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 Thornville (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 Thornville. 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 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.
Thornville is located in Lapeer 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 Lapeer County: Genesee, Macomb, Oakland, Saint Clair, Sanilac & Tuscola.
Below are the counties that are near Thornville. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Thornville:
- Lapeer County (The home county of Thornville)
- The following are listed by their distance from Thornville, with the one closest to Thornville listed first.
- Metamora
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Dryden
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Hunters Creek
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Hunters Creek is located in Lapeer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hunters Creek
- Attica
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Lapeer
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Almont
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Imlay City
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Hadley
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Lum
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Lum is located in Lapeer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lum
- Five Lakes
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Five Lakes is located in Lapeer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Five Lakes
- Kings Mill
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Kings Mill is located in Lapeer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kings Mill
- Barnes Lake - Millers Lake
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Genesee County
- The following are listed by their distance from Thornville, with the one closest to Thornville listed first.
- Goodrich
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Atlas
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Atlas is located in Genesee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Atlas
- Davison
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Russellville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Russellville is located in Genesee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Russellville
- Burton
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Grand Blanc
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Otisville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Genesee
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Flint
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Beecher
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Beecher is located in Genesee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beecher
- Bayport Park
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Bayport Park is located in Genesee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bayport Park
- Lake Fenton
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Lake Fenton is located in Genesee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Fenton
- Livingston County
- The following are listed by their distance from Thornville, with the one closest to Thornville listed first.
- Hallers Corners
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Hallers Corners is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hallers Corners
- Tyrone
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Tyrone is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tyrone
- Macomb County
- The following are listed by their distance from Thornville, with the one closest to Thornville listed first.
- Miami ‑ Historic
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Miami is located in Macomb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Miami
- Grays' Mills ‑ Historic
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Grays' Mills is located in Macomb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grays' Mills
- Former names for Grays' Mills:
- Clifton Mill
- Clifton Village
- Clifton
- Thorington ‑ Historic
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Thorington is located in Macomb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thorington
- Thorington has also been known as:
- Thorington Settlement
- Romeo
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Crissmanville ‑ Historic
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Crissmanville is located in Macomb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crissmanville
- Mount Vernon ‑ Historic
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Mount Vernon is located in Macomb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Vernon
- Armada Corners ‑ Historic
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Armada Corners is located in Macomb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Armada Corners
- Armada Corners has also been known as:
- Selleck's Corners
- Armada
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Armada is located in Macomb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Armada
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,698 people
- Former names for Armada:
- Burk's Corners
- Honeyoe
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Armada <1>
- Shelby ‑ Historic
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Shelby is located in Macomb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shelby
- Shelby has also been known as:
- Shelby Crossing
- Shelby Station
- Washington
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Doyle ‑ Historic
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Doyle is located in Macomb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Doyle
- Davis
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Davis is located in Macomb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Davis
- Oakland County
- The following are listed by their distance from Thornville, with the one closest to Thornville listed first.
- Thomas
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Thomas is located in Oakland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thomas
- Leonard
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Oakwood
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Oakwood is located in Oakland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakwood
- Oxford
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Lakeville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Lakeville is located in Oakland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakeville
- Lake Orion
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Lake Orion is located in Oakland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Orion
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,191 people
- Former names for Lake Orion:
- Canandaigua City
- New Canandaigua
- Oakland
- Orion
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Lake Orion <1>
- Campbells Corner
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Campbells Corner is located in Oakland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Campbells Corner
- Perry Lake Heights
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Perry Lake Heights is located in Oakland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Perry Lake Heights
- Kline ‑ Historic
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Kline is located in Oakland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kline
- Kline has also been known as:
- Kline Settlement
- Lake Orion Heights
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Lake Orion Heights is located in Oakland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Orion Heights
- Rudds Mill
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Rudds Mill is located in Oakland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rudds Mill
- Ortonville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Saint Clair County
- The following are listed by their distance from Thornville, with the one closest to Thornville listed first.
- Allenton
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Allenton is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Allenton
- Capac
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Lesterville
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Lesterville is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lesterville
- Berville
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Berville is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Berville
- Riley Center
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Riley Center is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riley Center
- Emmett
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Brockway
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Brockway is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brockway
- Yale
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Yale is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yale
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,861 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Yale <1>
- Lambs
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Lambs is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lambs
- Lambs has also been known as:
- Lamb
- Belle River
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Belle River is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belle River
- Avoca
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Columbus
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Sanilac County
- The following are listed by their distance from Thornville, with the one closest to Thornville listed first.
- Valley Center
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Valley Center is located in Sanilac County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Valley Center
- Melvin
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Melvin is located in Sanilac County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Melvin
- Population from the 2020 Census: 166 people
- Marlette
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Speaker
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Speaker is located in Sanilac County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Speaker
- Peck
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Peck is located in Sanilac County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peck
- Population from the 2020 Census: 588 people
- Roseburg
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Roseburg is located in Sanilac County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roseburg
- Tuscola County
- The following are listed by their distance from Thornville, with the one closest to Thornville listed first.
- Fostoria
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Fostoria is located in Tuscola County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fostoria
- Mayville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Millington
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Juniata
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Juniata is located in Tuscola County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Juniata
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Thornville, see our County-by-County Page for Thornville.
Cemeteries Near Thornville ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Thornville.
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 Thornville - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Thornville covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Thornville, with the one closest to Thornville listed first.
- Thornville Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Metamora Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Rock Valley Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Whigville Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Dryden Center Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Harris Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Harris Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- South Attica Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Schuneman Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- South Dryden Pioneer Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Roscoe Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Hunters Creek Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Continue List (317 more) ...
- North Oxford Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Kingsbury Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
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.<2>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Thornville had a population of 85 people in 1895 with a post office and no railroad service.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Thornville, with the one closest to Thornville listed first.
- Metamora
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Dryden
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Hunters Creek
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Hunters Creek is located in Lapeer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hunters Creek
- Thomas
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Thomas is located in Oakland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thomas
- Leonard
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Attica
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Farmers Creek
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Farmers Creek is located in Lapeer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Farmers Creek
- Oakwood
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Oakwood is located in Oakland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakwood
- Oxford
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Lapeer
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Lakeville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Lakeville is located in Oakland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakeville
- Almont
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- Imlay City
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Hadley
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Lum
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Lum is located in Lapeer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lum
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Thornville. See our List of 1890's Communities around Thornville.
Newspapers Published in Thornville ...
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 98 newspapers that have been published in the area around Thornville.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Thornville, there are papers which were published within 26 miles [41.8 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Thornville.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we begin with the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These websites either 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 Thornville:
- Websites specific to Michigan
- Pages specific to Lapeer County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Genesee County
- Livingston County
- Macomb County
- Oakland County
- Saint Clair County
- Sanilac 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> | 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 Thornville, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <3> | 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 from Point A (ie- Thornville) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |