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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 Olson (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 Olson. 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 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.

Olson is located in Midland 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 Midland County: Bay, Clare, Gladwin, Gratiot, Isabella & Saginaw.

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

  • Midland County     (The home county of Olson)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Olson, with the one closest to Olson listed first.
    • Sanford
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Averill
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
      • Averill is located in Midland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Averill
    • North Bradley
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
      • North Bradley is located in Midland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Bradley
    • Porter
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
      • Porter is located in Midland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Porter
    • Alamando
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Alamando is located in Midland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alamando
    • Oil City
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
      • Oil City is located in Midland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oil City
    • Midland
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
    • Hope
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Redstone
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
      • Redstone is located in Midland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Redstone
    • Ryan
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
      • Ryan is located in Midland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ryan
    • Coleman
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Edenville
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
      • Edenville is located in Midland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edenville
  • Bay County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Olson, with the one closest to Olson listed first.
    • Duel
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Duel is located in Bay County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Duel
    • Fisherville
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
      • Fisherville is located in Bay County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fisherville
    • Willard
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
      • Willard is located in Bay County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willard
    • Auburn
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
    • Seidlers
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
      • Seidlers is located in Bay County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seidlers
    • Amelith
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
      • Amelith is located in Bay County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Amelith
    • Mount Forest
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
      • Mount Forest is located in Bay County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Forest
    • Frankenlust
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
      • Frankenlust is located in Bay County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frankenlust
    • Kawkawlin
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
    • Linwood
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
    • Brissette Beach
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
      • Brissette Beach is located in Bay County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brissette Beach
    • Brooks ‑ Historic
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
      • Brooks is located in Bay County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brooks
  • Clare County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Olson, with the one closest to Olson listed first.
    • Clare
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Dover
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Dover is located in Clare County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dover
    • Farwell
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Hatton
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Hatton is located in Clare County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hatton
  • Gladwin County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Olson, with the one closest to Olson listed first.
    • Beaverton
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
    • Highwood
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
      • Highwood is located in Gladwin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Highwood
    • Rhodes
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Rhodes is located in Gladwin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rhodes
    • Gladwin
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
    • White Star
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
      • White Star is located in Gladwin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White Star
    • Wooden Shoe Village
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
      • Wooden Shoe Village is located in Gladwin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wooden Shoe Village
  • Gratiot County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Olson, with the one closest to Olson listed first.
    • North Wheeler
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
      • North Wheeler is located in Gratiot County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Wheeler
    • Wheeler
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
      • Wheeler is located in Gratiot County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wheeler
    • Breckenridge
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
    • Saint Louis
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Forest Hill
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
      • Forest Hill is located in Gratiot County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest Hill
    • Alma
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Alma is located in Gratiot County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alma
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 8,807 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Alma <1>
    • Elwell
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Edgewood
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
      • Edgewood is located in Gratiot County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edgewood
    • Ithaca
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
    • Sickles
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
      • Sickles is located in Gratiot County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sickles
    • North Star
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
      • North Star is located in Gratiot County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Star
      • North Star has also been known as:
      • Northstar
    • Riverdale
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Isabella County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Olson, with the one closest to Olson listed first.
    • Alembic
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
      • Alembic is located in Isabella County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alembic
    • Coe
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Coe is located in Isabella County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coe
    • Shepherd
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Jordan
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
      • Jordan is located in Isabella County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jordan
    • Loomis
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Loomis is located in Isabella County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Loomis
    • Mount Pleasant
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
    • Rosebush
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
    • Summerton
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
      • Summerton is located in Isabella County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Summerton
    • Crawford
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
      • Crawford is located in Isabella County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crawford
    • Vernon City
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Vernon City is located in Isabella County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vernon City
    • Strickland
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Strickland is located in Isabella County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Strickland
    • Beal City
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
      • Beal City is located in Isabella County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beal City
  • Montcalm County
    • Vestaburg
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Vestaburg is located in Montcalm County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vestaburg
  • Saginaw County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Olson, with the one closest to Olson listed first.
    • Iva
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Iva is located in Saginaw County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Iva
    • Merrill
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
    • Freeland
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Hemlock
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Lakefield
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
      • Lakefield is located in Saginaw County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakefield
    • Dice
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Dice is located in Saginaw County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dice
    • Frost
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Frost is located in Saginaw County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frost
    • Orr
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Orr is located in Saginaw County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orr
    • Nelson
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Nelson is located in Saginaw County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nelson
    • Shields
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
      • Shields is located in Saginaw County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shields
    • Swan Creek
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
      • Swan Creek is located in Saginaw County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Swan Creek
    • Garfield
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Garfield is located in Saginaw County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garfield

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

Cemeteries Near Olson ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Olson.

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

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

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

  • Lee Twp. Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
  • Memorial Gardens Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
  • Jerome Twp. Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • St. Agnes Catholic Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • Sullivan Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • Greendale Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Porter Twp. Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • Wayne Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
  • Homer Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • Geneva Community Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Geneva Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Kelly Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
  • Continue List   (200 more) ...
    • St. Patrick Cemetery
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Midland City Cemetery
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
    • Calvary Cemetery
      (9 miles [14.5 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.<3>

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

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

  • Saint Elmo
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Saint Elmo is located in Midland County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Elmo
  • Sanford
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • Averill
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
    • Averill is located in Midland County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Averill
  • North Bradley
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
    • North Bradley is located in Midland County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Bradley
  • Porter
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
    • Porter is located in Midland County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Porter
  • Alamando
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Alamando is located in Midland County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alamando
  • Midland
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
  • Hope
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
  • Pleasant Valley
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Pleasant Valley is located in Midland County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Valley
  • Coleman
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Edenville
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
    • Edenville is located in Midland County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edenville
  • Wise
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Wise is located in Isabella County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wise
  • Continue List   (16 more) ...
    • Alembic
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
      • Alembic is located in Isabella County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alembic
    • Delwin
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
      • Delwin is located in Isabella County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Delwin
    • Shepherd
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)

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

Newspapers Published in Olson ...

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 35 newspapers that have been published in the area around Olson.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Olson, there are papers which were published within 28 miles [45.1 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Olson.

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 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 Olson:

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 Olson, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.
<4>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- Olson) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.