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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 Oakwood (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 Oakwood. 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 southwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors and hospitals were in the next county to the west. 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 west 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.

Oakwood is located in Kalamazoo 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 Kalamazoo County: Allegan, Barry, Branch, Calhoun, Cass, Saint Joseph & Van Buren.

Below are the counties that are near Oakwood. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Oakwood:

  • Kalamazoo County     (The home county of Oakwood)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Oakwood, with the one closest to Oakwood listed first.
    • Kalamazoo
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Oshtemo
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
    • Milwood
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
      • Milwood is located in Kalamazoo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Milwood
    • Westwood
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
      • Westwood is located in Kalamazoo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westwood
    • Eastwood
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Eastwood is located in Kalamazoo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eastwood
    • Portage
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Comstock
      (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
      • Comstock is located in Kalamazoo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Comstock
    • Parchment
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
    • East Cooper
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
      • East Cooper is located in Kalamazoo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Cooper
    • Pavillion Center
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Pavillion Center is located in Kalamazoo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pavillion Center
    • Alamo
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Alamo is located in Kalamazoo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alamo
    • Schoolcraft
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
    • Galesburg
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
  • Allegan County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Oakwood, with the one closest to Oakwood listed first.
    • Plainwell
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
    • Otsego
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
    • Hooper
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
      • Hooper is located in Allegan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hooper
    • Neeley
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
      • Neeley is located in Allegan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Neeley
    • Martin
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
    • Watson
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
      • Watson is located in Allegan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Watson
    • Allegan
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Shelbyville
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
    • Bradley
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
      • Bradley is located in Allegan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bradley
    • Hopkins
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
    • South Monterey
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
      • South Monterey is located in Allegan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Monterey
    • Wayland
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
    • Pullman
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
  • Barry County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Oakwood, with the one closest to Oakwood listed first.
    • Doster
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
      • Doster is located in Barry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Doster
    • Hickory Corners
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Delton
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
    • Prairieville
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Prairieville is located in Barry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prairieville
    • Banfield
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Banfield is located in Barry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Banfield
    • Cloverdale
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Cloverdale is located in Barry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cloverdale
    • Cedar Creek
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
      • Cedar Creek is located in Barry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar Creek
    • Dowling
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Dowling is located in Barry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dowling
  • Branch County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Oakwood, with the one closest to Oakwood listed first.
    • Sherwood
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Sherwood is located in Branch County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sherwood
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 306 people
    • Union City
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Matteson
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Matteson is located in Branch County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Matteson
  • Calhoun County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Oakwood, with the one closest to Oakwood listed first.
    • Fort Custer
      (15 miles [24.1 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
    • West Leroy
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
      • West Leroy is located in Calhoun County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Leroy
    • Level Park
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
      • Level Park is located in Calhoun County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Level Park
    • Oak Park
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
      • Oak Park is located in Calhoun County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Park
    • Sonoma
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
      • Sonoma is located in Calhoun County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sonoma
    • Springfield
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
    • East Leroy
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
      • East Leroy is located in Calhoun County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Leroy
    • Joppa
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
      • Joppa is located in Calhoun County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Joppa
    • Bedford
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Battle Creek
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
    • Athens
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Beadle Lake
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
      • Beadle Lake is located in Calhoun County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beadle Lake
    • Brownlee Park
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
      • Brownlee Park is located in Calhoun County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brownlee Park
  • Cass County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Oakwood, with the one closest to Oakwood listed first.
    • Marcellus
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
    • Wakelee
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Wakelee is located in Cass County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wakelee
    • Corey
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
      • Corey is located in Cass County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Corey
    • Jones
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
    • Penn
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Penn is located in Cass County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Penn
    • Vandalia
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Vandalia is located in Cass County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vandalia
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 281 people
    • La Grange
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
      • La Grange is located in Cass County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for La Grange
  • Saint Joseph County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Oakwood, with the one closest to Oakwood listed first.
    • Chamberlain
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Chamberlain is located in Saint Joseph County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chamberlain
    • Parkville
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
      • Parkville is located in Saint Joseph County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parkville
    • Mendon
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Mendon is located in Saint Joseph County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mendon
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 848 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Mendon <1>
    • Three Rivers
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
    • Factoryville
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Factoryville is located in Saint Joseph County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Factoryville
    • Leonidas
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Centreville
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
      • Centreville is located in Saint Joseph County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Centreville
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,400 people
    • Wasepi
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
      • Wasepi is located in Saint Joseph County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wasepi
    • Fabius
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
      • Fabius is located in Saint Joseph County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fabius
    • Nottawa
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
    • Fairfax
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Fairfax is located in Saint Joseph County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairfax
    • Colon
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Colon is located in Saint Joseph County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colon
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,155 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Colon <1>
    • Constantine
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
  • Van Buren County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Oakwood, with the one closest to Oakwood listed first.
    • Mattawan
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
    • Almena
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
      • Almena is located in Van Buren County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Almena
    • North Lake
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
      • North Lake is located in Van Buren County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Lake
    • Kendall
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Kendall is located in Van Buren County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kendall
    • Lawton
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Lawton is located in Van Buren County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lawton
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,796 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Lawton <1>
    • Paw Paw
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
    • Gobles
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Glendale
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
      • Glendale is located in Van Buren County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glendale
    • Decatur
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Lawrence
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
    • Breedsville
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
    • Bloomingdale
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Bangor
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
      • 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>

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

Cemeteries Near Oakwood ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Oakwood.

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

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

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

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>

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

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

  • Kalamazoo
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
  • Oshtemo
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
  • Portage
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Comstock
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
    • Comstock is located in Kalamazoo County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Comstock
  • East Cooper
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
    • East Cooper is located in Kalamazoo County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Cooper
  • Mattawan
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
  • Cooper
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
    • Cooper is located in Kalamazoo County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cooper
  • Schoolcraft
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
  • Alamo
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Alamo is located in Kalamazoo County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alamo
  • Vicksburg
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
  • Pavilion
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Pavilion is located in Kalamazoo County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pavilion
  • Galesburg
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
  • Continue List   (15 more) ...
    • Almena
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
      • Almena is located in Van Buren County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Almena
    • Scotts
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
    • Richland
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)

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

Newspapers Published in Oakwood ...

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 78 newspapers that have been published in the area around Oakwood.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Oakwood, there are papers which were published within 27 miles [43.5 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Oakwood.

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 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 Oakwood:

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 Oakwood, 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' (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- Oakwood) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.