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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 Merson (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 Merson. 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 southeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors and hospitals were in the next county to the east. Almost all of the nearby churches and cemeteries were in the county to the south.

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 south 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.

Merson 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 Merson. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Merson:

  • Allegan County     (The home county of Merson)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Merson, with the one closest to Merson listed first.
    • Allegan
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
    • Otsego
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
    • Watson
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Watson is located in Allegan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Watson
    • Plainwell
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
    • South Monterey
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
      • South Monterey is located in Allegan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Monterey
    • Pullman
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
    • Martin
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Hopkins
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
    • Leisure
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
      • Leisure is located in Allegan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leisure
      • Leisure has also been known as:
      • East Casco
    • Hooper
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
      • Hooper is located in Allegan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hooper
    • Neeley
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
      • Neeley is located in Allegan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Neeley
    • Shelbyville
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Fennville
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Barry County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Merson, with the one closest to Merson listed first.
    • Doster
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
      • Doster is located in Barry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Doster
    • Prairieville
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
      • Prairieville is located in Barry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prairieville
    • Delton
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
    • Hickory Corners
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
    • Cloverdale
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
      • Cloverdale is located in Barry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cloverdale
    • Middleville
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Cedar Creek
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
      • Cedar Creek is located in Barry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar Creek
    • Irving
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Irving is located in Barry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Irving
    • Banfield
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
      • Banfield is located in Barry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Banfield
  • Berrien County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Merson, with the one closest to Merson listed first.
    • Paw Paw Lake
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Paw Paw Lake is located in Berrien County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Paw Paw Lake
    • Watervliet
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Coloma
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Lake Michigan Beach
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Lake Michigan Beach is located in Berrien County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Michigan Beach
  • Calhoun County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Merson, with the one closest to Merson listed first.
    • Fort Custer
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
      • Fort Custer is located in Calhoun County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fort Custer
      • Former name for Fort Custer:
      • Camp Custer
    • Level Park
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
      • Level Park is located in Calhoun County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Level Park
  • Cass County
    • Marcellus
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
  • Kalamazoo County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Merson, with the one closest to Merson listed first.
    • Alamo
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Alamo is located in Kalamazoo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alamo
    • Westwood
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Westwood is located in Kalamazoo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westwood
    • Oshtemo
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
    • East Cooper
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
      • East Cooper is located in Kalamazoo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Cooper
    • Kalamazoo
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Parchment
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Eastwood
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
      • Eastwood is located in Kalamazoo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eastwood
    • Comstock
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Comstock is located in Kalamazoo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Comstock
    • Milwood
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Milwood is located in Kalamazoo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Milwood
    • Richland
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
    • Portage
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Highland Park
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
      • Highland Park is located in Kalamazoo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Highland Park
    • Galesburg
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
  • Kent County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Merson, with the one closest to Merson listed first.
    • North Dorr
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
      • North Dorr is located in Kent County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Dorr
    • Corinth
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Corinth is located in Kent County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Corinth
    • Byron Center
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
    • Carlisle
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
      • Carlisle is located in Kent County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carlisle
    • Cutlerville
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
    • Caledonia
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Ottawa County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Merson, with the one closest to Merson listed first.
    • Drenthe
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
      • Drenthe is located in Ottawa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Drenthe
    • Forest Grove
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
      • Forest Grove is located in Ottawa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest Grove
    • Forest Grove Station
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
      • Forest Grove Station is located in Ottawa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest Grove Station
    • Jamestown
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
      • Jamestown is located in Ottawa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jamestown
    • Zeeland
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
    • Holland
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Waverly
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Waverly is located in Ottawa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waverly
    • Beechwood
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Beechwood is located in Ottawa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beechwood
    • Macatawa
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Hudsonville
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
    • Noordeloos
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
      • Noordeloos is located in Ottawa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Noordeloos
  • Saint Joseph County
    • Chamberlain
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
      • Chamberlain is located in Saint Joseph County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chamberlain
  • Van Buren County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Merson, with the one closest to Merson listed first.
    • Gobles
      (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
    • Kendall
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
      • Kendall is located in Van Buren County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kendall
    • North Lake
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
      • North Lake is located in Van Buren County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Lake
    • Glendale
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Glendale is located in Van Buren County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glendale
    • Bloomingdale
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
    • Grand Junction
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
    • Almena
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
      • Almena is located in Van Buren County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Almena
    • Breedsville
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Lacota
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
      • Lacota is located in Van Buren County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lacota
    • Mattawan
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
    • Paw Paw
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
    • Bangor
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
      • 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>
    • Kibbie
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
      • Kibbie is located in Van Buren County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kibbie

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

Cemeteries Near Merson ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Merson.

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

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

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

  • Earl Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
  • Trowbridge Methodist Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
  • Mallory Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mallory Cemetery
    • The Mallory Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Blackman Cemetery
    • Mallery Cemetery
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #975 <2>
  • Base Line Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
  • Lindsley Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
  • Spring Grove Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Tucker Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Indian Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
  • Pecktown Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
  • Thompson Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
  • Robinson Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
  • Kendall Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Continue List   (268 more) ...
    • Blackman Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blackman Cemetery
      • To give a relative sense of its location, the Blackman Cemetery is located between<3> the communities of Allegan and Otsego.  The cemetery lies 3 miles [4.8 km]<4> to the southeast of Allegan.
    • Oakwood Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
    • Rowe Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)

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>

While we didn't find Merson in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Merson.

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

  • Gobles
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • Pine Grove
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
    • Pine Grove is located in Van Buren County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Grove
  • Kendall
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
    • Kendall is located in Van Buren County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kendall
  • Allegan
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
  • Berlamont
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Berlamont is located in Van Buren County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Berlamont
  • Otsego
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
  • Millgrove
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
    • Millgrove is located in Allegan County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millgrove
    • Millgrove has also been known as:
    • Mill Grove
  • Alamo
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Alamo is located in Kalamazoo County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alamo
  • Bloomingdale
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
  • Grand Junction
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
  • Glendale
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Glendale is located in Van Buren County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glendale
  • Watson
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Watson is located in Allegan County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Watson
  • Continue List   (16 more) ...
    • Almena
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
      • Almena is located in Van Buren County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Almena
    • Plainwell
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
    • South Monterey
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
      • South Monterey is located in Allegan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Monterey

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

Newspapers Published in Merson ...

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 137 newspapers that have been published in the area around Merson.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Merson, there are papers which were published within 25 miles [40.2 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Merson.

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 helpful 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 Merson:

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>To help visualize the location of the cemetery, we've drawn a straight line between the communities of Allegan and Otsego. The cemetery can be found near that line and roughly halfway between the two communities. Remember that this is just an approximate location.
<4>Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'point-to-point' distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Merson) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.
<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 Merson, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.