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 Rankin (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 Rankin. 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 and hospitals 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.
Rankin is located in Genesee 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 Genesee County: Lapeer, Livingston, Oakland, Saginaw, Shiawassee & Tuscola.
Below are the counties that are near Rankin. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Rankin:
- Genesee County (The home county of Rankin)
- The following are listed by their distance from Rankin, with the one closest to Rankin listed first.
- Bayport Park
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Bayport Park is located in Genesee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bayport Park
- Swartz Creek
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Lake Fenton
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Lake Fenton is located in Genesee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Fenton
- Lakeside
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Lakeside is located in Genesee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakeside
- Grand Blanc
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Linden
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Burton
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Flint
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Fenton
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Duffield
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Duffield is located in Genesee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Duffield
- Gaines
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Argentine
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Argentine is located in Genesee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Argentine
- Ingham County
- Webberville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Lapeer County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rankin, with the one closest to Rankin listed first.
- Hadley
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Hunters Creek
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Hunters Creek is located in Lapeer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hunters Creek
- Metamora
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Lapeer
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Columbiaville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Otter Lake
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Barnes Lake - Millers Lake
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Attica
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Five Lakes
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Five Lakes is located in Lapeer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Five Lakes
- Livingston County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rankin, with the one closest to Rankin listed first.
- Tyrone
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Tyrone is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tyrone
- Deer Creek
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Deer Creek is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deer Creek
- Cohoctah
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Cohoctah is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cohoctah
- Hallers Corners
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Hallers Corners is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hallers Corners
- Parshallville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Parshallville is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parshallville
- Hartland
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Oak Grove
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Oak Grove is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Grove
- Fowlerville
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Howell
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Brighton
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Green Oak
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Green Oak is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Green Oak
- Chubb's Corners ‑ Historic
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Chubb's Corners is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chubb's Corners
- Oakland County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rankin, with the one closest to Rankin listed first.
- Newark
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Newark is located in Oakland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newark
- Five Points
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Five Points is located in Oakland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Five Points
- Holly
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Groveland Corners
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Groveland Corners is located in Oakland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Groveland Corners
- Austin Corners
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Austin Corners is located in Oakland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Austin Corners
- Davisburg
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Ortonville
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Hickory Ridge
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Hickory Ridge is located in Oakland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hickory Ridge
- Clyde
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Jossman Acres
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Jossman Acres is located in Oakland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jossman Acres
- Perry Lake Heights
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Perry Lake Heights is located in Oakland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Perry Lake Heights
- Andersonville
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Andersonville is located in Oakland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Andersonville
- Saginaw County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rankin, with the one closest to Rankin listed first.
- Layton Corners
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Layton Corners is located in Saginaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Layton Corners
- Birch Run
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Burt
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Taymouth
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Taymouth is located in Saginaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Taymouth
- Chesaning
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Luce ‑ Historic
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Luce is located in Saginaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Luce
- Oakley
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Frankenmuth
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Shiawassee County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rankin, with the one closest to Rankin listed first.
- Lennon
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Byron
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Durand
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Vernon
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Juddville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Juddville is located in Shiawassee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Juddville
- Bancroft
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Newburg
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Newburg is located in Shiawassee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newburg
- New Lothrop
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Corunna
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Middletown
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Middletown is located in Shiawassee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Middletown
- Nicholson
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Nicholson is located in Shiawassee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nicholson
- Morrice
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Tuscola County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rankin, with the one closest to Rankin listed first.
- Millington
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Tuscola
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Fostoria
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Fostoria is located in Tuscola County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fostoria
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Rankin, see our County-by-County Page for Rankin.
Cemeteries Near Rankin ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Rankin.
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 Rankin - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Rankin covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Rankin, with the one closest to Rankin listed first.
- Hill Road Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Mt. Hope Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Pierce Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- O'dell Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Kimball Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Long Lake Landing Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Gage Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Crestwood Memorial Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crestwood Memorial Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Crestwood Memorial Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located in Grand Blanc.
- The Crestwood Memorial Cemetery has also been known as:
- Crestwood Memorial Gardens
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #332 <2>
- Bristol Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Dart Family Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- South Grand Blanc Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Swartz Creek Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Continue List (318 more) ...
- St. Marys Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Chippewa Nation Indian Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Fairview Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
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 Rankin had a population of 40 people in 1895 with a post office and no railroad service.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Rankin, with the one closest to Rankin listed first.
- Swartz Creek
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Linden
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Grand Blanc
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Flint
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Fenton
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Duffield
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Duffield is located in Genesee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Duffield
- Argentine
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Argentine is located in Genesee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Argentine
- Holly
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Belsay
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Belsay is located in Genesee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belsay
- Lennon
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Byron
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Tyrone
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Tyrone is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tyrone
- Continue List (16 more) ...
- Flushing
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Atlas
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Atlas is located in Genesee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Atlas
- Durand
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Rankin. See our List of 1890's Communities around Rankin.
Newspapers Published in Rankin ...
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 94 newspapers that have been published in the area around Rankin.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Rankin, there are papers which were published within 29 miles [46.7 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Rankin.
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 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 Rankin:
- Websites specific to Michigan
- Pages specific to Genesee County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Ingham County
- Lapeer County
- Livingston County
- Oakland County
- Saginaw County
- Shiawassee County
- Tuscola 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> | 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 Rankin, 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 drawn from Point A (ie- Rankin) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |