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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 Pearline (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 Pearline. 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 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 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.

Pearline is located in Ottawa 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 Ottawa County: Allegan, Kent & Muskegon.

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

  • Ottawa County     (The home county of Pearline)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Pearline, with the one closest to Pearline listed first.
    • Allendale
      (Less than 2 miles to the west)
    • Lamont
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
      • Lamont is also located in Ottawa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lamont
    • Eastmanville
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Eastmanville is also located in Ottawa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eastmanville
    • Bauer
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
      • Bauer is also located in Ottawa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bauer
    • Rusk
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
      • Rusk is also located in Ottawa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rusk
    • Coopersville
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
    • Marne
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
    • South Blendon
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
      • South Blendon is also located in Ottawa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Blendon
    • Hudsonville
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Jenison
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Robinson
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
      • Robinson is also located in Ottawa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Robinson
    • Conklin
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
  • Allegan County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Pearline, with the one closest to Pearline listed first.
    • New Salem
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
      • New Salem is located in Allegan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Salem
    • Burnips
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
      • Burnips is located in Allegan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burnips
      • Former name for Burnips:
      • Burnip's Corners
    • Fillmore
      (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
      • Fillmore is located in Allegan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fillmore
    • Boyd
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
      • Boyd is located in Allegan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boyd
    • Graafschap
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
      • Graafschap is located in Allegan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Graafschap
    • Dorr
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
    • Diamond Springs
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
      • Diamond Springs is located in Allegan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Diamond Springs
    • Hamilton
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
    • Moline
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Moline is located in Allegan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moline
    • Hilliards
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Hilliards is located in Allegan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hilliards
    • Singapore ‑ Historic
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Singapore was located in Allegan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Singapore
    • Hopkins
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
  • Barry County
    • Middleville
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Kent County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Pearline, with the one closest to Pearline listed first.
    • Kinney
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
      • Kinney is located in Kent County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kinney
    • Walker
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
    • Grandville
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Beverly
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
      • Beverly is located in Kent County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beverly
    • Burlingame Heights
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
      • Burlingame Heights is located in Kent County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burlingame Heights
    • Galewood
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
      • Galewood is located in Kent County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Galewood
    • Urbandale
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
      • Urbandale is located in Kent County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Urbandale
    • Wyoming
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
    • Clyde Park
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
      • Clyde Park is located in Kent County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clyde Park
    • Grand Rapids
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
    • Burlingame
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Burlingame is located in Kent County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burlingame
    • Comstock Park
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
  • Muskegon County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Pearline, with the one closest to Pearline listed first.
    • Ravenna
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
    • Fruitport
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Sullivan
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Sullivan is located in Muskegon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sullivan
    • Slocum
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
      • Slocum is located in Muskegon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Slocum
    • Canada Corners
      (18 miles [29 km] to the north)
      • Canada Corners is located in Muskegon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Canada Corners
    • Morgan Corners
      (18 miles [29 km] to the north)
      • Morgan Corners is located in Muskegon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morgan Corners
    • Bailey
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
    • Norton Shores
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Wolf Lake
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Wolf Lake is located in Muskegon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wolf Lake
    • Muskegon Heights
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Roosevelt Park
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
    • Muskegon
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
  • Newaygo County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Pearline, with the one closest to Pearline listed first.
    • Ashland
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
      • Ashland is located in Newaygo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ashland
    • Bridgeton
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
      • Bridgeton is located in Newaygo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bridgeton
    • Grant
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
    • Sun
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
      • Sun is located in Newaygo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sun
    • Sitka
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
      • Sitka is located in Newaygo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sitka

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

Cemeteries Near Pearline ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Pearline.

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

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

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

  • Allendale Twp. Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the north)
  • Elmwood Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
  • Maplewood Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
  • Church Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
  • Eastmanville Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
  • Rusk Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
  • Blendon Twp. Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blendon Twp. Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Blendon Twp. Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located 3 miles [4.8 km]<2> to the northwest of Hudsonville.
    • The Blendon Twp. Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Blendon Cemetery
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #128 <3>
  • Bauer Road Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
  • Georgetown Twp. Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Rosedale Memorial Park
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
  • Marne Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
  • St. Mary's Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Continue List   (255 more) ...
    • Maple Hill Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
    • Borculo Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
    • River Bend Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 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.<4>

The Rand McNally Atlas shows that in 1895, Pearline had a post office and no railroad service.

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

  • Allendale
    (Less than 2 miles to the west)
  • Lamont
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
    • Lamont is also located in Ottawa County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lamont
  • Bauer
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
    • Bauer is also located in Ottawa County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bauer
  • Eastmanville
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Eastmanville is also located in Ottawa County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eastmanville
  • Tallmadge
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
    • Tallmadge is also located in Ottawa County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tallmadge
  • South Blendon
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
    • South Blendon is also located in Ottawa County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Blendon
  • Coopersville
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
  • Borculo
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Borculo is also located in Ottawa County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Borculo
  • Hudsonville
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Dennison
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Dennison is also located in Ottawa County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dennison
  • Herrington
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Herrington is also located in Ottawa County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Herrington
  • Olive Center
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Olive Center is also located in Ottawa County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Olive Center
  • Continue List   (16 more) ...
    • Beaverdam
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
      • Beaverdam is also located in Ottawa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beaverdam
    • Jenison
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Kinney
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
      • Kinney is located in Kent County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kinney

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

Newspapers Published in Pearline ...

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 52 newspapers that have been published in the area around Pearline.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Pearline, there are papers which were published within 25 miles [40.2 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Pearline.

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 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 Pearline:

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>Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'point-to-point' distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Pearline) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.
<3>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.
<4>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 Pearline, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.