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 Parma (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 Parma. 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.
Parma is located in Jackson 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 Jackson County: Calhoun, Eaton, Hillsdale, Ingham, Lenawee, Livingston & Washtenaw.
Below are the counties that are near Parma. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Parma:
- Jackson County (The home county of Parma)
- The following are listed by their distance from Parma, with the one closest to Parma listed first.
- Sandstone
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Sandstone is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sandstone
- Spring Arbor
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Woodville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Woodville is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodville
- Devereaux
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Devereaux is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Devereaux
- Concord
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Tompkins
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Tompkins is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tompkins
- Horton
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Springport
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Jackson
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Jackson is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jackson
- Population from the 2020 Census: 32,374 people
- Former name for Jackson:
- Jacksonopolis
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Jackson <1>
- Berryville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Berryville is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Berryville
- Rives Junction
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Rives Junction is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rives Junction
- Hanover
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Branch County
- The following are listed by their distance from Parma, with the one closest to Parma listed first.
- Girard
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Girard is located in Branch County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Girard
- Quincy
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Fisher
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Fisher is located in Branch County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fisher
- Hodunk
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Hodunk is located in Branch County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hodunk
- Trailtree Village
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Trailtree Village is located in Branch County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trailtree Village
- Coldwater
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Union City
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Calhoun County
- The following are listed by their distance from Parma, with the one closest to Parma listed first.
- Albion
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Rice Creek
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Rice Creek is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rice Creek
- Marengo
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Marengo is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marengo
- Duck Lake
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Duck Lake is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Duck Lake
- Homer
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Marshall
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Tekonsha
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Ceresco
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Ceresco is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ceresco
- Burlington
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Burlington is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burlington
- Population from the 2020 Census: 277 people
- Pennfield
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Pennfield is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pennfield
- Brownlee Park
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Brownlee Park is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brownlee Park
- Beadle Lake
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Beadle Lake is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beadle Lake
- Eaton County
- The following are listed by their distance from Parma, with the one closest to Parma listed first.
- Charlesworth
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Charlesworth is located in Eaton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Charlesworth
- Eaton Rapids
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Petrieville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Petrieville is located in Eaton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Petrieville
- Olivet
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Kingsland
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Kingsland is located in Eaton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kingsland
- Ainger
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Ainger is located in Eaton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ainger
- Bellevue
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Charlotte
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Dimondale
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Potterville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- West Windsor
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- West Windsor is located in Eaton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Windsor
- Carlisle
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Carlisle is located in Eaton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carlisle
- Hillsdale County
- The following are listed by their distance from Parma, with the one closest to Parma listed first.
- Mosherville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Mosherville is located in Hillsdale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mosherville
- Moscow
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Moscow is located in Hillsdale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moscow
- Jerome
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Somerset Center
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Somerset Center is located in Hillsdale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Somerset Center
- Litchfield
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Somerset
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Jonesville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- North Adams
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- North Adams is located in Hillsdale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Adams
- Population from the 2020 Census: 461 people
- Allen
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Hillsdale
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Osseo
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Steamburg
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Steamburg is located in Hillsdale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Steamburg
- Ingham County
- The following are listed by their distance from Parma, with the one closest to Parma listed first.
- Onondaga
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Leslie
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- North Leslie
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- North Leslie is located in Ingham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Leslie
- Bunker Hill
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Bunker Hill is located in Ingham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bunker Hill
- Fitchburg
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Fitchburg is located in Ingham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fitchburg
- Mason
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Dansville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Stockbridge
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Holt
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Pollok ‑ Historic
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Pollok is located in Ingham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pollok
- Pollok has also been known as:
- Pollock
- Lenawee County
- The following are listed by their distance from Parma, with the one closest to Parma listed first.
- Cement City
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Addison
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Addison Junction
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Addison Junction is located in Lenawee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Addison Junction
- Cambridge Junction
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Cambridge Junction is located in Lenawee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cambridge Junction
- Devils Lake
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Devils Lake is located in Lenawee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Devils Lake
- Manitou Beach - Devils Lake
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Manitou Beach
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Onsted
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Rollin
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Rollin is located in Lenawee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rollin
- Hudson
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Livingston County
- The following are listed by their distance from Parma, with the one closest to Parma listed first.
- Gregory
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Plainfield
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Plainfield is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plainfield
- Unadilla
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Unadilla is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Unadilla
- Washtenaw County
- The following are listed by their distance from Parma, with the one closest to Parma listed first.
- Sharon Hollow
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Sharon Hollow is located in Washtenaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sharon Hollow
- Chelsea
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Manchester
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Rowes Corner
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Rowes Corner is located in Washtenaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rowes Corner
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Parma, see our County-by-County Page for Parma.
Cemeteries Near Parma ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Parma.
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 Parma - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Parma covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Parma, with the one closest to Parma listed first.
- Parma Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Chapel Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Upton Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Smithfield Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Woodiff Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Campbell Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Dearing Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Spring Arbor Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Perry - Graham Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Bayn Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Bean Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Pherdun Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Continue List (331 more) ...
- Fairview Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Quakertown Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Wright Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
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 Parma had a population of 490 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Parma had a population of 731 people.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Parma, with the one closest to Parma listed first.
- Spring Arbor
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Sandstone
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Sandstone is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sandstone
- Concord
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Devereaux
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Devereaux is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Devereaux
- Albion
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Horton
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Tompkins
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Tompkins is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tompkins
- Springport
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Condit
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Condit is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Condit
- Pulaski
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Pulaski is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pulaski
- Jackson
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Jackson is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jackson
- Population from the 2020 Census: 32,374 people
- Former name for Jackson:
- Jacksonopolis
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Jackson <1>
- Hanover
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Continue List (16 more) ...
- South Jackson
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- South Jackson is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Jackson
- Rives Junction
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Rives Junction is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rives Junction
- Berryville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Berryville is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Berryville
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Parma. See our List of 1890's Communities around Parma.
Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Parma ...
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 55 newspapers that have been published in the area around Parma.
We have organized these newspapers into two lists:
- A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Parma. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Parma and those printed in the larger area surrounding Parma.
- An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 29 miles [46.7 km]<3> of Parma.
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 Parma:
- Websites specific to Michigan
- Pages specific to Jackson County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Branch County
- Calhoun County
- Eaton County
- Hillsdale County
- Ingham County
- Lenawee County
- Livingston County
- Washtenaw 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 Parma, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <3> | 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 drawn from Point A (ie- Parma) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |