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 Napoleon (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 Napoleon. 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 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.
Napoleon is located in Jackson 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 Jackson County: Calhoun, Eaton, Hillsdale, Ingham, Lenawee, Livingston & Washtenaw.
Below are the counties that are near Napoleon. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Napoleon:
- Jackson County (The home county of Napoleon)
- The following are listed by their distance from Napoleon, with the one closest to Napoleon listed first.
- Norvell
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Norvell is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Norvell
- Brooklyn
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Leoni
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Leoni is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leoni
- Fishville
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Fishville is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fishville
- Clarklake
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Grass Lake
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Michigan Center
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Vandercook Lake
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Vandercook Lake is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vandercook Lake
- Liberty
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Liberty is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Liberty
- Jackson
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Jackson is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jackson
- Population from the 2020 Census: 32,374 people
- Former name for Jackson:
- Jacksonopolis
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Jackson <1>
- South Jackson
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- South Jackson is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Jackson
- Trist
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Trist is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trist
- Calhoun County
- The following are listed by their distance from Napoleon, with the one closest to Napoleon listed first.
- Albion
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Homer
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Eaton County
- Charlesworth
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Charlesworth is located in Eaton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Charlesworth
- Hillsdale County
- The following are listed by their distance from Napoleon, with the one closest to Napoleon listed first.
- Somerset
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Somerset Center
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Somerset Center is located in Hillsdale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Somerset Center
- Jerome
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Moscow
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Moscow is located in Hillsdale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moscow
- North Adams
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- North Adams is located in Hillsdale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Adams
- Population from the 2020 Census: 461 people
- Locust Corners
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Locust Corners is located in Hillsdale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Locust Corners
- Mosherville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Mosherville is located in Hillsdale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mosherville
- Pittsford
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Jonesville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Osseo
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Hillsdale
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Lickly Corners
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Lickly Corners is located in Hillsdale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lickly Corners
- Ingham County
- The following are listed by their distance from Napoleon, with the one closest to Napoleon listed first.
- Fitchburg
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Fitchburg is located in Ingham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fitchburg
- Stockbridge
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Bunker Hill
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Bunker Hill is located in Ingham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bunker Hill
- Leslie
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- North Leslie
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- North Leslie is located in Ingham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Leslie
- Onondaga
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Dansville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Mason
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Lenawee County
- The following are listed by their distance from Napoleon, with the one closest to Napoleon listed first.
- Cambridge Junction
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Cambridge Junction is located in Lenawee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cambridge Junction
- Cement City
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Devils Lake
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Devils Lake is located in Lenawee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Devils Lake
- Onsted
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Addison Junction
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Addison Junction is located in Lenawee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Addison Junction
- Manitou Beach - Devils Lake
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Manitou Beach
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Tipton
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Addison
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Clinton
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Clinton is located in Lenawee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clinton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,287 people
- Rollin
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Rollin is located in Lenawee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rollin
- Tecumseh
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Livingston County
- The following are listed by their distance from Napoleon, with the one closest to Napoleon listed first.
- Unadilla
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Unadilla is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Unadilla
- Kaiserville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Kaiserville is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kaiserville
- Gregory
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Chalkerville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Chalkerville is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chalkerville
- Chalkerville has also been known as:
- Chalkers Landing
- Hell
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Hell is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hell
- Hell has also been known as:
- Hi Land Lake
- Highland Lake
- Hiland Lake
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Hell <1>
- Plainfield
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Plainfield is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plainfield
- Anderson
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Anderson is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Anderson
- Pinckney
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Parkers Corners
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Parkers Corners is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parkers Corners
- Chubb's Corners ‑ Historic
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Chubb's Corners is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chubb's Corners
- Lakeland
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Pettysville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Pettysville is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pettysville
- Monroe County
- The following are listed by their distance from Napoleon, with the one closest to Napoleon listed first.
- Cone
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Cone is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cone
- Milan
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Washtenaw County
- The following are listed by their distance from Napoleon, with the one closest to Napoleon listed first.
- Sharon Hollow
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Sharon Hollow is located in Washtenaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sharon Hollow
- Manchester
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Rowes Corner
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Rowes Corner is located in Washtenaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rowes Corner
- Chelsea
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Bridgewater
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Dexter
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Hudson Mills
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Hudson Mills is located in Washtenaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hudson Mills
- Saline
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Dover
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Dover is located in Washtenaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dover
- Delhi Mills
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Delhi Mills is located in Washtenaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Delhi Mills
- Pittsfield
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Pittsfield is located in Washtenaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pittsfield
- Pittsfield has also been known as:
- Pittsfield Village
- Ann Arbor
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Napoleon, see our County-by-County Page for Napoleon.
Cemeteries Near Napoleon ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Napoleon.
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 Napoleon - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Napoleon covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Napoleon, with the one closest to Napoleon listed first.
- Oak Grove Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Peterson Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Norvell Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Ray Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Jefferson Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Brooklyn Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Roman Orthodox Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- St. Mary Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for St. Mary Cemetery
- The St. Mary Cemetery has also been known as:
- Vatra Romaneasca Cemetery
- Clark Lake Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Leoni Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Fishville Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Eldred Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Continue List (387 more) ...
- Roseland Memorial Gardens
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Cement City Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Grass Lake Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
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.<2>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Napoleon had a population of 334 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Napoleon, with the one closest to Napoleon listed first.
- Brooklyn
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Norvell
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Norvell is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Norvell
- Leoni
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Leoni is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leoni
- Grass Lake
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Michigan Center
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Liberty
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Liberty is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Liberty
- Springville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Springville is located in Lenawee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Springville
- Francisco
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Francisco is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Francisco
- Jackson
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Jackson is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jackson
- Population from the 2020 Census: 32,374 people
- Former name for Jackson:
- Jacksonopolis
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Jackson <1>
- South Jackson
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- South Jackson is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Jackson
- Devils Lake
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Devils Lake is located in Lenawee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Devils Lake
- Manchester
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Somerset Center
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Somerset Center is located in Hillsdale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Somerset Center
- Onsted
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Addison Junction
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Addison Junction is located in Lenawee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Addison Junction
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Napoleon. See our List of 1890's Communities around Napoleon.
Newspapers Published in Napoleon ...
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 121 newspapers that have been published in the area around Napoleon.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Napoleon, there are papers which were published within 27 miles [43.5 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Napoleon.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we begin 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 Napoleon:
- Websites specific to Michigan
- Pages specific to Jackson County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Calhoun County
- Eaton County
- Hillsdale County
- Ingham County
- Lenawee County
- Livingston County
- Monroe County
- Washtenaw 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> | 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 Napoleon, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <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- Napoleon) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |