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 Lake Odessa (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 Lake Odessa. 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 Lake Odessa ...
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.
For example, a typical abbreviation for Lake Odessa: Lk. Odessa
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.
Lake Odessa is located in Ionia 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 Ionia County: Barry, Clinton, Eaton, Gratiot, Kent & Montcalm.
Below are the counties that are near Lake Odessa. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Lake Odessa:
- Ionia County (The home county of Lake Odessa)
- The following are listed by their distance from Lake Odessa, with the one closest to Lake Odessa listed first.
- West Sebewa
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- West Sebewa is located in Ionia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Sebewa
- Campbell Corners
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Campbell Corners is located in Ionia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Campbell Corners
- Clarksville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Elmdale
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Elmdale is located in Ionia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elmdale
- Saranac
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- South Ionia
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- South Ionia is located in Ionia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Ionia
- Portland
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Ionia
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Lyons
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Muir
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Orleans
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Orleans is located in Ionia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orleans
- Smyrna
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Allegan County
- The following are listed by their distance from Lake Odessa, with the one closest to Lake Odessa listed first.
- Moline
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Moline is located in Allegan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moline
- Wayland
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Bradley
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Bradley is located in Allegan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bradley
- Hooper
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Hooper is located in Allegan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hooper
- Neeley
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Neeley is located in Allegan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Neeley
- Shelbyville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Dorr
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Martin
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Hilliards
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Hilliards is located in Allegan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hilliards
- Barry County
- The following are listed by their distance from Lake Odessa, with the one closest to Lake Odessa listed first.
- Woodland
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Woodland is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 449 people
- Freeport
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Morgan
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Morgan is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morgan
- Nashville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Hastings
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Maple Grove
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Maple Grove is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maple Grove
- Irving
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Irving is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Irving
- Middleville
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Dowling
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Dowling is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dowling
- Cedar Creek
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Cedar Creek is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar Creek
- Cloverdale
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Cloverdale is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cloverdale
- Banfield
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Banfield is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Banfield
- Calhoun County
- The following are listed by their distance from Lake Odessa, with the one closest to Lake Odessa listed first.
- Bedford
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Pennfield
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Pennfield is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pennfield
- Level Park
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Level Park is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Level Park
- Oak Park
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Oak Park is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Park
- Clinton County
- The following are listed by their distance from Lake Odessa, with the one closest to Lake Odessa listed first.
- Eagle
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Westphalia
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Fowler
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- De Witt
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Clinton Village
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Clinton Village is located in Clinton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clinton Village
- East DeWitt
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- East DeWitt is located in Clinton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East DeWitt
- Eaton County
- The following are listed by their distance from Lake Odessa, with the one closest to Lake Odessa listed first.
- Woodbury
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Woodbury is located in Eaton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodbury
- Sunfield
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Little Venice
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Little Venice is located in Eaton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Little Venice
- Mulliken
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Vermontville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Gresham
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Gresham is located in Eaton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gresham
- Needmore
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Needmore is located in Eaton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Needmore
- Stalls Corner
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Stalls Corner is located in Eaton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stalls Corner
- Chester
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Chester is located in Eaton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chester
- Carlisle
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Carlisle is located in Eaton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carlisle
- Grand Ledge
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Charlotte
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Ingham County
- The following are listed by their distance from Lake Odessa, with the one closest to Lake Odessa listed first.
- Edgemont Park
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Edgemont Park is located in Ingham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edgemont Park
- Lansing
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- North Lansing
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- North Lansing is located in Ingham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Lansing
- Kalamazoo County
- The following are listed by their distance from Lake Odessa, with the one closest to Lake Odessa listed first.
- Highland Park
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Highland Park is located in Kalamazoo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Highland Park
- South Gull Lake
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- South Gull Lake is located in Kalamazoo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Gull Lake
- Kent County
- The following are listed by their distance from Lake Odessa, with the one closest to Lake Odessa listed first.
- Alto
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Lowell
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Segwun
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Segwun is located in Kent County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Segwun
- Caledonia
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Ada
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Forest Hills
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Forest Hills is located in Kent County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest Hills
- Parnell
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Parnell is located in Kent County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parnell
- Dutton
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Dutton is located in Kent County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dutton
- Grattan
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Grattan is located in Kent County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grattan
- Kentwood
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Cannonsburg
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Corinth
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Corinth is located in Kent County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Corinth
- Montcalm County
- The following are listed by their distance from Lake Odessa, with the one closest to Lake Odessa listed first.
- Fenwick
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Fenwick is located in Montcalm County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fenwick
- Amsden
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Amsden is located in Montcalm County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Amsden
- Greenville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Eureka Place
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Eureka Place is located in Montcalm County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eureka Place
- Butternut
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Butternut is located in Montcalm County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Butternut
- Sheridan
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Vickeryville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Vickeryville is located in Montcalm County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vickeryville
- Carson City
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Lake Odessa, see our County-by-County Page for Lake Odessa.
Cemeteries Near Lake Odessa ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Lake Odessa.
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 Lake Odessa - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Lake Odessa covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Lake Odessa, with the one closest to Lake Odessa listed first.
- Lakeside Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Mauch Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Meyers Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Cheney Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Sebewa Baptist Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Barnum Neighborhood Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Fuller Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Woodland Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Reeder Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Dunkard Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Coats Grove Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Alderman Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Continue List (270 more) ...
- Clarksville Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- West Carlton Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Hagar Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 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 Lake Odessa had a population of 635 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Lake Odessa had a population of 2,041 people.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Lake Odessa, with the one closest to Lake Odessa listed first.
- Woodland
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Woodland is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 449 people
- Woodbury
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Woodbury is located in Eaton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodbury
- West Sebewa
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- West Sebewa is located in Ionia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Sebewa
- Clarksville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Coats Grove
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Coats Grove is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coats Grove
- Sunfield
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Shaytown
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Shaytown is located in Eaton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shaytown
- Elmdale
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Elmdale is located in Ionia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elmdale
- Freeport
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Saranac
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Morgan
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Morgan is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morgan
- Hastings
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Continue List (16 more) ...
- Nashville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Vermontville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Hoytville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Hoytville is located in Eaton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hoytville
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Lake Odessa. See our List of 1890's Communities around Lake Odessa.
Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Lake Odessa ...
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 84 newspapers that have been published in the area around Lake Odessa.
We have organized these newspapers into two lists:
- A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Lake Odessa. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Lake Odessa and those printed in the larger area surrounding Lake Odessa.
- An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 29 miles [46.7 km]<4> of Lake Odessa.
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 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 Lake Odessa:
- Websites specific to Michigan
- Pages specific to Ionia County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Allegan County
- Barry County
- Calhoun County
- Clinton County
- Eaton County
- Ingham County
- Kalamazoo County
- Kent County
- Montcalm 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 Lake Odessa, 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 things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Lake Odessa) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |