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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 Oxbow Park (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 Oxbow Park. 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 and hospitals 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.

Oxbow Park is located in Newaygo 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 Newaygo County: Kent, Lake, Mason, Mecosta, Montcalm, Muskegon, Oceana & Osceola.

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

  • Newaygo County     (The home county of Oxbow Park)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Oxbow Park, with the one closest to Oxbow Park listed first.
    • Riverview
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Riverview is located in Newaygo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riverview
    • Croton
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
      • Croton is located in Newaygo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Croton
    • White Cloud
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
    • Newaygo
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Ramona
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Ramona is located in Newaygo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ramona
    • Wooster
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
      • Wooster is located in Newaygo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wooster
    • Sun
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Sun is located in Newaygo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sun
    • Grant
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Brohman
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Brohman is located in Newaygo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brohman
      • Former names for Brohman:
      • Dingman
      • Otia
    • Aetna
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
      • Aetna is located in Newaygo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aetna
    • Bishop
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
      • Bishop is located in Newaygo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bishop
    • Ashland
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Ashland is located in Newaygo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ashland
  • Isabella County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Oxbow Park, with the one closest to Oxbow Park listed first.
    • Blanchard
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
    • Sherman City ‑ Historic
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Sherman City is located in Isabella County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sherman City
  • Kent County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Oxbow Park, with the one closest to Oxbow Park listed first.
    • Sand Lake
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
    • Cedar Springs
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
    • Kent City
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
    • Casnovia
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Sheffield
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
      • Sheffield is located in Kent County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sheffield
    • Edgerton
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
      • Edgerton is located in Kent County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edgerton
    • Harvard
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
      • Harvard is located in Kent County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harvard
    • Sparta
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
    • Lisbon
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
      • Lisbon is located in Kent County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lisbon
    • Rockford
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
    • Belmont
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
  • Lake County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Oxbow Park, with the one closest to Oxbow Park listed first.
    • Chase
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
    • Nirvana
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
      • Nirvana is located in Lake County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nirvana
    • Marlborough
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Marlborough is located in Lake County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marlborough
    • Idlewild
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
      • Idlewild is located in Lake County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Idlewild
    • Baldwin
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Mecosta County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Oxbow Park, with the one closest to Oxbow Park listed first.
    • Morley
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
    • Borland
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
      • Borland is located in Mecosta County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Borland
    • Stanwood
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Rustford
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
      • Rustford is located in Mecosta County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rustford
    • Big Rapids
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Canadian Lakes
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
      • Canadian Lakes is located in Mecosta County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Canadian Lakes
    • Rodney
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Halls Corner
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
      • Halls Corner is located in Mecosta County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Halls Corner
    • Paris
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
    • Mecosta
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Chippewa Lake
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Pogy
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
      • Pogy is located in Mecosta County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pogy
  • Montcalm County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Oxbow Park, with the one closest to Oxbow Park listed first.
    • Howard City
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Amble
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Amble is located in Montcalm County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Amble
    • Pierson
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Coral
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Lakeview
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
    • Trufant
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
    • Langston
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Langston is located in Montcalm County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Langston
    • Six Lakes
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
    • Gowen
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
    • Entrican
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Entrican is located in Montcalm County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Entrican
    • Edmore
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
    • Greenville
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
  • Muskegon County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Oxbow Park, with the one closest to Oxbow Park listed first.
    • Bailey
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
    • Canada Corners
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Canada Corners is located in Muskegon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Canada Corners
    • Brunswick
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
      • Brunswick is located in Muskegon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brunswick
    • Slocum
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Slocum is located in Muskegon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Slocum
    • Holton
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
    • Morgan Corners
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Morgan Corners is located in Muskegon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morgan Corners
    • Ravenna
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Twin Lake
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
    • Wolf Lake
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Wolf Lake is located in Muskegon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wolf Lake
  • Oceana County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Oxbow Park, with the one closest to Oxbow Park listed first.
    • Hesperia
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
    • Walkerville
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Osceola County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Oxbow Park, with the one closest to Oxbow Park listed first.
    • Hersey
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
    • Reed City
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
  • Ottawa County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Oxbow Park, with the one closest to Oxbow Park listed first.
    • Wright
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
      • Wright is located in Ottawa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wright
    • Conklin
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)

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

Cemeteries Near Oxbow Park ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Oxbow Park.

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 Oxbow Park - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • West Aetna Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
  • Gulp Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
  • Prairie Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
  • St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Big Prairie - Everett Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
  • Croton Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Christian Plains Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
  • St. Peters Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Fairview Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Goodwell Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
  • Oak Grove Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
  • Aetna Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
  • Continue List   (217 more) ...
    • Amish Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
    • St. Apollonia Cemetery
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
    • Holt Cemetery
      (8 miles [12.9 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 Oxbow Park in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Oxbow Park.

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

  • Big Prairie
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
    • Big Prairie is located in Newaygo County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Big Prairie
  • Croton
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
    • Croton is located in Newaygo County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Croton
  • Morley
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
  • Borland
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
    • Borland is located in Mecosta County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Borland
  • White Cloud
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
  • Stanwood
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
  • Alleyton
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
    • Alleyton is located in Newaygo County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alleyton
  • Howard City
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
  • Newaygo
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Woodville
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
    • Woodville is located in Newaygo County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodville
  • Amble
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Amble is located in Montcalm County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Amble
  • Rustford
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
    • Rustford is located in Mecosta County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rustford
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Pierson
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Sun
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Sun is located in Newaygo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sun
    • Coral
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)

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

Newspapers Published in Oxbow Park ...

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 117 newspapers that have been published in the area around Oxbow Park.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Oxbow Park, 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 Oxbow Park.

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 Oxbow Park:

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 Oxbow Park, 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' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Oxbow Park) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.