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 Sunrise Heights (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 Sunrise Heights. 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.
Name Variations for Sunrise Heights ...
When searching records, keep in mind that names and their spelling can change over time. Our sources include documents like maps, railroad schedules, Travel, Express and Shipping Guides. Many of these documents date from the 1800's and it's common to find spelling differences.
For example, a typical abbreviation for Sunrise Heights: Sunrise Hts. (in Canada, 'Hgts.' is the more common abbreviation.)
You might be interested in other communities that are also named Sunrise Heights. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Sunrise Heights.
If you have information about these names (such as the reason for the change, date of change, the origin of the name), please Contact Us.
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 southwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most hospitals were in the next county to the west. 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 west 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.
Sunrise Heights is located in Calhoun 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 Calhoun County: Barry, Branch, Eaton, Hillsdale, Jackson, Kalamazoo & Saint Joseph.
Below are the counties that are near Sunrise Heights. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Sunrise Heights:
- Calhoun County (The home county of Sunrise Heights)
- The following are listed by their distance from Sunrise Heights, with the one closest to Sunrise Heights listed first.
- Battle Creek
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Verona Park
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Verona Park is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Verona Park
- Brownlee Park
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Brownlee Park is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brownlee Park
- Beadle Lake
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Beadle Lake is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beadle Lake
- Springfield
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Oak Park
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Oak Park is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Park
- Sonoma
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Sonoma is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sonoma
- Ceresco
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Ceresco is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ceresco
- Pennfield
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Pennfield is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pennfield
- Level Park
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Level Park is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Level Park
- Bedford
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Fort Custer
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Fort Custer is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fort Custer
- Former name for Fort Custer:
- Camp Custer
- Allegan County
- The following are listed by their distance from Sunrise Heights, with the one closest to Sunrise Heights listed first.
- Neeley
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Neeley is located in Allegan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Neeley
- Hooper
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Hooper is located in Allegan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hooper
- Plainwell
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Otsego
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Martin
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Barry County
- The following are listed by their distance from Sunrise Heights, with the one closest to Sunrise Heights listed first.
- Banfield
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Banfield is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Banfield
- Hickory Corners
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Dowling
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Dowling is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dowling
- Maple Grove
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Maple Grove is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maple Grove
- Cedar Creek
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Cedar Creek is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar Creek
- Delton
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Cloverdale
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Cloverdale is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cloverdale
- Prairieville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Prairieville is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prairieville
- Nashville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Morgan
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Morgan is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morgan
- Doster
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Doster is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Doster
- Hastings
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Branch County
- The following are listed by their distance from Sunrise Heights, with the one closest to Sunrise Heights listed first.
- Union City
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Hodunk
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Hodunk is located in Branch County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hodunk
- Sherwood
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Sherwood is located in Branch County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sherwood
- Population from the 2020 Census: 306 people
- Girard
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Girard is located in Branch County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Girard
- Matteson
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Matteson is located in Branch County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Matteson
- Batavia
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Batavia is located in Branch County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Batavia
- Coldwater
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Trailtree Village
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Trailtree Village is located in Branch County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trailtree Village
- Quincy
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Bronson
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Eaton County
- The following are listed by their distance from Sunrise Heights, with the one closest to Sunrise Heights listed first.
- Bellevue
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Olivet
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Ainger
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Ainger is located in Eaton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ainger
- Carlisle
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Carlisle is located in Eaton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carlisle
- Vermontville
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Chester
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Chester is located in Eaton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chester
- Charlotte
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Charlesworth
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Charlesworth is located in Eaton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Charlesworth
- Gresham
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Gresham is located in Eaton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gresham
- Stalls Corner
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Stalls Corner is located in Eaton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stalls Corner
- Little Venice
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Little Venice is located in Eaton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Little Venice
- Eaton Rapids
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Hillsdale County
- Litchfield
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Jackson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Sunrise Heights, with the one closest to Sunrise Heights listed first.
- Devereaux
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Devereaux is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Devereaux
- Springport
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Concord
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Parma
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Kalamazoo County
- The following are listed by their distance from Sunrise Heights, with the one closest to Sunrise Heights listed first.
- Climax
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Climax is located in Kalamazoo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Climax
- Population from the 2020 Census: 780 people
- Augusta
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- South Gull Lake
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- South Gull Lake is located in Kalamazoo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Gull Lake
- Yorkville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Yorkville is located in Kalamazoo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yorkville
- Galesburg
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Highland Park
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Highland Park is located in Kalamazoo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Highland Park
- Scotts
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Fulton
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Fulton is located in Kalamazoo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fulton
- Richland
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Pavillion Center
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Pavillion Center is located in Kalamazoo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pavillion Center
- Comstock
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Comstock is located in Kalamazoo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Comstock
- East Cooper
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- East Cooper is located in Kalamazoo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Cooper
- Saint Joseph County
- The following are listed by their distance from Sunrise Heights, with the one closest to Sunrise Heights listed first.
- Factoryville
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Factoryville is located in Saint Joseph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Factoryville
- Leonidas
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Colon
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Colon is located in Saint Joseph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colon
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,155 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Colon <1>
- Mendon
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Fairfax
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Fairfax is located in Saint Joseph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairfax
- Parkville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Parkville is located in Saint Joseph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parkville
- Wasepi
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Wasepi is located in Saint Joseph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wasepi
- Findley
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Findley is located in Saint Joseph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Findley
- Nottawa
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Sunrise Heights, see our County-by-County Page for Sunrise Heights.
Cemeteries Near Sunrise Heights ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Sunrise Heights.
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 Sunrise Heights - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Sunrise Heights covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Sunrise Heights, with the one closest to Sunrise Heights listed first.
- Oak Hill Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Hill Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Oak Hill Cemetery is a very large cemetery that is located outside and to the south of Battle Creek.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #1260 <2>
- Mt. Olivet Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mt. Olivet Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Mt. Olivet Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the south of Battle Creek.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #1153 <2>
- Mt. Olive Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Dubois Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Haskell Home Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Newbre Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Floral Lawn Memorial Gardens
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Reese Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Youngs Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Sunset Gardens Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Memorial Park Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Beckley Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Continue List (300 more) ...
- Morgan Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Holiday Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Sandstone Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 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.<3>
While we didn't find Sunrise Heights in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Sunrise Heights.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Sunrise Heights, with the one closest to Sunrise Heights listed first.
- Battle Creek
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Sonoma
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Sonoma is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sonoma
- Ceresco
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Ceresco is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ceresco
- Joppa
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Joppa is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Joppa
- Bedford
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- West Leroy
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- West Leroy is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Leroy
- Climax
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Climax is located in Kalamazoo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Climax
- Population from the 2020 Census: 780 people
- East Leroy
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- East Leroy is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Leroy
- Pine Creek
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Pine Creek is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Creek
- Marshall
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Assyria
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Assyria is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Assyria
- Banfield
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Banfield is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Banfield
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- Bellevue
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Yorkville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Yorkville is located in Kalamazoo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yorkville
- Galesburg
(12 miles [19.3 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 Sunrise Heights. See our List of 1890's Communities around Sunrise Heights.
Newspapers Published in Sunrise Heights ...
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 37 newspapers that have been published in the area around Sunrise Heights.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Sunrise Heights, there are papers which were published within 27 miles [43.5 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Sunrise Heights.
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 Sunrise Heights:
- Websites specific to Michigan
- Pages specific to Calhoun County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Allegan County
- Barry County
- Branch County
- Eaton County
- Hillsdale County
- Jackson County
- Kalamazoo County
- Saint Joseph 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 Sunrise Heights, 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 from Point A (ie- Sunrise Heights) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |