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 Roscommon (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 Roscommon. 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 doctors and hospitals 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.
Roscommon is located in Roscommon County and is the County Seat.
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 Roscommon County: Clare, Crawford, Gladwin, Kalkaska, Missaukee, Ogemaw & Oscoda.
Below are the counties that are near Roscommon. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Roscommon:
- Roscommon County (The home county of Roscommon)
- The following are listed by their distance from Roscommon, with the one closest to Roscommon listed first.
- Geels
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Geels is located in Roscommon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Geels
- Higgins Lake
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Hillcrest
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Hillcrest is located in Roscommon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hillcrest
- Tent City
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Tent City is located in Roscommon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tent City
- Saint Helen
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Prudenville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Houghton Lake Heights
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Houghton Lake Heights is located in Roscommon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Houghton Lake Heights
- Houghton Lake
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Nellsville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Nellsville is located in Roscommon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nellsville
- Clare County
- Meredith
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Meredith is located in Clare County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meredith
- Crawford County
- The following are listed by their distance from Roscommon, with the one closest to Roscommon listed first.
- Deerheart Valley
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Deerheart Valley is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deerheart Valley
- Pere Cheney ‑ Historic
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Pere Cheney is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pere Cheney
- Pere Cheney has also been known as:
- Center Plains
- Cheney
- Skyline Village
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Skyline Village is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Skyline Village
- Grayling
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Rasmus
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Rasmus is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rasmus
- McIntyre Landing
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- McIntyre Landing is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McIntyre Landing
- Bucks
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Bucks is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bucks
- Frederic
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Deward ‑ Historic
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Deward is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deward
- Gladwin County
- The following are listed by their distance from Roscommon, with the one closest to Roscommon listed first.
- Butman
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Butman is located in Gladwin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Butman
- Sugar Rapids
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Sugar Rapids is located in Gladwin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sugar Rapids
- Kalkaska County
- The following are listed by their distance from Roscommon, with the one closest to Roscommon listed first.
- Fletcher
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Fletcher is located in Kalkaska County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fletcher
- Angling
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Angling is located in Kalkaska County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Angling
- Sharon ‑ Historic
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Sharon is located in Kalkaska County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sharon
- Sharon has also been known as:
- Big Oley
- Jam One
- Sigma
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Sigma is located in Kalkaska County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sigma
- Spencer
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Spencer is located in Kalkaska County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spencer
- Lodi
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Lodi is located in Kalkaska County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lodi
- Missaukee County
- The following are listed by their distance from Roscommon, with the one closest to Roscommon listed first.
- Stratford ‑ Historic
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Stratford is located in Missaukee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stratford
- Merritt
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Moorestown
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Moorestown is located in Missaukee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moorestown
- Star City
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Star City is located in Missaukee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Star City
- Stittsville ‑ Historic
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Stittsville is located in Missaukee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stittsville
- Cutcheon
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Cutcheon is located in Missaukee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cutcheon
- Falmouth
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Vogel Center
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Vogel Center is located in Missaukee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vogel Center
- Montmorency County
- The following are listed by their distance from Roscommon, with the one closest to Roscommon listed first.
- Garland Village
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Garland Village is located in Montmorency County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garland Village
- Vienna Junction
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Vienna Junction is located in Montmorency County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vienna Junction
- Lewiston
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Ogemaw County
- The following are listed by their distance from Roscommon, with the one closest to Roscommon listed first.
- Damon
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Damon is located in Ogemaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Damon
- Ogemaw Springs
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Ogemaw Springs is located in Ogemaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ogemaw Springs
- West Branch
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Rose City
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Fayettes Corner ‑ Historic
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Fayettes Corner is located in Ogemaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fayettes Corner
- Campbells Corners
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Campbells Corners is located in Ogemaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Campbells Corners
- Lupton
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Greenwood
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Greenwood is located in Ogemaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenwood
- Oscoda County
- The following are listed by their distance from Roscommon, with the one closest to Roscommon listed first.
- Luzerne
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Red Oak
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Red Oak is located in Oscoda County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Oak
- Mio
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Kneeland
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Kneeland is located in Oscoda County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kneeland
- Otsego County
- The following are listed by their distance from Roscommon, with the one closest to Roscommon listed first.
- Lower Chub Landing ‑ Historic
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Lower Chub Landing is located in Otsego County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lower Chub Landing
- Waters
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Roscommon, see our County-by-County Page for Roscommon.
Cemeteries Near Roscommon ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Roscommon.
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 Roscommon - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Roscommon covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Roscommon, with the one closest to Roscommon listed first.
- Higgins Twp. Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Pioneer Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Gerrish Twp. Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Pere Cheney Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Markey Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Richfield Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Oakwood Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Ball Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Rock Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Beaver Creek Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Heidemann Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Lakeview Park Indian Cemetery
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Continue List (66 more) ...
- Fairview Cemetery
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Stephan Cemetery
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Elmwood Cemetery
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
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 Roscommon had a population of 511 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Roscommon had a population of 1,044 people.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Roscommon, with the one closest to Roscommon listed first.
- Pere Cheney ‑ Historic
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Pere Cheney is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pere Cheney
- Pere Cheney has also been known as:
- Center Plains
- Cheney
- Saint Helen
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Prudenville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Grayling
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Houghton Lake
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Damon
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Damon is located in Ogemaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Damon
- Luzerne
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Fletcher
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Fletcher is located in Kalkaska County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fletcher
- Ogemaw Springs
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Ogemaw Springs is located in Ogemaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ogemaw Springs
- Moorestown
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Moorestown is located in Missaukee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moorestown
- Star City
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Star City is located in Missaukee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Star City
- Frederic
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Red Oak
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Red Oak is located in Oscoda County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Oak
- West Branch
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Stittsville ‑ Historic
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Stittsville is located in Missaukee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stittsville
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Roscommon. See our List of 1890's Communities around Roscommon.
Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Roscommon ...
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 32 newspapers that have been published in the area around Roscommon.
We have organized these newspapers into two lists:
- A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Roscommon. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Roscommon and those printed in the larger area surrounding Roscommon.
- An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<4> of Roscommon.
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 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 Roscommon:
- Websites specific to Michigan
- Pages specific to Roscommon County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Clare County
- Crawford County
- Gladwin County
- Kalkaska County
- Missaukee County
- Montmorency County
- Ogemaw County
- Oscoda County
- Otsego 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 Roscommon, 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 things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Roscommon) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |