogel Center
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Vogel Center is located in Missaukee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vogel Center
- Jennings
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Jennings is located in Missaukee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jennings
- McBain
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Lucas
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Lucas is located in Missaukee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lucas
- Ogemaw County
- The following are listed by their distance from Higgins Lake, with the one closest to Higgins Lake listed first.
- Ogemaw Springs
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Ogemaw Springs is located in Ogemaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ogemaw Springs
- Damon
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Damon is located in Ogemaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Damon
- West Branch
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Oscoda County
- The following are listed by their distance from Higgins Lake, with the one closest to Higgins Lake listed first.
- Luzerne
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Red Oak
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Red Oak is located in Oscoda County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Oak
- Otsego County
- The following are listed by their distance from Higgins Lake, with the one closest to Higgins Lake listed first.
- Waters
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Lower Chub Landing ‑ Historic
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Lower Chub Landing is located in Otsego County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lower Chub Landing
- Wexford County
- Manton
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Higgins Lake, see our County-by-County Page for Higgins Lake.
Cemeteries Near Higgins Lake ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Higgins Lake.
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 Higgins Lake - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Higgins Lake covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Higgins Lake, with the one closest to Higgins Lake listed first.
- Heidemann Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Oakwood Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Beaver Creek Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Gerrish Twp. Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Markey Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Higgins Twp. Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Pere Cheney Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Pioneer Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Moorestown Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- United States Government Military Cemetery
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Star City Cemetery
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Roscommon Twp. Cemetery
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Continue List (72 more) ...
- Prudenville Cemetery
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Elmwood Cemetery
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Stittsville Cemetery
(14 miles [22.5 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.<4>
While we didn't find Higgins Lake in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Higgins Lake.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Higgins Lake, with the one closest to Higgins Lake listed first.
- Roscommon
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Pere Cheney ‑ Historic
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Pere Cheney is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pere Cheney
- Pere Cheney has also been known as:
- Center Plains
- Cheney
- Fletcher
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Fletcher is located in Kalkaska County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fletcher
- Moorestown
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Moorestown is located in Missaukee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moorestown
- Houghton Lake
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Star City
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Star City is located in Missaukee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Star City
- Grayling
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Prudenville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Stittsville ‑ Historic
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Stittsville is located in Missaukee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stittsville
- Sharon ‑ Historic
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Sharon is located in Kalkaska County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sharon
- Sharon has also been known as:
- Big Oley
- Jam One
- Cutcheon
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Cutcheon is located in Missaukee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cutcheon
- Pioneer
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Pioneer is located in Missaukee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pioneer
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Moddersville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Moddersville is located in Missaukee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moddersville
- Saint Helen
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Frederic
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Higgins Lake. See our List of 1890's Communities around Higgins Lake.
Newspapers Published in Higgins Lake ...
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 37 newspapers that have been published in the area around Higgins Lake.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Higgins Lake, there are papers which were published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<5>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Higgins Lake.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we first turn to 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 Higgins Lake:
- Websites specific to Michigan
- Pages specific to Roscommon County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Clare County
- Crawford County
- Gladwin County
- Grand Traverse County
- Kalkaska County
- Missaukee County
- Ogemaw County
- Oscoda County
- Otsego County
- Wexford County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Michigan
Footnotes ...
| <1> | It's generally believed that possessive apostrophes are removed to prevent confusion on maps where the apostrophe may be confused with a cartographic symbol. While this is generally true, it's not uncommon to find possessive apostrophes in administrative names (such as towns or counties). |
| <2> | While we're fans and frequent users of TripAdvisor, you should know that we're also members of the TripAdvisor affiliate program. |
| <3> | 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. |
| <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 Higgins Lake, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <5> | 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- Higgins Lake) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |