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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 Owendale (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 Owendale. 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 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.

Owendale is located in Huron 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 Huron County: Sanilac & Tuscola.

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

  • Huron County     (The home county of Owendale)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Owendale, with the one closest to Owendale listed first.
    • Kilmanagh
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Kilmanagh is located in Huron County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kilmanagh
    • Bach
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
      • Bach is located in Huron County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bach
    • Pigeon
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
    • Elkton
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Berne
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
      • Berne is located in Huron County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Berne
    • Bay Port
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Valley Island
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Valley Island is located in Huron County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Valley Island
    • Sebewaing
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
    • Ora Labora
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
      • Ora Labora is located in Huron County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ora Labora
      • Ora Labora has also been known as:
      • Ora et Labora
    • Bad Axe
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
    • Caseville
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
    • Ubly
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
    • Pinnebog
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Pinnebog is located in Huron County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pinnebog
  • Arenac County
    • Au Gres
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Bay County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Owendale, with the one closest to Owendale listed first.
    • Munger
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Essexville
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
    • Wenona Beach ‑ Historic
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
      • Wenona Beach is located in Bay County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wenona Beach
  • Lapeer County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Owendale, with the one closest to Owendale listed first.
    • Silverwood
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
    • Clifford
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
      • Clifford is located in Lapeer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clifford
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 323 people
  • Saginaw County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Owendale, with the one closest to Owendale listed first.
    • Reese
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Reese is located in Saginaw County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reese
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,366 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Reese <1>
    • Blumfield Corners
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Blumfield Corners is located in Saginaw County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blumfield Corners
  • Sanilac County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Owendale, with the one closest to Owendale listed first.
    • Tyre
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
      • Tyre is located in Sanilac County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tyre
    • Argyle
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Argyle is located in Sanilac County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Argyle
    • Hemans
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Hemans is located in Sanilac County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hemans
    • Decker
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Decker is located in Sanilac County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Decker
    • Snover
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
      • Snover is located in Sanilac County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Snover
    • Minden City
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
    • Palms
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
      • Palms is located in Sanilac County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Palms
    • Elmer
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Elmer is located in Sanilac County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elmer
    • Marlette
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
    • Deckerville
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Juhl
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Juhl is located in Sanilac County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Juhl
    • McGregor
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
      • McGregor is located in Sanilac County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McGregor
    • Sandusky
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Sandusky is located in Sanilac County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sandusky
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,494 people
      • Former name for Sandusky:
      • Sanilac Centre
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Sandusky <1>
  • Tuscola County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Owendale, with the one closest to Owendale listed first.
    • Gagetown
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
    • Elmwood
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
      • Elmwood is located in Tuscola County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elmwood
    • Cass City
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Colling
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Colling is located in Tuscola County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colling
    • Unionville
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Deford
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
      • Deford is located in Tuscola County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deford
    • Akron
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Bay Park
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
      • Bay Park is located in Tuscola County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bay Park
    • Caro
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
      • Caro is located in Tuscola County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caro
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,993 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Caro <1>
    • Wilmot
      (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
      • Wilmot is located in Tuscola County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilmot
    • Fairgrove
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Wahjamega
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Wahjamega is located in Tuscola County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wahjamega
    • Kingston
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)

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

Cemeteries Near Owendale ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Owendale.

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

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

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

  • Grant Twp. Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
  • St. Paul Lutheran Church Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
  • St. Agatha's Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • Elmwood Twp. Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • Oliver Twp. Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
  • Pigeon River Mennonite Church Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Grand Lawn Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
  • St. Peters Lutheran Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Cross Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cross Cemetery
    • The Cross Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Cross Lutheran Cemetery
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #335 <2>
  • St. Borgia Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
  • St. Francis Borgia Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
  • Riverside Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riverside Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Riverside Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the southeast of Elkton.
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #1504 <2>
  • Continue List   (126 more) ...

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>

The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Owendale had a population of 70 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Owendale had a population of 221 people.

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

  • Gagetown
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • Kilmanagh
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Kilmanagh is located in Huron County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kilmanagh
  • Pigeon
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
  • Elkton
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Berne
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
    • Berne is located in Huron County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Berne
  • Colwood
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Colwood is located in Tuscola County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colwood
  • Elmwood
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
    • Elmwood is located in Tuscola County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elmwood
  • Cass City
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
  • Popple
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
    • Popple is located in Huron County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Popple
  • Bay Port
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
  • Sebewaing
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
  • Unionville
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Continue List   (15 more) ...
    • Ellington
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
      • Ellington is located in Tuscola County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ellington
    • Caseville
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
    • Wickware
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Wickware is located in Sanilac County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wickware

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

Newspapers Published in Owendale ...

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 56 newspapers that have been published in the area around Owendale.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Owendale, there are papers which were published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Owendale.

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 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 Owendale:

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 Owendale, 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 things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Owendale) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.