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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 Ravenna (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 Ravenna. 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.

Ravenna is located in Muskegon 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 Muskegon County: Kent, Newaygo, Oceana & Ottawa.

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

  • Muskegon County     (The home county of Ravenna)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ravenna, with the one closest to Ravenna listed first.
    • Slocum
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Slocum is located in Muskegon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Slocum
    • Morgan Corners
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Morgan Corners is located in Muskegon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morgan Corners
    • Canada Corners
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
      • Canada Corners is located in Muskegon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Canada Corners
    • Sullivan
      (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
      • Sullivan is located in Muskegon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sullivan
    • Bailey
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Wolf Lake
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Wolf Lake is located in Muskegon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wolf Lake
    • Fruitport
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Muskegon Heights
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
    • Muskegon
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
    • Norton Shores
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
    • Holton
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Roosevelt Park
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
  • Allegan County
    • New Salem
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
      • New Salem is located in Allegan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Salem
  • Kent County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ravenna, with the one closest to Ravenna listed first.
    • Casnovia
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
    • Lisbon
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
      • Lisbon is located in Kent County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lisbon
    • Kent City
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
    • Sparta
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
    • Kinney
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Kinney is located in Kent County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kinney
    • Comstock Park
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Walker
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Belmont
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
    • Cedar Springs
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
    • Edgerton
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
      • Edgerton is located in Kent County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edgerton
    • Rockford
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
    • Northview
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Northview is located in Kent County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Northview
  • Montcalm County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ravenna, with the one closest to Ravenna listed first.
    • Pierson
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
    • Howard City
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Coral
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Trufant
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
  • Newaygo County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ravenna, with the one closest to Ravenna listed first.
    • Bridgeton
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
      • Bridgeton is located in Newaygo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bridgeton
    • Ashland
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Ashland is located in Newaygo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ashland
    • Grant
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Sitka
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
      • Sitka is located in Newaygo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sitka
    • Sun
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Sun is located in Newaygo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sun
    • Bishop
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
      • Bishop is located in Newaygo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bishop
    • Brookside
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
      • Brookside is located in Newaygo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brookside
    • Reeman
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
      • Reeman is located in Newaygo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reeman
    • Newaygo
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Fremont
      (18 miles [29 km] to the north)
      • Fremont is located in Newaygo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fremont
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 4,102 people
      • Former name for Fremont:
      • Fremont Center
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Fremont <1>
    • Wooster
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
      • Wooster is located in Newaygo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wooster
    • Croton
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Croton is located in Newaygo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Croton
  • Oceana County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ravenna, with the one closest to Ravenna listed first.
    • Hesperia
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
    • Rothbury
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Ferry
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Ferry is located in Oceana County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ferry
  • Ottawa County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ravenna, with the one closest to Ravenna listed first.
    • Conklin
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
    • Coopersville
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
    • Wright
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Wright is located in Ottawa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wright
    • Nunica
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Eastmanville
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
      • Eastmanville is located in Ottawa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eastmanville
    • Lamont
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
      • Lamont is located in Ottawa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lamont
    • Marne
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Allendale
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
    • Ferrysburg
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Robinson
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Robinson is located in Ottawa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Robinson
    • Spring Lake
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Grand Haven
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)

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

Cemeteries Near Ravenna ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Ravenna.

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

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

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

  • Ravenna Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
  • St. Catherine's Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the north)
  • McNitt Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
  • Moorland Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
  • Bennet Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
  • Hilton Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • Bell Place Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • St. Francis Xavier's Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • Sullivan Twp. Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
  • Coopersville - Polkton Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coopersville - Polkton Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Coopersville - Polkton Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the north of Coopersville.
    • The Coopersville - Polkton Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Coopersville Cemetery
    • Polkton Cemetery
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #312 <2>
  • Big Springs Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Trinity Lutheran Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Continue List   (233 more) ...
    • Chidester Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
    • South Casnovia Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
    • St. Michael's Cemetery
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)

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 Ravenna had a population of 268 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Ravenna had a population of 1,276 people.

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

  • Harrisburg
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
    • Harrisburg is located in Ottawa County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harrisburg
  • Moorland
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Moorland is located in Muskegon County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moorland
  • Conklin
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
  • Sullivan
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
    • Sullivan is located in Muskegon County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sullivan
  • Dennison
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
    • Dennison is located in Ottawa County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dennison
  • Coopersville
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
  • Wright
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Wright is located in Ottawa County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wright
  • Lisbon
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
    • Lisbon is located in Kent County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lisbon
  • Casnovia
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
  • Nunica
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
  • Reno
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Reno is located in Ottawa County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reno
  • Kent City
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
  • Continue List   (17 more) ...
    • Bailey
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Herrington
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Herrington is located in Ottawa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Herrington
    • Ashland
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Ashland is located in Newaygo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ashland

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

Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Ravenna ...

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 173 newspapers that have been published in the area around Ravenna.

We have organized these newspapers into two lists:

  • A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Ravenna. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Ravenna and those printed in the larger area surrounding Ravenna.
  • An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 28 miles [45.1 km]<4> of Ravenna.

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 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 Ravenna:

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 Ravenna, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.
<4>Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a '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- Ravenna) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.