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 Nashville (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 Nashville. 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 hospitals and 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.
Nashville is located in Barry 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 Barry County: Allegan, Calhoun, Eaton, Ionia, Kalamazoo & Kent.
Below are the counties that are near Nashville. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Nashville:
- Barry County (The home county of Nashville)
- The following are listed by their distance from Nashville, with the one closest to Nashville listed first.
- Maple Grove
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Maple Grove is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maple Grove
- Morgan
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Morgan is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morgan
- Woodland
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Woodland is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 449 people
- Dowling
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Dowling is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dowling
- Hastings
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Banfield
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Banfield is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Banfield
- Cedar Creek
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Cedar Creek is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar Creek
- Freeport
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Cloverdale
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Cloverdale is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cloverdale
- Delton
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Irving
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Irving is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Irving
- Hickory Corners
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Allegan County
- The following are listed by their distance from Nashville, with the one closest to Nashville listed first.
- Hooper
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Hooper is located in Allegan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hooper
- Neeley
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Neeley is located in Allegan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Neeley
- Bradley
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Bradley is located in Allegan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bradley
- Shelbyville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Martin
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Wayland
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Plainwell
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Moline
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Moline is located in Allegan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moline
- Calhoun County
- The following are listed by their distance from Nashville, with the one closest to Nashville listed first.
- Pennfield
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Pennfield is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pennfield
- Bedford
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Brownlee Park
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Brownlee Park is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brownlee Park
- Verona Park
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Verona Park is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Verona Park
- Level Park
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Level Park is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Level Park
- Oak Park
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Oak Park is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Park
- Battle Creek
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Springfield
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Duck Lake
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Duck Lake is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Duck Lake
- Ceresco
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Ceresco is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ceresco
- Rice Creek
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Rice Creek is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rice Creek
- Beadle Lake
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Beadle Lake is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beadle Lake
- Clinton County
- The following are listed by their distance from Nashville, with the one closest to Nashville listed first.
- Eagle
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Westphalia
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Eaton County
- The following are listed by their distance from Nashville, with the one closest to Nashville listed first.
- Vermontville
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Carlisle
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Carlisle is located in Eaton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carlisle
- Chester
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Chester is located in Eaton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chester
- Little Venice
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Little Venice is located in Eaton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Little Venice
- Gresham
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Gresham is located in Eaton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gresham
- Stalls Corner
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Stalls Corner is located in Eaton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stalls Corner
- Woodbury
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Woodbury is located in Eaton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodbury
- Sunfield
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Bellevue
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Ainger
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Ainger is located in Eaton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ainger
- Charlotte
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Needmore
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Needmore is located in Eaton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Needmore
- Ingham County
- The following are listed by their distance from Nashville, with the one closest to Nashville 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
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Holt
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Onondaga
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- North Lansing
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- North Lansing is located in Ingham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Lansing
- Ionia County
- The following are listed by their distance from Nashville, with the one closest to Nashville listed first.
- Lake Odessa
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Campbell Corners
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Campbell Corners is located in Ionia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Campbell Corners
- West Sebewa
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- West Sebewa is located in Ionia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Sebewa
- Clarksville
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Portland
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Elmdale
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Elmdale is located in Ionia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elmdale
- Saranac
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- South Ionia
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- South Ionia is located in Ionia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Ionia
- Ionia
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Lyons
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Muir
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Pewamo
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Jackson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Nashville, with the one closest to Nashville listed first.
- Springport
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Devereaux
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Devereaux is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Devereaux
- Kalamazoo County
- The following are listed by their distance from Nashville, with the one closest to Nashville listed first.
- Highland Park
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Highland Park is located in Kalamazoo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Highland Park
- South Gull Lake
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- South Gull Lake is located in Kalamazoo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Gull Lake
- Augusta
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Yorkville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Yorkville is located in Kalamazoo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yorkville
- Richland
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Galesburg
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Climax
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Climax is located in Kalamazoo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Climax
- Population from the 2020 Census: 780 people
- East Cooper
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- East Cooper is located in Kalamazoo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Cooper
- Comstock
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Comstock is located in Kalamazoo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Comstock
- Parchment
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Kent County
- The following are listed by their distance from Nashville, with the one closest to Nashville listed first.
- Alto
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Caledonia
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Segwun
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Segwun is located in Kent County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Segwun
- Lowell
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Dutton
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Dutton is located in Kent County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dutton
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Nashville, see our County-by-County Page for Nashville.
Cemeteries Near Nashville ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Nashville.
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 Nashville - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Nashville covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Nashville, with the one closest to Nashville listed first.
- Nashville Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Hosmer Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- German Evangelical Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Mason Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Vermontville Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Woodlawn Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Barryville Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Wilcox Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Warner Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Coats Grove Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Quaker Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Kalamo Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Continue List (285 more) ...
- Patterson Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Hagar Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Cogsdil Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
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 Nashville had a population of 1,029 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Nashville had a population of 1,696 people.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Nashville, with the one closest to Nashville listed first.
- Vermontville
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Maple Grove
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Maple Grove is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maple Grove
- Morgan
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Morgan is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morgan
- Kalamo
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Kalamo is located in Eaton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kalamo
- Carlisle
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Carlisle is located in Eaton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carlisle
- Coats Grove
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Coats Grove is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coats Grove
- Woodland
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Woodland is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 449 people
- Dowling
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Dowling is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dowling
- Lacey
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Lacey is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lacey
- Assyria
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Assyria is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Assyria
- Chester
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Chester is located in Eaton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chester
- Shaytown
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Shaytown is located in Eaton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shaytown
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Gresham
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Gresham is located in Eaton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gresham
- Woodbury
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Woodbury is located in Eaton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodbury
- Hastings
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Nashville. See our List of 1890's Communities around Nashville.
Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Nashville ...
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 91 newspapers that have been published in the area around Nashville.
We have organized these newspapers into two lists:
- A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Nashville. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Nashville and those printed in the larger area surrounding Nashville.
- An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 28 miles [45.1 km]<3> of Nashville.
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 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 Nashville:
- Websites specific to Michigan
- Pages specific to Barry County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Allegan County
- Calhoun County
- Clinton County
- Eaton County
- Ingham County
- Ionia County
- Jackson County
- Kalamazoo County
- Kent 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 Nashville, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <3> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'point-to-point' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Nashville) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |